However,atthispointoftimetheGermannavyhadalreadydrawnconclusions
ofitsown.
FromGallipolitoOverlord:FailedApplicationinOccupied
France, 1940 – 1944
DuetothelossofarchivalmaterialinWorldWarTwo,thesourcesthatbest
documenttheviewoftheWehrmachtandKriegsmarineofficerscanbefound
inthepostwarstudiesoftheUSArmy’sHistoricalDivision.¹⁰⁸Inthesestudies,
theGermanofficersexplainindetailwhathadgonewrongintheGermanprep-
arationsforthedefenseofaninvasion.
AfterthefallofFrancein 1940 ,onHitler’adecision,theGermanHighCom-
mandhadorderedtofortifythewholeAtlanticcoastline,fromtheSpanishbor-
dertotheArcticcircleinNorway.Thearmy’smodelforthismegalomaniacproj-
ect,theso-calledAtlantikwall,hadbeenthebuildingofthefortificationsalong
theGermanWesternborder(theWestwall,builtfrom 1935 onwards).¹⁰⁹Colonel
ErhardRauselevatedthecaseofGallipoliasapositiveexampleofthedefense
ofisthmuses.ItseemsthatthisexperiencewasalsoappliedtotheFrenchcoast
wheretheGermannavywastooweaktoparticipateinthedefense:
“Isthmusesbetweenseaswereunconquerableiftheirflankswereprotectedbysuperiorair
ornavalforces.Enemylandingscouldberepulsedbyheavyartilleryandaircraftorhin-
deredbymobilereservesevenifoneʼsownnavalforceshadbeendefeated.Thus,forin-
stance,theisthmusdefendedbytheTurksontheGallipolipeninsulainWorldWarI
couldnotbetakenbytheBritishdespitethesupportoftheirsuperiorbattlefleetand
airforce.”¹¹⁰DuringthefirstyearsoftheAtlantikwallconstruction,“theGermanHighCom-
mandonlyhadalimitedexperienceincoastaldefense.”¹¹¹Thisresultedina
USNARAHDM1035.ManuscriptsassembledundertheForeignMilitaryStudiesProgramof
theHistoricalDivision,UnitedStatesArmyEurope, 1945 – 1954 .IthankStevenJ.Zalogaforpoint-
ingthisouttome.
ChristophTempel,“KurzeBeschreibungderGeschichtedesWestwallbausindenJahren
1938 – 1945,”inWirbauendesReichesSicherheit:MythosundRealitätdesWestwalls, 1938 –
1945 ,ed.EberhardElfertetal.(Berlin:Argon, 199 2),9–31.
ErhardRaus,GermanDefenseTacticsagainstRussianBreakthroughs,USNARAHDT- 010
DAPamphletNo. 20 – 23 3, 195 1: 156.
R[udolf-Christoph]vonGersdorff,CritiqueoftheDefenseagainstInvasion,USNARAHDA-
895 ,1 94 5,2.
184 4German-TurkishMilitaryCooperationafter 1918