The History of Traffic Analysis – WWI – Vietnam Part 4 of 8

The U.S. Third Army.

The U.S. Third Army posted one of the most impressive records among U.S. forces participating in the European campaign. The Third Army had moved from the U.S. to England in December 1943, but did not take part directly in the Normandy invasion. It moved to the continent shortly after the initial wave of troops and equipment had landed.

Meanwhile, LTG George S. Patton, one of the most prominent U.S. generals of WWII and highly respected and feared by the Germans, had incurred the anger of his superiors in 1943. As a disciplinary measure, he had been relegated to a diversionary role just prior to the invasion of the continent. He was placed in charge of a largely phantom army stationed across the English Channel from Pas de Calais in an attempt to reinforce the Germans’ erroneous belief that the Allies would invade directly across the Channel. In combination with other imaginative deception operations, the ruse worked perfectly and then General Patton, known for his aggressive strategy, was assigned as commander of the Third Army.