Battle of La Haye-du-Puits 1944
Recorded location from Wikidata; battle sites are often approximate.
Key facts
| Date | 3 July 1944 – 14 July 1944 | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|
| Year | 1944 | Wikidata P580 (start time) |
| Era | World War II era (1939–1945) | derived from year |
| Location | France | Natural Earth (modern borders) |
| Continent | Europe | Natural Earth |
| War / conflict | Operation Overlord | Wikidata P361 |
| Coordinates | 49.2725, -1.5694 | Wikidata P625 |
About the battle
The Battle of La Haye-du-Puits was fought between the armies of the United States and Germany as part of the Normandy Campaign of World War II. Following the Allied invasion of Normandy on D-Day, 6 June 1944, US First Army under the command of Lieutenant General Omar Bradley began an advance to the south, aiming to break through the German defenses and secure a line from Coutances to Saint-Lô. This would help the rest of the First Army cross the swamps and bocage, and put the American front on firm and dry ground more suitable for the employment of mechanized forces. Although the battle was costly for the Americans, it was also costly for the Germans; by wearing down their forces, it paved the way for Operation Cobra on 25 July, which broke through the German defenses.
The most striking geographical feature of the area was the bocage, earthen embankments topped with small trees and tangled underbrush and vines, separated by sunken lanes. The hedgerows provided cover, camouflage and concealment to the German defenders, which reduced the effectiveness of American artillery. Small detachments defended each field.
Text adapted from the Wikipedia article Battle of La Haye-du-Puits (revision 1370446762), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: excerpted from the article lead section; shortened by selecting paragraphs and trimming at a sentence boundary; formatting and citations removed. No text added.
Nearby battles
- Battle of Bloody Gulch 1944 · 21 km
- Battle of Carentan 1944 · 23 km
- Battle of Graignes 1944 · 27 km
- Brécourt Manor assault 1944 · 28 km
- Battle of the Îles Saint-Marcouf 1798 · 38 km
- Battle of Saint-Lô 1944 · 39 km
Other battles of the Operation Overlord
- Battle for Brest 1944
- Battle for Caen 1944
- Battle of Bréville 1944
- Battle of Carentan 1944
- Battle of Cherbourg 1944
- Falaise pocket 1944
- Liberation of Paris 1944
All 8 battles of the Operation Overlord →
Browse more: battles in France · Europe · World War II era battles