Operation Cobra (Battle Zone Normandy) Book

Operation "Cobra", launched at the end of July 1944, was designed to open a decisive gap in the German defenses facing the American forces in Normandy. Lieutenant General Omar Bradley, commanding First US Army, decided to use aerial saturation bombing to destroy the German defenses and create a breach. An initial attempt on 24 July proved disastrous, as the bombers dropped some of their payload on the American front lines, killing or wounding 150 men. Despite this, the bombing continued the next day. For three hours, 1,500 B-17 and B-24 bombers pummelled the target, supported by medium bombers and fighter-bombers attacking with napalm. The few, shell-shocked German survivors either surrendered without a fight or fled. Even so, fierce fighting continued as the Americans strove to open up a passage for the armoured vehicles. On 26 July, VII US Corps advanced ten kilometres after crossing the Coutances-St-Lô road. Cracks started to appear in the German front and it collapsed the next day. The American armoured divisions swept southwards and westwards. Entire German units were encircled, while others simply fell apart. On 30 July, 6th US Armored Division captured Avranches and the next day succeeded in securing a vital bridgehead over the Sélune. In less than a week, Bradley?s troops had made a breakthrough of sixty kilometres and taken 18,000 prisoners. The war of attrition had been replaced by a war of movement.