ALLIED WARSHIPS vs THE ATLANTIC WALL: Normandy 1944

1-978128

Details of the design, construction and ammunition of the weapons involved and explores the evolution of Allied naval doctrine, which was based on repeated experiences during a succession of amphibious operations, and which enabled the Allies to successfully overcome the coastal gun threat. Discusses the clash between Batterie Hamburg (defending Cherbourg) and the Allied naval bombardment group led by the battleship USS Texas on 25 June 1944.

By 1944, the French coast featured more than 1,900 coastal guns over 75mm in calibre. The Royal Navy and the US Navy provided operational mobility that allowed the Allies to strike unexpectedly across the vast coastlines of the Mediterranean and Atlantic. Amphibious landings were an essential tool of Allied military strategy in World War II.