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    "label": "Overlord - Anvil Papers, December 1943 - April 1944 Part 1",
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    "title": "Overlord - Anvil Papers, December 1943 - April 1944 Part 1",
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    "ocrText": "\"# SECRET\\n\\n(EQUALS BRITISH MOST SECRET)\\n\\nHEADQUARTERS\\n\\nSUPREME ALLIED COMMAND\\n\\nCOPY\\n\\nOUTGOING MESSAGE\\n\\nDate: JAN 232300 A TOO\\n\\nOriginator: COS\\n\\nCOPY NO.\\n\\n![img-0.jpeg](img-0.jpeg)\\n\\nFrom: SHAEF\\n\\nTo : AGWAR (B-33)\\n\\nInfo: British Chiefs of Staff London (M-37)\\n\\nU R G E N T\\n\\nU.S. SECRET - BIGOT\\n\\n\\\"BIGOT\\\"\\n\\n\\\"Edited Literal Text\\\"\\n\\nTo : AGWAR and TROOPERS\\n\\nFor : Combined Chiefs of Staff rptd Britain\\n\\nFrom : SC, AEF\\n\\nSigned: Eisenhower\\n\\nDECLASSIFIED\\n\\nAuthority J.C.S. MEMO\\n\\nDate 7\\/5\\/72\\nBy DJH, NARS Date 11\\/19\\/73\\n\\n1. I have now had an opportunity of discussing the 'OVERLORD' plan with my Commanders-in-Chief. We are convinced that in all discussions full weight must be given to the fact that this operation marks the crisis of the European war. Every obstacle must be overcome, every inconvenience suffered and every risk run to ensure that our blow is decisive. We cannot afford to fail.\\n\\n2. In this light we have reviewed the 'OVERLORD' plan and we are fully convinced that it is, as the Chiefs of Staff have already asserted, on a narrow margin. The present plan is limited to a three divisional assault. To ensure success we consider it essential to increase the assault force to five divisions. Nothing less will give us an adequate margin to ensure success.\\n\\n3. Our reasons for this view are that an operation of this type must be designed to obtain an adequate bridgehead quickly and to retain the initiative. Three divisions are insufficient for this. The present frontage of assault is consequently too narrow. It will be essential to extend the front to give us a greater opportunity of finding a weak spot through which to exploit success. Moreover, the chances of success of the operation will be greatly increased and the capture of a port speeded up if we could extend our assault to the EASTERN beaches of the COTENTIN PENINSULA WEST of the barrier formed by the RIVER VIRE and its marshy estuary. Further, the securing of the EASTERN flank, and the early capture of the important focal point of CAEN with the vital airfields in its vicinity will be facilitated by the extension of the assault to the beaches just WEST of OUISTREHAM.\\n\\n4. With five divisions we should carry out our assault as follows. We should land one US and two BRITISH assault divisions on the CAEN beaches each on a two brigade front as already planned. We should land one additional BRITISH division with one brigade up on the beach just WEST of OUISTREHAM and a US division with one brigade up at the SOUTHERN end of the EAST COTENTIN beaches. The whole assault would thus be made by five divisions with eight brigades up. These would be followed on the second tide of D day by the equivalent of two divisions in landing ships and craft\\n\\nSECRET\\n\\n(MOST SECRET)\\n\\n\\\"BIGOT\\\"\\n\\nE\"",
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            "text": "I have now had an opportunity of discussing the 'OVERLORD' plan with my Commanders-in-Chief. We are convinced that in all discussions full weight must be given to the fact that this operation marks the crisis of the European war. Every obstacle must be overcome, every inconvenience suffered and every risk run to ensure that our blow is decisive. We cannot afford to fail.",
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            "text": "In this light we have reviewed the 'OVERLORD' plan and we are fully convinced that it is, as the Chiefs of Staff have already asserted, on a narrow margin. The present plan is limited to a three divisional assault. To ensure success we consider it essential to increase the assault force to five divisions. Nothing less will give us an adequate margin to ensure success.",
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            "text": "Our reasons for this view are that an operation of this type must be designed to obtain an adequate bridgehead quickly and to retain the initiative. Three divisions are insufficient for this. The present frontage of assault is consequently too narrow. It will be essential to extend the front to give us a greater opportunity of finding a weak spot through which to exploit success. Moreover, the chances of success of the operation will be greatly increased and the capture of a port speeded up if we could extend our assault to the EASTERN beaches of the COTENTIN PENINSULA WEST of the barrier formed by the RIVER VIRE and its marshy estuary. Further, the securing of the EASTERN flank, and the early capture of the important focal point of CAEN with the vital airfields in its vicinity will be facilitated by the extension of the assault to the beaches just WEST of OUISTREHAM.",
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            "text": "With five divisions we should carry out our assault as follows. We should land one US and two BRITISH assault divisions on the CAEN beaches each on a two brigade front as already planned. We should land one additional BRITISH division with one brigade up on the beach just WEST of OUISTREHAM and a US division with one brigade up at the SOUTHERN end of the EAST COTENTIN beaches. The whole assault would thus be made by five divisions with eight brigades up. These would be followed on the second tide of D day by the equivalent of two divisions in landing ships and craft",
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