Dieppe Raid essays

Dieppe Raid essays Many people believe that the Dieppe Raid was a success. This was in fact true. There were many things learned that tragic day, that will be with us for a long time to come. The Dieppe Raid gave allies the experience and knowledge to be successful in other raids, and confrontations. After the raid, allies became aware that there were elements ever so crucial to their further success. Learning the physical properties of the battleground soon became a must, along with learning to better arm and defend, and that the element of communication must be exercised to a high degree. The Dieppe raid carried with it a high cost, but the lessons learned were invaluable and led directly to the success of the Normandy landings. The Dieppe Raid was to be considered a learning experience for the Canadians. It was to be a test for future invasions. 4936 Canadians ¹, who were restlessly awaiting an opportunity such as this, were sent to a beach on the French coast. Accompanying them, were 1000 Canadians, and 50 Americans. On August 19, 1942, these brave men fought, many knowing that they would never return. Tragedy struck that day, roughly 907 men died, 1154 were wounded, and 1894 became prisoners of war ². This horrible loss may never have occurred, had the allies demonstrated better organization. At Dieppe, men walked onto that beach having no idea what to expect. The commanding officers in charge of setting up the attack had neglected to consult a topographical viewpoint of the beach ³. This would have clearly shown that landing on beaches surrounded by 100-200 foot cliffs would leave troops vulnerable, and unable to escape the awaiting Germans. This showed the allies that it was crucial to be fully knowledgeable on all physical terrain that was to be travelled in the future. Many men were gunned down before they were even given a chance to retaliate. Before they could even make it to shore, they were being slaughtered. Allies had ...