"What if... D-Day had been at Calais?" Topic

Everybody including the Germans thought that was the most logical invasion point. What if?

With the Atlantic wall complete in that area, it would have been Omaha beach everywhere IMHO, at best, Dieppe again, at worst.

Having visited Calais I was impressed by the WIDTH of the beach at low tide. From the edge of the water to the dunes was every foot of half a mile. I simply can't imagine anyone trying to advance over that much open ground against fortified defenders. A landing at high tide would have been impossible due to the beach obstacles. The Allies made the right decision to avoid Calais.

The sir support would have been more massive and deadlier for the Germans. A lot less pro-defender terrain to hide from the attack bombers in. The refuel and travel time would have been a lot less. Making more strike sorties possible.
Airborne operations would have been more important. The lack of bocage terrain would make after ivasion operations easier.
A successful operation at Calais would have shorten the war with later operations and short=r supply lines which is what delayed the 3rd Army.
Afringe benefit would have been the early capture of V1 launch sites.
So an invasion here is not a totl doomsday scenario. The analysis had higher initial casualties but less losses in the following weeks.

Berlin would have been the first city to be hit by an atomic bomb provided the Russians did not get their first

We did try the odd Calais invasion playing D-Day, it generally didn't end well. Even if you get ashore it is very close to Germany and there are lots of waterways to cross behind the beach area.

It would have been easier for wargamers to visit the battlefield from the UK?

Sir Richard Burton would have been shot down by Ack-Ack somewhere else.