The Waffen-SS in Normandy: July 1944, Operations Goodwood and Cobra

An examination of how the Waffen-SS fared in Normandy in June 1944 and whether they deserve their reputation of being the ultimate fighting soldiers.

One of the greatest paradoxes of the Battle of Normandy is that the German divisions found it much harder to reach the front line than the Allies, who had to cross the sea and then deploy in a cramped bridgehead until the American breakthrough of late July 1944. The Waffen-SS were no better off than the Heer units and German high command nev...