The Great Commander

This film (drama)Also known asOverlord，is aUKProducerwomen sex，At1975Released in year 。The dialogue language isEnglish，Current Douban rating7.6(For reference only)。

The 1975 film "The Great Commander" depicts the largest Allied landing operation of World War II on D-Day, June 6, 1944, known as the Normandy "Great Commander" landing. Directed by Stuart Cooper, it won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival and is considered a classic of World War II cinema that many films have since referenced. Movie Background: In the morning of June 6, 1944, Allied forces, primarily composed of American and British troops, landed on the beaches of Normandy, France. This marked the opening of the so-called second front, code-named "Operation Overlord," which some translate as the Supreme (Emperor) or Overlord (as referred to in Mainland China). In fact, "Overlord" refers to a British monarch. Due to the secrecy surrounding the Normandy landing, many people were unaware of the actual time the attack would commence, and the highest authorities used codenames to refer to it. D-day represents the day of the attack, while H-hour signifies the time the attack would begin. Subsequent Allied attacks were executed following this model. The Allies also implemented large-scale deception measures, including an operation coded "Fortitude," to mislead the German forces into believing that the Allies would land at Calais, the narrowest point of the Channel. Additionally, extensive aerial bombardments were conducted to weaken German forces near Normandy. Allied Commander Eisenhower originally planned the landing for June 5 but postponed it to June 6 due to poor weather conditions. In fact, when the Allies landed, the weather was still quite severe, and many soldiers suffered from seasickness and nausea, bearing significant physical strain. However, bolstered by a sense of belief, most troops endured quietly and did not express much discontent. Instead, they wished to escape the agony of waiting in the assembly areas and engage the Germans. For most, there was only one thing worth their concern: when would the attack commence? During the long wait, soldiers passed the time by gambling, a pastime particularly common among the stationed American troops, where gambling occurred almost everywhere; in Taiwan, they might have been confined for such behavior. The plan divided the Normandy beachheads into five sectors, from west to east: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword. The Utah beach was under the responsibility of the U.S. 4th Division, the Omaha beach was to be landed by the U.S. 29th and 1st Divisions, the Gold beach was assigned to the British 50th Division, the Juno beach was managed by the Canadian 3rd Division, and the Sword beach was the responsibility of the British 3rd Division. It was planned to use 176,475 personnel and 20,110 vehicles to complete the landing within the first two days (D 2day). To support them, over 10,000 aircraft and more than 5,000 ships and landing craft were deployed. After the landing, all beachheads were successfully established with only minor resistance, with the exception of Omaha beach, which suffered severe casualties due to the ineffectiveness of air strikes and naval bombardments, compounded by the Allies' oversight of the German 352nd Infantry Division's reinforcements. A total of 2,500 casualties occurred at Omaha, accounting for more than a quarter of the total Allied casualties on the day of the landing. In the "Great Commander" operation plan, special provisions were made for three airborne divisions to parachute behind enemy lines to control key routes, slowing down German reinforcements and facilitating the ground attack by Allied forces. To maximize the surprise element of the airborne assault, the operation was scheduled for nighttime, providing cover for the parachute drop and achieving the desired surprise effect. Initial estimates from the high command indicated that the casualty rates for the airborne assault could be extremely high, possibly reaching 50%, with some units facing losses of over 70%. For Eisenhower, approving the airborne operation was a difficult decision, knowing the potential for significant loss but feeling he had no choice. After careful consideration, he approved the deployment of the U.S. 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions along with the British 6th Airborne Division, comprising over 18,000 personnel for this formidable task. Eisenhower spent more than an hour before the operation conversing with the airborne soldiers, and after they departed, General Eisenhower gazed at the night sky; an NBC reporter, Reed Muller, unexpectedly noticed tears welling up in the general's eyes. After the Allied landing, to ensure the integrity of the beachhead and a continuous supply of goods, various logistical facilities were also prepared. Among them, the design of the artificial harbors was particularly noteworthy, representing a first-time innovative concept. The artificial harbor was named Mulberries, roughly the size of Dover Harbor, with two constructed. Between the breakwater and the shore, many three-story cement boxes (codenamed Phoenix) and floating causeways (codenamed Whale) were deployed, along with balloon defenses to deter German aircraft. Additionally, an underwater oil pipeline connected from the British mainland directly to the beachhead. Supplies reaching the beachhead amounted to hundreds of thousands of tons daily, providing complete support for the Allies. However, due to the continued adverse weather, the artificial harbors were ultimately destroyed in severe storms; still, their presence represented the only shield and support for the Allies during the initial stages of the landing operation.