How did Adolf Hitler react to the D-Day invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944, when American, British, and Canadian troops established a foothold in western Europe? He slept through it, having convinced his Nazi cohorts that the rumored Allied attack would be a diversion designed to fool the Nazis into deploying considerable military assets in the wrong place.
At the Berghof, Hitler's Bavarian Alps residence, the Führer and his entourage stayed up late, watching the latest newsreels and celebrating until 3 a.m., according to Nazi associate Joseph Goebbels. By 6 a.m. the widespread attack was confirmed, but the Führer's aides were hesitant to wake him. “The news couldn’t be better,” Hitler reportedly said upon awakening about 10 a.m.
Catching up on sleep during D-Day:
- D-Day was scheduled for 5 June 1944, but bad weather kept ships from safely crossing the English Channel to Normandy. Allied commanders decided to wait a day.
- In response to rumors of an invasion, a trusted Nazi field marshal requested that two tank divisions be quickly moved 120 miles (193 km) from Paris to Normandy. Fearing a trap, Hitler delayed making that call until the next day -- too late to make a difference.
- By the end of 6 June, some 156,000 Allied troops had established beachheads from which to begin their liberating march toward Berlin. Two weeks later, the fighting force had grown to 650,000.