The Dieppe Raid took place on 19 August 1942 during one of the darkest periods for the Allies. Organised by Vice-Admiral Lord Mountbatten and his staff at Combined Operations Headquarters (COHQ), a predominantly Canadian force landed at the German-held seaport of Dieppe tasked with occupying the French coastal commune, destroying fortifications, damaging harbour facilities and gathering enemy intelligence – all within a few hours.
A series of blunders, including a gross underestimation of the German defences, a failure to take the enemy by surprise and issues navigating the terrain led to what is today perceived as a debacle. The Allies suffered over 3,000 casualties, most of whom were Canadian. Both sides nevertheless spun it as a victory in what became a propaganda war, and the raid remains a topic of considerable debate among veterans and historians.
The summer of 1942 was a dark time for the Allies. In the Far East, the Japanese had dealt several blows against the British and Commonwealth forces. Meanwhile, in the Soviet Union, the German invasion of Russia under Operation Barbarossa had cost tens of thousands of lives. Hoping to relieve pressure on the Eastern Front, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin pleaded with his British and American counterparts to open the so-called Second Front in the west.
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Denne historien er fra Issue 109-utgaven av History of War.
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COUPS & CHAOS
How the French armed forces lost the war in Algeria and almost destroyed French democracy in the process
BATTLE OF ALGIERS
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ROOTS OF REVOLUTION
A century of French occupation led to a genocide in Algeria that provoked one of the bloodiest showdowns of the modern age
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On the morning of 9 September 1513, King James lV of Scotland stood atop Flodden Hill with what seemed an insurmountable advantage over the English. Yet by the day's end he would lay slain and his army shattered
FERDINAND 'THE BLOODY'
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AIRBORNE UNDER SIEGE ARNHEM
For nine days the heroic 1st Airborne fought desperately, waiting vainly for relief that never came
SCANDINAVIA UNDER ATTACK
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