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Second World War: the bitter failure of Operation Jubilee
Second World War: the bitter failure of Operation Jubilee
(France 2)
On August 19, 1942, the Allies launched Operation Jubilee, a raid on the German-occupied port of Dieppe in Normandy. The operation was a bloody failure.
Under a hazy sky, at 3 a.m. on August 19, 1942, the Allies launched Operation Jubilee. More than 6,000 soldiers are preparing to land by surprise on the beaches of Normandy. It was the first major attempt at liberation from the German occupiers. The Third Reich was then at its peak. Nearly 5,000 Canadians and a thousand British were involved in this lightning attack. Its objective is to test German coastal defenses and damage enemy infrastructure.
Canadians and Americans lost their very first soldiers on the European continent. In a few hours, the victory of the Germans, who only deplored the loss of a few hundred men, was assured. The human toll of the operation will be heavy. The Allies estimate the number of killed at 1,200. The failure of the Allies is widely used by German propaganda, which broadcasts photos of bodies and tanks abandoned on the beaches of Dieppe.
