Brest - 343d Infantry Division, May 18 Sep 44
Abstract
This historical report presents a description of the fortified garrison at Brest, French Brittany, by a German Army officer. The document begins with a short history of German Army activities in the region, which consisted primarily of fortifying the coastal areas around Brest with concrete bunkers and land mines. The author describes the construction of the fortifications and the armaments emplaced in them; communications systems, which consisted mainly of underground telephone cables and carrier pidgeons; the storing of supplies and ammunition among the fortifications; guiding principles for the conduct of battle; efforts used to keep the German soldiers focused on the imminence of a coastal invasion despite propaganda to the contrary; order of battle and the combat efficiency of the German troops at the end of May 1944; superior commands and neighboring units; the design of the Brest fortress complex; war events from the beginning of the Normandy invasion to the disbanding of the coastal defense forces (from 6 June to 5 August 1944); and war events from the time the coastal defense forces were disbanded to the surrender of Brest (from 6 August to 18 September 1944). The final section of the report details the encirclement of the garrison by Allied Forces, and its eventual capture on 18 September 1944.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1944
- Accession Number
- ADA438113
Entities
People
- Rudolf Kogard
Organizations
- United States Army