D-Day, Patton, and FUSAG

As many of you are no doubt aware, yesterday was the 72nd anniversary of the D-Day offensive on the beaches of Normandy. In light of this, I thought I'd write a short (really short this time- no joke) entry about a lesser known, but equally important, offensive that was launched at almost exactly the same time as the attack on Normandy...

The story of the D-Day attacks has been told and retold: from Omaha beach to Sword beach, the men who fought and died there are arguably the focal point of America's memory of the war. D-Day has come to be celebrated as the quintessential World War Two moment- to be celebrated and mourned as one of the most heroic and tragic moments in American history.

But many people know little about the crucial part that the First United States Army Group (FUSAG) played in the D-Day attacks. FUSAG was an elite fighting force constructed of air and infantry divisions of the British 4th Army, and elements of the United States 14th Army consisting of paratroopers of the 9th and 21st airborne, and 5 major infantry divisions. It was a major threat consisting of over 200,000 troops and hundred of mounted armored units. The Army Group was commanded by none other than General George "Old Blood n' Guts" Patton who had gained widespread respect among both Allied and Axis forces for his unrivaled tactical, strategic, and logistical abilities in the early part of the American war. But, Patton was just as well known for his impetuous attitude and political foolishness as he was for his military brilliance: in 1942, Patton had swept into Northern Africa with Britain's Bernard Montgomery and defeated the Afrika Korps under Erwin Rommel; in mid-1943, he planned and executed the successful invasion of Sicily; and in August, 1943, Patton slapped a PTSD-ridden soldier in the face for "cowardice"; a week later, he did it again. Word spread of his insensitive action, he was placed on leave, and command of the main invasion into France was given to Omar Bradley. But, so as not to completely waste Patton's abiliites, Eisenhower placed him in control of FUSAG, and gave his forces the goal of invading the Pas-de-Calais region of Northern France in a massive attack. Unfortunately, German spies in Britain heard of the plan and reported it up to the high command. The Germans investigated- and, when scouting planes reported flying over fields of lights from massive camps where FUSAG was stationed in England, the Nazis diverted a significant portion of their defense forces away from Normandy to Pas-de-Calais.

On June 6th, the invasion of Normandy was successful- the German forces in Pas-de-Calais waited for the expected attack, but none came. They continued to wait as General Bradley's forces steamrolled through France in Operation Cobra. Finally, 7 weeks after the invasion of Normandy, it became clear that no invasion of the Pas-de-Calais region would be coming: it had all been a ruse.

In fact, FUSAG was arguably the most significant counter-intelligence operation ever executed: the First United States Army Group did not exist. There were no soldiers in its forces, no weapons in its armory, and no tanks in its garages. The German spies who had reported the expected attack were double agents. The camps the Germans saw were empty- creations of the Allied forces to make it appear as if a massive army was waiting for orders. Patton's command of the unit was simply a diversionary tactic, and punishment for his reckless behavior. The Germans fell for it hook, line, and sinker.

Without FUSAG, the Normandy invasion would have proven far more bloody- against overwhelmingly stiffer German resistance, the Allies would have been hard pressed to take the beaches. It is possible that the invasion may have even failed. Either way, FUSAG contributed heavily to D-Day's success, and remains one of the most accomplished counter-intelligence schemes of all time.