z (
OFF.~-~IVE ACTIOt: ~: I~!~ E%q{O~;J: TP'~ATER
PART II
-R,~5L~ OF .~.O,r~J~T.~'~ OFF'~,!$iVE I:' ]1."tOPE
1~. MISSION
Destroy ensm~ z~r and ground fo~es in the gensr~l area:
CALAX3 - AP~ - ST. ~NTIN - SOL$SCM~S -PAR~ - IEA~. Secure and hold high
ground gensrail7 north of the OISE and ~E rivers. Establish hases and
facilities in the area to facilitate the extension of offensive air and
ground operatiorJ against essential elemnts of German military
strength. 16. P~PJ~SE
Croats strceg diversion of enem~ %it and ground units
~rom other areas, particularl~ the Rnaei Theater. Destroy m,t,,,m
German zit and ground forces. Relieve the investsmat of I~ris. ~nder
support of people in occupied France. Encourag~ peoples throughout
Europe in active and passive opposition to the Axis. Place additional
strain upon an alread~ overtaxed commanications ryetern by c ell~
Germaz~ to fight on two fronts, liesken German military effort and
morale by offensive air operzti6na.
17.
Germans 1ill unquBstionsb!~ strive to destroy the Russian Air Force
z in the initial phase of their offensive operations this ~ir. It is
imperative, therefore that the. United Natices launch offensive air
operations from the British I-lea almost coincident with Germn7's eaum
tion of the offensive against Russia in arder to contein and divert
str~ng fce~es of the ene~ air arm. An ana17ais cg the available U.S.
and British zit and ground forces indicates that the British must
furnish initialIF the bulk of the fomes if the offensive is launched in
tim to accomplish effective assistance to the Rus sians. However the
security of the British Isles would not be Jeopardized, for U.S. Units
would be contirauLlly arriving for employment in accordance with the
develop~nt of the situation, either to give com~inued impetus to the
offemive effort or to reinforce the defense of the islands. This chart
definite!~ indicates that sufficient and appropriate forces will be
available to conduct the offensive operations contemplated. Air
superiority, or aerial combat on favorable terms of attrition could be
maintained. T~n air support permits land operations, the ground forces
provide mobility and destructive p~er sufftcler~ to accomplish the
purpose of the operation. These operaticms susa be vigoroua17 executed
principall~ bythe British R.A.F., in the initial phase until
appropriate forces and equipment may be assembled and trained in the
British Isle8 to insure coordination of their employment. It is not
possible at this tiaa to state t.be definite date on which the combined
US - British air and ground offensive will be undertake~. However,
preparation~ should be based on z D day between ~u~ 1}th and Auaust
Let.
18. 9-BC:TI:TiON OF C?ZiA~iC:;
a 1st Phase =D ~ 15 to 30 da~Zs
Offensive air o.oeratio~s a~i~t Cne 9era. hans' Air Force
and it~ e:senttal ground installations, includim~, fighter ol:eratlons
within Cr, e radius of action from southeast England mad daylight
bombing operations escorted by richter t~it=. D~'!iDLt bo,~ir~-,
beyor'M fighter escort rano~e, of military *-= installations such a~
marsb~lling yards, suppl~' centers and co.=Lmlcatlon facilities that
are essential to the Cer:nn railitar.,' defense of northern France,
will be vi,~orously executed. The air effort will be increased in
in~.nsity ~ ever%' ~ffort .~nde to ebtablish and mainta/n air control
over the charnel and .at least 1OO kilo::eters inland between ~e~.~,
'eet~ Dunkirk and Abbeville. Commn~o raids will be ccr~ucted in
Holland, Lel;ium and ',lot;mandy. Strooc diversion raids will be
co,~ucted a?inst ::or~ay north of Trenchelm. ':~fht bo.~'~~. o!~rattone
#Ill be conducted in order to co:apel the ene~j to establish widelj
dis!,ersed fighter defense3.
k. ~nd Phase ? ~ 3O to ~5 d~s
After the air o~eratione i,:'[c ated in fi~t phase h~w
c~ated favorable conditions over the char.nel and the selected area of
invasion, lodze.~nts will be undertaken by cround troops operating in
conjunction with ~ar~chute and air-borate units. Stratec. ically
situated airdromes and important terrain feat-res will be seized
qvtckly and brid,;e-hemds established to depths of 50 miles to
f.~:i'ote 2zndir~ operations, ezploitatio,, and exten=ion of lodce;znt
by successive waves of su2~orti~g u~!ts. Couti~,uous a,E close ~ tr
su~:~rt will be given to ~round troops during this phase. Enem~ effcrt~
to r~.arr~,ie their fo~e[, will be neutralized by the air interdicttc4~
of routes lead/~g into the area~ ,~,d by vilox~us :,~r attacks ag:~Ix~t
ener~j troop asser~bly areas ar.d reserves imovlag fro~, rear m'
contie, our areas. The adv~,ce fora'rd will be pushed Xl vicorously to
f~.vor~bl~ te,~raln tb~t ,',,~':,'.l'~ t~ seizure and continued cor~rol
over the area to incl,:de ale Oice and $at':lzers to facilitate the sa?x~'-mje of
3e.'"~,~n ri!ita,--j ,:;c',,-:e,ut~ .-::,', i.~t,-31atl~,m', ,.:,d to
!nutit'-re a r~'.::n of di-~order t,hr~ughcut the .1.>-'~: controlled
areas.
Co~tinue air ~;d ~ro~ud o~,e.-a~,~,c in the area to add to tke secur3ty
of the lodger, ent.
Improve ~ir ba~e~ a~ ;rou,d fo.~e i,~t-~llmtions, includir~ 1t:es of
cor~.unications, to f~c!litate operatiom dee:,er ~.to eme:'v cortroll~d
areno. E~tend neutralization of conttEuous areas particularly ene:u
',.fr i:.s"~l. ]a ttcn~ '~rith a viem to pumt, irC ~er:an f~hter craft
back beyond effective striki:v: dJ ~.~r. ce of t.he Zhan:‚.l area.
-L~..p!oy prol~a~and~ ?-rid subversive elements t.hrough~ut E'~ope,
2a.~ticularly in those areas occupied by Axis forces, with a view
toSabotaging Axis efforts ~. to exploit ecor, o:iczll~' and to
cortrol ~ili~rily tkese areas.