Existing comment:
The Germans and Americans both possessed formidable arsenal of weapons, but in an amphibious campaign, they would employ their weapons differently.
The main objective of the Germans, as the defenders, was to keep the Allies from gaining a foothold on the beaches. The Americans, as members of the invading force, had the more challenging task of landing troops on the beaches and penetrating the coastal defenses. If they managed to advance inland, they would engage the Germans in full combat, with both forces using every weapon at their disposal.
In these exhibits, you will see equipment and arms used by American and German troops. Weapons are grouped according to their order of deployment in an amphibious operation. Bombers and heavy guns would be the main source of firepower in the initial stages. Following troop landings on the beaches, both sides would be able to use machine guns, submachine guns, rifles, mortars, and rocket launchers. The last weapons used would be those effective only at very close range: grenades, mine and anti-mine devices, pistols, and bayonets. Tanks would land early in the operation, but would be able to provide only fire cover at first. Only when they moved inland could they operate at full capacity.
All of the types of weapons displayed here were in use in 1944. |