The landing in Sicily in 1943 marks the start of the Allies in European territory during the Second World War. On June 6, 1944, the Normandy landings and the battle of the same name led to the Liberation of Paris. Consequently, the American Eisenhower, who directs the command of the armed forces, wants to create a line of defense, nicknamed the "blue line", 25 km deep in the Var hinterland, in order to take a pincer movement (" Anvil” anvil), the III th Reich. British Prime Minister Churchill, who opted for the Balkans, bows. The operation is renamed "Dragoon" according to Churchill's preferences. From May 27, 1944, the bombardments on the German defense between Nice and Marseilles accelerated while the French resistance carried out numerous sabotage operations to prevent the enemy's withdrawal. In addition, a diversionary operation, "Span", is carried out towards Genoa.
August 15 - September 12, 1944
Characters
Winston Churchill
Conrad Eisenhower
Robert T. Frederick
Adolf Hitler
Edgar de Larminat
Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
Joseph Magnan
Joseph de Monsabert
Alexander Patch
Heinrich Ruhfus
Raoul Salan
Hans Schaeffer
Aimé Sudre
Friedrich Wiese
Procedure
The launch of Anvil/Dragoon, led by Patch (leader of the 7 e American army), takes place on August 15 around 4 a.m., to face the XIX th Wiese's armed division. 9,000 soldiers were parachuted (under the orders of American General Robert T. Frederick) into the plain of Le Muy and headed for the coast. Then, the amphibious operation of the Supreme Allied Commander Mediterranean, part of Italy and North Africa, sends different armies between Cavalaire and Saint Raphaël. These armies, the Romeo Force, the Rosie Force and the Sitka Force, are spread over the beaches called Alpha, Delta, and Camel. A fourth army, the Rugby Force, is sent inland (Draguignan).
Army B, led by General de Lattre de Tassigny and made up of 260,000 French soldiers, 80% of whom came from overseas, Black Africa and the Maghreb, took part in the fight from the 16th. different forces are made very quickly, liberating Saint-Tropez, Ramatuelle, Fréjus, etc. The bridgeheads (areas conquered in enemy territory) were established in record time:on August 17, the line of defense, called the “blue line”, was created! The Germans, fighting on several fronts, are clearly inferior. Building on their success, the Allied troops moved up the Rhone Valley, and Grenoble fell on August 22, 1944. It was up to the French to liberate the two major ports, Marseille and Toulon. General de Monsabert, belonging to Army B, confronts the men of German General Schaeffer in Marseilles, and General de Lattre de Tassigny, allied with Generals Magnan and Salan, opposes the troops of German Admiral Ruhfus in Toulon .
As German soldiers retreated everywhere, these officers were ordered by Hitler to hold the two ports. The fighting raged, but Lattre de Tassigny and Monsabert, helped by the resistance and the civilians who rose up (especially in Marseilles), concomitantly (simultaneously) declared victory on August 28. Patch enters Lyon on September 3. The junction with the soldiers of Normandy takes place in Dijon on September 12, 1944 (40 days in advance)! Operation Dragoon joined Operation Overlord (Allied landing from Normandy) much faster than expected, and the Germans are now caught in a vice.
Consequences
This "other D-day", forgotten because of the Normandy landings, is nonetheless a success. The losses are minimal and the advance, remarkable. The liberation of the south now allows the Allies to be supplied via ports. In addition, the participation of the 1st Free French Army (Army B) enabled General de Lattre de Tassigny to be one of the co-signatories of the armistice of May 8, 1945 which put an end, in Europe, to one of the greatest conflicts of the XX th century.