Bocage

The French Bocage or "hedgerow" was a huge disadvantage for the Allies.  When preparing for advancement through this area of France the Allies did not expect the Bocage to be as impeding as they were.  Essentially they were killing traps where the Germans could prepare for the unsuspecting Allies coming through the high walls.  Getting through the thick tall walls and deep roots was only their first difficulty.  Once through they had to be ready for the well rested and prepared opponents waiting for them.  It took the Allies time to find a good way to do this, and in many cases it required Sherman Tanks with white phosphorous.  

This important aspect of the war helped the Allies progress with better strategies.  A disadvantge like this made them think and prepare more for each fight.  Most importantly it was the men on the field that had to think for their survival.  This was something new for them, and it made them better and stronger soldiers.  Could the Bocage have been an advantage as much as it was a disadvantage for the Allies' troops?  

Battle of Metz Presentation 4/2

The Battle of Metz was not successful for the Allies for several reasons.  Allied plans left Patton and his troops in difficult situations.  They ran out of supplies, most specifically fuel, because the railroads were damaged or destroyed in initial attacks.  Even with this against him Patton pushed on.  The Germans put up a much stronger fight than had been expected, and this caused the battle to drag on.  

Even when the Germans were fighting strongly, the Allies did not change their strategy at first.  When they did finally change their strategy they were able to achieve more success.  Were the Allies' leaders being too stubborn?  How could they have changed their plans?  And should they have changed their plans?  

Eisenhower Presentation 3/31

Dwight D. Eisenhower was an important leader throughout his life.  During WWII he advised, planned, and commanded many battles and invasions.  Philippines, Normandy, and Sicily are just a few examples.  His leadership was very important for Allied success at this time.  

After WWII he was Supreme Commander of NATO, and later became the President of the United States.  Some individuals were concerned that he did not see the frontline enough, and this would be bad for his presidential role.  His successful military leadership would be important in his presidential leadership.   Would lack of frontline experience take away a necessary experience for him as a presidential leader?  

Photographers 3/31 Presentation

The Photographers of WWII were an important part of this time period for two reasons.  One they could create training videos to better train and prepare new troops.  And two they could better bring the information back home to the people in America.  This created a new cultural awareness that before had not impacted society as much as it now could.  Pictures were printed in magazines and short movie clips were shown weekly.  

This allowed people to create their own thoughts and ideas about what was going on overseas.  In some cases it gave people an empowerment to know what was really going on.  However this was not actually doing what many really thought it did.  People could not see the whole truth even with this photography.  Media sensory did not always allow the truth to be printed.  Facts were distorted or left out.  Few photographers would even see the real front line.  Was this good for the viewers to be seeing?  

Operation Overlord

This point in the war was a big step for planning and leadership of the Allies.  Coordination between the different military forces (air force, army, etc.) and the different Allied countries was used more effectively in Operation Overlord.  Eisenhower, now in overall command, was making a larger effort to make this happen.  The timing chosen for these attacks was also very important because a large portion of the German forces were already occupied in the East.  Also deception was a crafty and important role because they strategically made the German forces think that they would attack Pa da Calias instead.  Doing this they included many details like operations and commanders to throw off their opponents.  These were all things that they had struggled with in the past, and so their achievement was very important for their progress.  

Anzio/Monte Cassino 3/26 Presentations

These battles really show the unprepared side of the Allies.  Looking at the details of what happened, it can be seen that what many would call standard preparations and considerations were not taken.  In Operation Shingle (Anzio), there were not enough troops and supplies to follow through with their plans because they were directed to other battles.  When the troops did go in they were not prepared to do so because procedures and instructions were changed only a short time before.  At the Battle of Monte Cassino, those who planned the attack underestimated the lay of the land.  With the Allies at the bottom and the Germans on the top of the mountains, the Allies were definitely at a disadvantage.  

These lack of preparations cost the Allied forces greatly.  Could better planning have helped?  Was it possible for them to prepare any better without being omniscient?  Were these events inevitable costs of the war?

The photography presentation was by far the most interesting to me this week. However about censorship, the censoring of certain photos is still a practice that goes on today with Iraq unfortunately. But the photos shown were very high quality and displayed epic moments of the war. Very interesting note about catching certain people off guard in photos.