Storming+Beach+(EW)

[[image:http://www.rnsubmus.co.uk/images/dday/02%20-%20D-Day%20map.gif width="360" height="234" align="right" caption="A map depicting the sea routes going across the English Channel."]]Phase Two
Phase two consisted of the main attack force who waded across the English Channel for six hours. The armada of ships were split into five divisions in order to take the five objectives code named Omaha, Utah, Gold, Juno, and Sword. General Eisenhower also split the divisions through national forces; the American forces were assigned to take Omaha and Utah, the British/French troops were assigned to take Gold and Juno, and a Canadian force was assigned to take Sword. Prior to the attack fighter planes dropped heavy amounts of bombs on the enemy lines to weaken the enemy lines. The bombs were also dropped directly on the beaches in order to create craters for troops to take cover in. This proved advantageous in some areas, but differed from its objective in others. As soon as the boats reached their postions, the amphtracs were released, transporting scores of troops towards the shores. During the first hours of battle most of the amphtracs were either forced to open their hatches early-- resulting in the death of many soldiers-- or sunk before they reached the shores. Those soldiers that did survive had to wade through nearly 100 yards of water that rose up to their arms. After walking to the shore, the soldiers faced their greatest challenge, facing the concentrated artillery and gunfire from the enemy. Many soldiers were mowed down while storming the beach, but those that succeeded in storming the beaches pushed back the Nazi's into the already grounded paratroopers. The battle itself took days to complete and by the time they were done, the Allies had gained a new European front that would soon push back the Nazi forces into Germany.