The German defenses of the beaches of Normandy were key in the selection of Normandy as the invasion site. After the fall of France, Hitler bragged about the Atlantic Wall, a supposedly impregnable sea wall. This wall was built to thwart any invasion attempt by the Allies. In fact, Hitler said in his declaration of war on the United States, “’A belt of strong points and gigantic fortifications runs from Kirkenes to the Pyrenees”.
Commando raids on the French coast along with information from French Resistance and spies helped the Allies get an accurate picture of the defenses on the Western coast of France. The information held up and the Allies were able to use it to their advantage.
The German plan against an invasion was to stop any invasion at the beach, or at least hold the forces their until reserves could arrive to finish the job. They planned to do this with obstacles and mines to stop enemy vehicles, while the attacking troops were destroyed with fire from a wide array of defensive weapons.
The first obstacles appeared 250 yards off the beach. Designed to stop landing craft, these obstacles were stakes with attached Teller mines. The second line consisted of heavy logs driven into the sand at angle so that they pointed seaward with mine tipped ends. The final set of obstacles were about five feet high and made of steel rails or angles designed to pierce landing craft as they beached.
If the invasion force reached the beach the Germans had placed mine fields all along the beach as well as made use of barbed wire to slow the movement along the beach to the bluffs.
In addition to these defensive elements of the defense of the French coast the Germans had strong points all along the beaches. These strong points were systems of pillboxes, gun casemates, and firing trenches. From these points, the Germans could rain small arms fire as well as artillery, mortar, and anti-tank fire on the invading forces.
All of these elements of the beach defenses were meant to halt the enemy at the beach. If the enemy was not defeated they could be held at the beach until reinforcements arrived.
