Brief Summary

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Name of Battle | Nations Involved in the Battle | Battle Dates | Battle Type | Reasons for the Battle | Description | Consequences | Forces in Battle | Casualties | Unique Facts or Trends | Sources | Links

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Name of Battle: The Battle of Saratoga (American War of Independence)

ALTERNATE NAMES:

Nations, Armies Involved:

Battle Dates:

BEGAN: October 10, 1777

ENDED: October 10, 1777

 

Battle Type: Amphibious landing preceeded by intesive air and naval bombardment of the landing beaches and adjacent areas. Also, prior to the beach landings, airborne paratroopers were dropped behind German lines and French partisans sabotaged German forces.

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Reasons for the Battle: In order to bring the war to the Germans and change the course of World War 2, the Allies decided on an amphibious landing on the coast of German-occupied France. Also, the Soviet Union, engaged in vicious fighting with the Germans, desperately called for another front in the war with Hitler. An invasion of France would thus cause Germany to fight a multi-front war.

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Description of Battle:

Consequences of the Battle:

1. Allied forces were able to open a new front against the Germans.

2. Hitler's failure to keep the Allies out of Western Europe began the process that led to the fall of Nazi Germany.

3.

4. Consequences.

 

Military Forces in the Battle:

• 23,400 British and American paratroopers were dropped in the early morning of June 6.
• 7,000 Allied ships and landing craft involved in the landings. 59 of these ships were sunk, while 110 suffered damage.
  • Of those, 1,213 were Naval warships.
  • Naval Warship Breakdown: 79% British and Canadian, 16.5% American, combined 4% were Dutch, French, Greek, Norwegian and Polish exile warships.
• 195,701 Allied Naval personnel involved in the Normandy landings. These figures include Allied merchant marine.
• Troops landed on D-Day (June 6):
  • 75,215 British and Canadian (4,300 became casualties that day).
  • 57,500 American (6,000 became casualties that day).

CASUALTY FIGURES:

The Allies:

United States-- Numbers

Great Britain-- Numbers

Canada-- Numbers

Free French-- Numbers

Polish-- Numbers

The Axis:

Germany-- Numbers

 

SOURCES and LINKS :

1. WPI Military Science: Battle of Saratoga

2. The Original Battle Map for the Battle of Saratoga