Background
Caen was captured on July 19, 1944 during Operation Goodwood, after six weeks of positional warfare throughout Normandy. 8 kilometers (5.0 mi) south of Caen, Verrières Ridge blocked a direct advance by Allied forces to Falaise. Initial efforts to take the ridge during Goodwood were thwarted by the I SS Panzer Corps—under General Sepp Dietrich. On July 20, 1944, the II Canadian Corps—under General Guy Simonds—attempted a similar offensive, codenamed Operation Atlantic. Although initially successful, strong counterattacks by Dietrich's Panzer Divisions caused the offensive to stall, inflicting 1,349 casualties on Canadian forces.
Read more about this topic: Operation Spring
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