Normans and the allied bombardments
Battle of Normandy
In April 1944, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill sent a letter to the Supreme Allied Commander, SHAEF, expressing his concern at the collateral damage caused by bombing raids in preparation for Operation Overlord along the northern coast of France. Dozens of French civilians were killed during air operations aimed at opposing military targets, which was also difficult for the Comité français de libération nationale (C.F.L.N.) to accept.
Civilians in Normandy paid a heavy price during the Battle of Normandy. For the duration of the fighting, many anonymous civilians were killed in tactical bombardments, mainly by forces fighting to liberate them. This debate was widely taken up during the war by French collaborators working for Germany, who pointed the finger at the alleged cowardice of the Allied forces.
But what are the facts? What impact did the bombing have on the towns and civilians of Normandy? This part of the site provides answers to these questions.
