La Fière: The 82nd Airborne Stopped Tanks—Then Had to Cross

In June 1944, American paratroopers stopped German armor at La Fière, a narrow bridge and causeway across the flooded Merderet River in Normandy. Days later, that same defensive bottleneck became the route they had to attack. This WWII history video follows the fighting from June 6-9, tracing the 82nd Airborne Division’s desperate defense, the isolation of troops west of the river, and the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment’s exposed assault toward Cauquigny. Explore how flooded terrain, wrecked tanks, limited ammunition, and German fire shaped the battle-and why securing this crossing mattered to the American advance inland from Utah Beach.