On June 6, 1944, American, British, and Canadian forces stormed the heavily defended beaches of Normandy, France, signaling the doom of the Third Reich. This amphibious landing would not have happened, at least not successfully, without the following piece of allied equipment and weapons. Here we list 10 of those items we think are most important to the success of the operation. What other gear do you think should be added to the list?
Digging Deeper
10. Bangalore Torpedo.
This simple item is a metal pipe filled with explosives that can be attached in multiple sections to clear barbed wire obstacles and minefields. Invented by the British Army in 1912, these saw extensive use on D-Day, especially by the US Army. Without them, soldiers would be shot to pieces as they tried to fumble their way through barbed wire or blown to bits as they went through mine fields. (Or shot to pieces as they slowly made their way through mine fields.) Cracked fact: These are still in use today by the US Army and US Marine Corps and were used in Iraq and Afghanistan.
