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This topographic map of part of Normandy was produced during the preparatory phase of the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944. Published in 1943 by the British War Office's Geographical Section, this map covers a critical section of the Normandy coast, stretching from La Madeleine, Manche in the west to Port-en-Bessin in the east. This coastline includes two of the principal Allied landing beaches for Operation Overlord: Omaha Beach, where American forces would come ashore, and Gold Beach, designated for the British landings.

The western section of the map encompasses Omaha Beach, which would become the site of one of the most intense and costly confrontations of the D-Day assault. The map marks the small coastal villages of Vierville-sur-Mer and Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, where American forces faced entrenched German defenses. The detailed elevation contours and spot heights reveal the high cliffs overlooking Omaha Beach, positions that German forces fortified with bunkers and artillery, creating formidable obstacles for the assaulting troops. Eastward, the map charts the approach to Gold Beach, where British forces would land near the towns of La Rivière and Asnelles. Further along the coast, Port-en-Bessin is visible, an early British objective as its small harbor was considered vital for the resupply of Allied forces once the beaches were secured.

The map depicts the road networks that Allied planners would consider essential for transporting troops, supplies, and equipment inland. Major and secondary roads connect the beaches to inland objectives, making them critical for the initial stages of the invasion and the subsequent push through Normandy. Railways, some still marked as under construction, are also carefully noted, as they represented potential routes for rapid movement or, alternatively, objectives to neutralize. Small symbols designate important landmarks, including churches, windmills, and cemeteries, each feature potentially valuable for orientation and as reference points in the chaotic early stages of the invasion. In the lower areas near Isigny, the marshy terrain along the Vire River posed a significant natural barrier for advancing American forces, influencing the selection of landing sites and post-landing routes.

A reliability diagram included on the map underscores the importance of accuracy in planning, with details drawn from aerial surveys conducted in August 1942 and based on older French maps. Although the contours and elevations were interpolated from a 1:80,000-scale French map, the War Office relied on the latest reconnaissance to verify German defensive preparations and provide Allied forces with the most current intelligence possible. The Lambert Zone I grid, overlaid in red, allowed for precise location referencing, crucial for coordinating the multifaceted assault.

This map illustrates the vital role that detailed cartographic intelligence played in the Allied planning for D-Day. With every town, elevation, road, and natural obstacle carefully charted, the map was a foundational tool that allowed commanders and troops to strategize around the formidable German defenses. The information it provided guided thousands of troops as they undertook the largest amphibious invasion in history, securing a foothold in Nazi-occupied France and beginning the campaign that would ultimately lead to the liberation of Europe.