Maps of the Western Front
July-August 1944
Battle of the Hedgerows: July 7-15, 1944
American military units encountered stiff resistance from German armed forces in the broken farmlands around St. Lo. Progress was slow. Costly German counterattacks continued.
US 1st Army Advance to St. Lo July 10-18, 1944
American efforts to breakthrough to St. Lo remained slow. German armed forces put up a determined defense. The US armed forces advanced at less than one mile per day.
Operation Goodwood: July 18-20, 1944
British armored forces attempted to outflank Caen from the left while Canadian units continued to press forward through and and to the right. German military units, primarily of the Waffen SS, fought an aggressive defensive battle and withdrew before being trapped by Allied advances.
Operation Cobra: July 24-31, 1944
Benefiting from the British-led operations around Caen, American armed forces made somewhat better progress in the effort to breakout on the right flank of the Allied line. German counterattacks continued, however, and progress remained relatively slow.
Allied Drive to the Seine: August 1-16, 1944
The successful breakout from Normandy was reflected in the Allied sweep across northern France during this period. German military resistance collapsed. Landings in southern France (Operation Dragoon) took place on August 15th and the US and French forces swept northward against light opposition.
American Drive into Brittany: August 3-7, 1944
Forces of Patton's Third Army with elements of the US First Army on the left flank pressed into Brittany. The German forces fell back into designated ports to hold out, in one case up to the end of the war.
Operation Totalize: August 7-11, 1944
Canadian II Corps drove southwest from Caen in the direction of Falaise. Royal Air Force heavy bombers provided support for the effort.
Battle of the Falaise Pocket: August 16-19, 1944
Significant military forces of the German Seventh Army were caught in the converging pincers of the Allied armies at Falaise. The relative slowness of closing the gap allowed substantial numbers of Germans to escape but only with the loss of most of their equipment. Allied fighter-bombers created havoc among the retreating Germans.