The Germans Feared Patton So Much They Fell for an Army That Didn't Exist

In June 1944, German intelligence was waiting for General George S. Patton to lead what they believed would be the real Allied invasion of France. There was only one problem: much of Patton’s army didn’t exist. As American, British, and Canadian forces landed in Normandy on D-Day, the Allies kept an extraordinary deception alive across the English Channel. Fake formations, controlled radio traffic, double agents, dummy equipment, and above all Patton’s reputation helped convince German commanders that Normandy might only be a diversion — and that the real attack could still come at Pas-de-Calais. This is the story of Operation Fortitude, the First United States Army Group, the legendary double agent GARBO, and how the Allies turned George Patton himself into a weapon before his real Third Army ever entered combat in France. The Germans weren’t fooled because they were stupid. They were fooled because the deception confirmed what they already believed: Pas-de-Calais was the logical invasion point, the Allies still had another major army in Britain, and George Patton was exactly the kind of general they expected to command the decisive attack. And even after D-Day began, German forces continued waiting. For Patton. On War Stories With Nick, I tell the incredible true stories of the American soldiers, commanders, machines, tactics, intelligence operations, and decisions that shaped World War II. If you enjoy WWII history, American military history, George Patton, D-Day, Operation Fortitude, the European Theater, and stories about how America fought and won the Second World War, subscribe for more. He didn’t have to attack. He only had to be believed. #WWII #GeorgePatton #WorldWarII