bookrandom Chapter 318: Capture of Omaha
Chapter 318: Capture of Omaha
Massive explosions once again detonated around the German bunkers and trenches on Omaha Beach, catching the German garrison, which had been relieved, completely off guard. Some exposed Germans, repairing their positions, were instantly torn to pieces. Lower- and middle-level German commanders repeatedly called out to their men to get into bunkers. However, the massive and intense artillery fire offered them no chance, especially the battleships' massive guns, 340mm and larger. A single shell not only shattered buildings within hundreds of meters, but even those hiding in bunkers were still annihilated by the massive shockwave. They died not from direct hits but from internal ruptures and shattered organs.
On the reef to the left of Omaha Beach, the German bunkers became the primary target of a heavy artillery attack. The initial landings had exposed the main German positions, and the massive naval guns rained down targeted fire, a devastating blow to the Germans. The bombardment lasted approximately 45 minutes, during which time aircraft launched from naval carriers launched a relentless, tidal wave of attacks over a dozen kilometers in depth, completely destroying any German positions, depots, roads, or suspected points that might have supported the Omaha Beach operation.
At that moment, the 4th Marine Division was advancing at full speed. Over 100 helicopter gunships swarmed the sky like locusts, pouring ammunition onto exposed German firing points and providing the strongest support for the landing force. General Douglas stood on the command bridge of a support aircraft carrier, binoculars in hand, intently observing every move on the battlefield. He was convinced that this landing would be a success!
Standing behind General Douglas, Vice Admiral Weidmans, the Navy general, was filled with horror. He had commanded the first landing, and having witnessed the adjusted landing firsthand, he constantly reviewed his own shortcomings in commanding the first landing. He was deeply impressed by the command skills of Yang Hong, the renowned general from the flower-growing family, and expressed his sincere admiration. At the same time, he felt a deep sense of self-blame. If the first attack had been so meticulously organized, the 2nd Division wouldn't have suffered thousands of casualties and returned empty-handed.
Similarly, the commanders of the 2nd Marine Division blamed themselves. As Marine Corps commanders, they understood full well that they were responsible not only for commanding the advance on the ground but also for closely coordinating with all branches of the Navy. This was a required skill for them as commanders. They couldn't help but wonder why the commander of the Flower Planting Family had considered this, while they themselves hadn't. They were filled with sincere admiration for commanders like Yang Hong.
The US 4th Division quickly advanced to Omaha Beach, occupied the beach, and reached the bottom of the coastal cliffs. Countless climbing ropes were launched onto the cliffs by launchers. With the cover of helicopters, the German army could no longer cut these climbing ropes. The soldiers successfully climbed up the cliffs and, with the support of helicopter firepower, launched a fierce attack on the remaining German bunker fortifications.
An hour and a half later, Mountbatten and General Wallace received a report that the US 4th Division had occupied Omaha Beach. Shocked, they ordered the remaining landing forces to advance rapidly and expand their depth while talking to each other. They all expressed admiration for the soldiers. Following Yang Hong's suggestion, the second batch of Allied landing forces had arrived. The location and importance of Omaha Beach provided the Allies with the best opportunity to cut off the German forces along the western coast of France. Mountbatten did not hesitate, and without waiting for the 4th Division to expand its advantage, he immediately deployed the British 14th Army and the US 3rd Army into the landing. The US 3rd Army, in particular, was a heavily mechanized army. Their landing marked a milestone victory for the Allied forces in the entire Normandy Campaign.
In the town of Contaverosi, the 113th Army tank unit finally arrived. With the support of a large amount of artillery fire, M4-seize tanks and M26 heavy tanks joined the battlefield. The accompanying H-1B attack helicopters dealt a fatal blow to the German tanks. The hurried German armored regiment was unable to stop the attack of the 113th Army. The special operations regiment met with the advance troops of the 113th Army, liberated the town of Contaverosi, and opened up the way to encircle the German coastline forces.
On the morning of the 7th, the Allies captured Isigny-sur-Mer, advancing towards Bayeux in the center and rapidly advancing towards Caen in the east. The capture of Isigny-sur-Mer put the German forces on the Cotentin Peninsula at risk of being cut off. Seventh Army Commander Dollmann was forced to shift his main forces westward, attempting to hold the line of Calanillon and Périer. He stationed a tank division on the outskirts of Lessey and ordered the frontline troops in Cherbourg and other areas in the western part of the peninsula to withdraw and move towards the Lessey line. Dollmann's strategy was clear: a decisive battle with the landing Chinese and American forces on this line. Victory would allow the Allies to be driven back to the sea. Failure would leave Dollmann committing suicide to avoid being held accountable by the Führer.
Army Group B's commander, Rommel, knew the battle had entered a crucial, life-or-death phase. At his insistence, Field Marshal Rundstedt was forced to transfer two German armored divisions from the Eastern Front westward. Meanwhile, the National Headquarters generously transferred four tank divisions to Army Group B's command. They must quickly reach the Orne and Eure regions before the Allied surge through Caen, leveraging the advantageous terrain to engage the Allies in a thrilling, life-or-death battle!
The German High Command was not, as in the alternate time and space, stretched thin by the collapse on the Eastern Front, leaving it struggling to manage both ends. Nor was the Führer dictatorial. The newly formed Free Corps of Europe, a formidable division comprised of fascist zealots from the occupied territories, had been reborn through the flames of war and was now as powerful as the German Army's elite. They were brought in from the mountainous regions of southern Europe, and a significant number of them were deployed on the Western Front to counter the Allied forces.
The second plan of the German high command was to abandon the coastline, draw the Allies in, and launch a massive annihilation campaign in western France! Short-range missiles, one of the Third Reich's secret weapons, were quietly deployed, and over 300 of the urgently developed "Eagle" attack helicopters were deployed. Their engines, far more powerful than those of the Allies, gave them greater endurance, stronger armor, and more ferocious firepower. For the Allied attack helicopter and tank units, the battle along the Orne and Earle lines would surely be a brutal, hellish battle.