The Floating Harbors of D-Day

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Credits:
Writer/Narrator: Brian McManus
Editor: Dylan Hennessy

References:



Thank you to AP Archive for access to their archival footage.


Thank you to my patreon supporters: Adam Flohr, Henning Basma, Hank Green, William Leu, Tristan Edwards, Ian Dundore, John & Becki Johnston. Nevin Spoljaric, Jason Clark, Thomas Barth, Johnny MacDonald, Stephen Foland, Alfred Holzheu, Abdulrahman Abdulaziz Binghaith, Brent Higgins, Dexter Appleberry, Alex Pavek, Marko Hirsch, Mikkel Johansen, Hibiyi Mori. Viktor Józsa, Ron Hochsprung

[steventhehistorian]

The D-Day logistics operation is a true marvel of project management. Engineering and the fighting aside... It is astounding how the allies managed to not only agree on an invasion site and strategy, but then to gather the necessary data to generate engineering requirements for the breakwaters and landings, test designs on their fluid dynamics (without computers), submit and gain approval for the budget, solicit and procure the final designs, allocate human resources to deploy the novel designs in theatre, develop training materials and service manuals, and everything else... All of this had to be done without leaking ANY of it to the Germans.
This would be an amazing feat even without the covert element, but it is truly baffling how they pulled it off. What incredible teamwork,

[am-I-an-ai]

They made the LSTs in my hometown, Evansville, Indiana.

About 10 years ago, LST 325 was repurchased from the Greek navy and sailed back across the Atlantic by a handful of WW2 veterans.

It's now moored back in Evansville, and you can take a walk thru the 325 for about $10.

[NickRaven]

I am in awe of the engineering efforts required to produce these things. The war was obviously horrific, but the engineering required and outside-of-the-box thinking to pull off operations like Normandy is insane, even inspirational.

[GIPvideos]

Sailor: "hey, why are all of the important equipment gone and we are setting sail?"

Later, "Hey, why is there bombs in the hull?"

Little bit later,

*Demolition guy comes aboard*

Sailor: "uhh ooh"

[steyn]

*"amateurs discus tactics, professionals discus logistics"*
~Napoleon Bonaport

[danielbreen]

One of the reasons Mulberry B survived the storm on the 18th of June is is because the British knew the storm was coming and prepared by adding extra lines and anchors securing the harbour. The British warned the Americans about the coming storm but they were confident their harbour would survive, and as a result it was destroyed.

[shadownor]

If there is to be magic in this world, we'll just have to build it.

[thecasualfront]

This channel is just relentlessly interesting. And I’m not even that interested in engineering.

[MrX-uncz]

Sherman: *Starts swimming*
Tiger: you weren't supposed to do that

[LoudRevised]

Only OGs remember when this was called the logistics of D-Day.

[stephenfoster]

I saw “real engineering” and “the logistics of d day” and just immediately smacked that like button cuz honestly what more could you ask for?

[specialopsdave]

10:58 Hidden frame says "Animation idea: Diffraction varying gaps."

Edit: Frame has been removed from video

[ziya]

"By the end of July, the tides turned." Very clever, Real Engineering.

[jocaleb]

My great grandfather fought for Canada in WWII
He was airdropped behind enemy lines without any equipment since it was dropped somewhere else. The thing is that the supplies were dropped in the wrong place due to the chaos, so he was stuck hiding in barns for weeks with no ammo. Luckily he survived cause without him this story would’ve been lost forever

[napoleonibonaparte]

Don’t invade a province without ports.

[stephenloxton]

My uncle, Bob Wilcher died way too young in the early 1970s. He was a telephone engineer and in WW2 he was i/c designing and installing the phone system that ran through the floating harbour and linked the UK with the beachhead and France. RIP Maj. Bob Wilcher.

[.]

When I saw "Logistics", I thought this was Wendover.

[kimsmoke]

This isn’t wendover? No airplane logistics? Not HAI? Wow now this real engineering. Impressive. I learned a lot.

[tigerlee]

"what battle should we focus on?"
Me: Battle of Britain
*moments later*
"i'm veering towards covering the logistics of the Battle of Britain."

[Crimethoughtfull]

THIS is the kind of stuff that made D-Day even possible. It makes me appreciate games like HOI4 that much more that focus on, if not "logistics", perhaps, at least very close to it.