WWII Military Stratgey - Deception: Operation Fortitude

One of the key factors to victory on D-Day was attempting to surprise the German forces with the location and time of the attack. The Germans knew that the Allies planned to attack. The Germans also knew that Allied airplanes were only capable of attacking a target at most 200 miles away. This made the coast of France the obvious target for the Allied invasion. There were only three possible places the Allies forces could invade: Pas de Calais, Cherbourg, and Normandy. Since the options for invasion were limited, the key to surprising the Germans was deception. The aim of Operation Fortitude was to keep the German forces focused on Pas de Calais and distract them from Normandy.  Pas de Calais was certainly the better choice for an invasion and thus made the perfect false landing site.

In order for the German forces to believe that attack at Pas de Calais was eminent, there needed to be military build up across the English Channel in Kent. The fake First US Army group, reportedly commanded by Lieutenant General George S. Patton moved into the Kent area. Patton was a natural choice to lead the Allied invasion into France as his reputation as a tough and capable general was widely known by the Germans. Operation Fortitude depended on the Germans receiving three types of misinformation, reconnaissance photos, intercepted radio transmissions, and reports from double agents.

Symbol of the First US Army Group

 

In order to convince the Germans of an Allied military build up across from Pas de Calais, German reconnaissance planes were “allowed” to fly over the area taking pictures. These German pictures captured tanks, artillery, and landing crafts preparing for an attack. What these pictures actually captured were inflatable tanks and plywood guns. The tanks and other vehicles were moved at nights and tracks were created. A few trucks filled with soldiers would move within the area creating tracks, only to return at night. The British Air Force also conducted extensive bombing campaigns of the Pas de Calais area. The fake army was deployed on D-Day on a small flotilla towards Northern France. This army would not see action, but would add to the confusion for the German forces on D-Day.

 

Inflatable Sherman Tank

The Allies also created the Control Section of London to spearhead the deception efforts. One of the functions of this body was to transmit fake radio signals. Signals included naval and aerial operations confirming the amphibious attack Hitler expected. On D-Day, operators transmitted information about moving in for the attack at Pas de Calais. Hitler’s forces fully expected an attack at this location on June 6^th.

 

Gun and Carriage made from Plywood

The final piece to Operation Fortitude was the use of double agents. The Allies formed the Twenty Committee (XX), or the “Double Cross” Committee to organize the use of agents. Allies turned and trained German Intelligence agents to send reports back to the German forces of an impending attack in Pas de Calais. Some of these agents, such as Garbo, were able to get their reports all the way to Hitler. The numerous and consistent reporting these agents provided, convinced the German forces that the Allied invasion of Europe would occur at Pas de Calais.

Operation Fortitude successfully convinced the German forces, including Hitler, that the Allies planned on attacking at Pas de Calais. Hitler even believed that the Normandy landing was a diversionary attack aimed at luring his best forces away from Pas de Calais. The premier fighting force, the Fifteenth army, remained in the area until well after the Normandy attacks. While the Allied forces still found serious resistance in Normandy, the defenses in this area could have been significantly more deadly and the invasion impossible if Hitler believed that Normandy was the site of the attack.

 

For more information

Crompton, Bob. “The ‘Other Deception’ Operation: Fortitude North.” BBC: WW2 People’s War. Last modified February 2012, Accessed January 25, 2013. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/62/a2891162.shtml.
 

The History Channel. “D-Day Deception.” The History Channel website. Accessed January 25, 2013. http://www.history.com/videos/d-day-deception#d-day-deception.

Laurenceau, Marc. “Preparation of the Normandy Landing: Operation Fortitude.” D-Day-Overlord.com. Accessed January 25, 2013. http://www.dday-overlord.com/eng/operation_fortitude.htm.

 

Ricklefs, Major Richard G. “Fortitude South.” Military Intelligence: Professional Bulletin. Accessed January 25, 2014. http://www.fas.org/irp/agency/army/mipb/1996-2/meeks.htm.