'Second D-Day' in the south of France was actually a futile exercise that paved ...

The lesser known second invasion of France is generally seen as a success for the allied forces during the Second World War.

Around 580,000 British, American, French and Canadian soldiers stormed the beaches during Operation Dragoon - dubbed the Second 'D-Day' - and swiftly defeated the occupying Nazi forces.

But military historian Anthony Tucker-Jones has now claimed the offensive was a futile exercise that later allowed Stalin to take over Eastern Europe.

Anthony Tucker-Jones, a former defence intelligence officer and military expert, said Operation Dragoon (pictured) in August 1944 left the door wide open for the Soviets to dominate eastern Europe and kickstart the Cold War. he deemed it ultimately pointless

Anthony Tucker-Jones, a former defence intelligence officer and military expert, said Operation Dragoon (pictured) in August 1944 left the door wide open for the Soviets to dominate eastern Europe and kickstart the Cold War. he deemed it ultimately pointless

Mr Tucker-Jones said: 'However you look at it, in strategic terms Dragoon was a nugatory exercise. It was not conducted in parallel with [Operation] Overlord owing to shortages of amphibious transport, thereby losing its diversionary impact'

Mr Tucker-Jones said: 'However you look at it, in strategic terms Dragoon was a nugatory exercise. It was not conducted in parallel with [Operation] Overlord owing to shortages of amphibious transport, thereby losing its diversionary impact'

Operation Dragoon took place a matter of weeks after the crucial Normandy Landings - or Operation Overlord - and led to the liberation of southern France and wide-scale Nazi retreat.

The invasion of southern France was initially dubbed Operation Anvil, while the invasion of Normandy was codenamed Sledgehammer.

The two were planned to be carried out at the same time.

He continued: 'In addition, the success of Overlord meant Army Group G would have been forced to withdraw from southern France anyway to avoid being cut off, regardless of an invasion in the south.' Although resistance on the Riviera was light, there were still 480 casualties within the first few hours of the invasion (pictured)

He continued: 'In addition, the success of Overlord meant Army Group G would have been forced to withdraw from southern France anyway to avoid being cut off, regardless of an invasion in the south.' Although resistance on the Riviera was light, there were still 480 casualties within the first few hours of the invasion (pictured)

Operation Dragoon (pictured in Toulon) took place a matter of weeks after the crucial Normandy Landings - and led to the liberation of southern France and wide-scale Nazi retreat

Operation Dragoon (pictured in Toulon) took place a matter of weeks after the crucial Normandy Landings - and led to the liberation of southern France and wide-scale Nazi retreat

But in early 1944 the plan to conduct two simultaneous landings in France was abandoned due to lack of resources, not least because the landing craft were needed in Normandy.

Instead, Operation Dragoon was postponed until August 15 when a large contingent of Free French Forces, together with Americans and Canadians, was to land in an area between the towns of Le Lavandou and Saint Raphael on the Mediterranean coast of France.

The Royal Navy, RAF and British commandos also played a small but significant role in the attack.

Winston Churchill was against Operation Dragoon

Bernard Montgomery and Eisenhower, the architects of Operation Overlord

Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery (right with Eisenhower) branded the mission 'one of the great strategic mistakes of the war' as the divisive military action left the door wide open for the Soviets to dominate eastern Europe and kickstart the Cold War, a conflict which took the world to the precipice of nuclear war. Winston Churchill (left) was also against it

The operation almost caused a complete breakdown between the British and American governments and, according to sceptics, saw a high number of casualties and a diversion of troops from more crucial combat regions

The operation almost caused a complete breakdown between the British and American governments and, according to sceptics, saw a high number of casualties and a diversion of troops from more crucial combat regions

The planning phases almost caused a complete breakdown between the British and American governments and saw a high number of casualties and a diversion of troops from more crucial combat regions.

Even after the war, Dragoon was dogged by controversy.

Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery branded the mission 'one of the great strategic mistakes of the war' as the divisive military action left the door wide open for the Soviets to dominate eastern Europe and kickstart the Cold War.

Though highly supported by Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight Eisenhower, the operation was bitterly opposed by Churchill. Pictured: Throughout France retribution against those who had collaborated with the occupiers was swift and often brutal as a woman is led away to an uncertain fate

Though highly supported by Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight Eisenhower, the operation was bitterly opposed by Churchill. Pictured: Throughout France retribution against those who had collaborated with the occupiers was swift and often brutal as a woman is led away to an uncertain fate

Churchill saw it as a waste of resources. The cigar-smoking statesman favoured renewing the offensive in Italy or landing in the Balkans. Pictured: Forlorn German troops captured by the French 1st Army in Alsace

Churchill saw it as a waste of resources. The cigar-smoking statesman favoured renewing the offensive in Italy or landing in the Balkans. Pictured: Forlorn German troops captured by the French 1st Army in Alsace

Mr Tucker-Jones, a former defence intelligence officer and military expert, agreed, saying: 'However you look at it, in strategic terms Dragoon was a nugatory exercise.

'It was not conducted in parallel with [Operation] Overlord owing to shortages of amphibious transport, thereby losing its diversionary impact.

'In addition, the success of Overlord meant Army Group G would have been forced to withdraw from southern France anyway to avoid being cut off, regardless of an invasion in the south.

'The timing of Dragoon meant it did not take any pressure off the Allies fighting in Normandy, since the Nazi's better units, especially their panzer divisions, had already been drawn north by 15 August.'

Looking ahead to a post-war Europe, Churchill wished to conduct offensives that would slow the progress of the Soviet Red Army while also hurting the German war effort. President Roosevelt did not trust General Charles de Gaulle, leader of the Free French,who was determined to manoeuvre himself into such a position that he would be hailed the saviour of France. The invasion of the Riviera was vital to de Gaulle's plans. De Gaulle and General Leclerc (left) were adamant that French troops should take thecredit for liberating Paris, despite the fact that the Americans, British, Canadians and Poles had borne the brunt of the Normandy fighting

Looking ahead to a post-war Europe, Churchill wished to conduct offensives that would slow the progress of the Soviet Red Army while also hurting the German war effort. President Roosevelt did not trust General Charles de Gaulle, leader of the Free French,who was determined to manoeuvre himself into such a position that he would be hailed the saviour of France. The invasion of the Riviera was vital to de Gaulle's plans. De Gaulle and General Leclerc (left) were adamant that French troops should take thecredit for liberating Paris, despite the fact that the Americans, British, Canadians and Poles had borne the brunt of the Normandy fighting

Though supported by Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight Eisenhower, the operation was bitterly opposed by Winston Churchill.

The cigar-smoking statesman saw it as a waste of time and favoured renewing the offensive in Italy or landing in the Balkans.

Looking ahead to a post-war Europe, Churchill wished to conduct offensives that would slow the progress of the Soviet Red Army while also hurting the German war effort.

For that reason, and because a second front would relieve some of the pressure on his own army, Stalin endorsed the plan.

To Churchill's dismay, Stalin was backed by Eisenhower who acceded to the Russian leader's demand for another fighting front and, correctly as it turned out, believed the ports in the south of France would prove invaluable to supplying the Allied Forces drive into Nazi-occupied regions. Pictured: Allied armour and Free French forces pushing towards Paris, making the Rivierainvasion 'completely irrelevant to the liberation', according to Mr Tucker-Jones

To Churchill's dismay, Stalin was backed by Eisenhower who acceded to the Russian leader's demand for another fighting front and, correctly as it turned out, believed the ports in the south of France would prove invaluable to supplying the Allied Forces drive into

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