Allied Headquarters Issues Planning Directive for Operation Overlord and the Invasion of Normandy (1944)

Date: January 11, 1944

Created By: Frederick E. Morgan

Original or Replica: Original

Era: The General, D-Day and the Normandy Invasion

Collection: Eisenhower Presidential Library

Citations: Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum

This January 11, 1944 directive from Supreme Allied Headquarters establishes the objectives, command structure, forces, and planning responsibilities for Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of German-occupied Western Europe. The document defines the operation’s objective as securing a foothold on the European continent from which further offensive operations could be developed. The initial plan called for an assault on the Normandy beaches between Quinéville and Cabourg-les-Bains, followed by the capture and development of airfields and the port of Cherbourg. A second phase envisioned expanding the Allied position to secure the broader Cherbourg, Loire, and Brittany group of ports. The directive identifies May 1, 1944 as the earliest possible target date then under consideration.

The directive also establishes the Allied command arrangements and resources necessary for the invasion. The Supreme Allied Commander would coordinate and control the operation, while the commanders of the naval, ground, and air forces would develop detailed plans within their respective responsibilities. The document addresses the allocation of American, British, and Canadian troops, landing craft, airborne forces, air support, and logistical organizations.

The final page assigns specific planning responsibilities for assembling, training, and deploying American forces and requires continued coordination with the other Allied commanders. The document provides an important look at how Allied leaders translated the broad objective of invading Europe into a detailed command and operational framework for D-Day months before the landings occurred.