--- title: "5 things that surprised the German army on D-Day" description: "An Allied invasion of France was expected by everyone, including the Germans, but, fortunately, there were still plenty of surprises to come." date: "2022-06-06" modified: "2022-06-06" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/popular/surprises-on-d-day/" categories: - "Army" - "History" - "War History" --- # 5 things that surprised the German army on D-Day ![A beach scene featuring two large metal anti-tank obstacles, known as Czech hedgehogs, partially embedded in the pebbled shore and shallow water. A soldier in uniform stands near the water's edge, looking out towards the sea. The sky is clear, and the sea is calm.]() *Hedgehogs forming part of the Pas-de-Calais defenses in 1944. (Wikimedia Commons)* Believe it or not, the Germans were not surprised that the Allies were ready to invade Fortress Europe as a means of bringing World War II to an end. As a matter of fact, in much of Europe, the Nazis were ready for whatever the Allied troops were going to throw their way. The Nazis knew about the military build-up in England, and even the lowest-ranking *Wehrmacht* trooper knew the invasion would come at some point. Luckily, the Allied powers still had a few tricks up their sleeves. --- ### They didn't think Normandy would be the target. The ideal point of an invasion of Europe from England, Nazi planners determined, would come at Calais. There were many reasons for this, but the simplest explanation is that Calais is the closest landing point from England. The English Channel is a tough, choppy sea with inclement weather – a more distant location could put a substantial invasion force at risk, so the troops manning the Atlantic Wall were reasonably sure Normandy was safe. ![]() *U.S. troops of Japanese descent fighting in the 442d Regimental Combat Team, one of the most storied units of the war. (Wikimedia Commons)* ### No one expected it in June 1944. Most experienced German troops and planners believed the Allies would not open a second invasion of Europe from the West until the Invasion of Italy was complete. Most thought another invasion of Allied forces would come only after the Italian Campaign reached the Alps or even crossed over them. This, coupled with the fact they thought the landings would come at Calais meant the Germans manning defenses at Normandy were not the best troops for the job. Those troops were hundreds of miles away. ![]() *American troops fighting in the hedgerows of the French countryside. (US Army)* ### The advance was much faster than expected German troops marveled at the speed with which American, British, and Canadian forces were able to move their men and materiel, not only in crossing the English Channel on D-Day and the days after, but in the weeks following June 6. The formation of a firm beachhead and the rapid advance through the French countryside astonished the Germans, who had made the same lightning advance across the territory just a few years prior. ![D-Day surprises]() *German sailors of the Kriegsmarine. (Wikimedia Commons)* ### How much the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine failed them During the D-Day landings, the presence of the German Air Force or Navy was minimal where it existed at all. The *Wehrmacht* was the only real resistance to the Allied landings. Were it not for the Channel's infamous choppiness and bad weather, the landings would have made it across the water entirely unabated. With no air cover or protection from the water, the army was essentially left out to dry. ![D-Day surprises]() *Members of the Maquis several months after the invasion (Wikimedia Commons)* ### The coordination of the Maquis The Germans largely despised the resistance movements in France and other occupied countries and looked down on them with disdain. In practice, however, the close coordination between French resistance cells and the Allied command created a situation where German troops, transports, and heavy weapons that might have thrown the Allies back into the English Channel were instead tied up and slowed down for hours, leaving only the defenses sitting on the Atlantic Wall to try and stem the tide. --- *Feature image: US Army photo* ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()