Links for Information
1. Wikipedia
This source is credible because it was updated recently, you can contact them, and they have citations.
This source is credible because it was updated recently, you can contact them, and they have citations.
2. History Learning Center
This source is credible because it had working hyperlinks, you can contact them, and it has an author.
This source is credible because it had working hyperlinks, you can contact them, and it has an author.
3. PBS
This source is credible because you can contact them, working hyperlinks, and updated recently.
This source is credible because you can contact them, working hyperlinks, and updated recently.
What are Paratroopers? And, what did they do in World War Two?
"Paratroopers are military parachutists -- soldiers, marines, and others trained in parachuting into an operation and usually functioning as a part of an airborne force" (Website 1). They were used as an advantage because they would just kind of land where the enemy was and they usually weren't expecting it. It was a type of "forced entry" during war, one of the three, and it was useful in most situations. Paratroopers were first used by the Germans and they were called Fallschirmjäger. They were later used by the western Allies in World War Two. "Owing to the limited capacity of cargo aircraft of the period they rarely, if ever, jumped in groups much larger than 20 from one aircraft" (Website 1). In missions, such as D-Day, they would have many planes filled to the maximum amount of people they could have. Some planes would make it to their drop zones and some didn't. There are many paratrooper companies that are still used today, they are usually associated with the Army or Air Force but there are some that are associated with the Navy.
Paratroopers did many things in World War Two, they helped out a lot of things and they were at on point a turning point in the war because of how successful D-Day was. "Paratroopers were to play a decisive part in World War Two" (Website 2). They unexpected, to the point where you didn't know when they were going to happen, not that you wouldn't notice thousands of men floating down right in front of you. Both Axis and Allied powers used paratroopers to get a step ahead of the game, but it mostly known for the Allied powers and their drop at D-Day. "As the war approached neither Britain nor America had paratrooper regiments. Both countries put their faith in the movement of complete military units by air – men, supplies, artillery pieces etc. This was known as air-landing" (Website 2). This shows that, it wasn't really something that was in the mind of the Americans or British armies, they were more focused on air-landing. They, obviously, eventually became familiar with the idea of paratroopers it just wasn't their first ideas. It was mostly used my the Germans until the Americans started looking for volunteers to create their own regime of Paratroopers. Training lasted a while, since this was something that weren't really familiar with.
One of the most known uses of paratroopers was D-Day, "The D-Day invasion began with a dangerous attack by American paratroopers. Dropped behind enemy lines to soften up the German troops and to secure needed targets, the paratroopers knew that if the accompanying assault by sea failed -- there would be no rescue" (Website 3). They were entrusted with a task that they didn't know whether it was going to be a success or failure. It was the first real air drop that they were going to do altogether and not in training. The day of D-Day when they were getting to Germany it was foggy and so that meant that the paratroopers had to be dropped earlier than usual. So they would have to try and figure where they were and get to their indicated destination, find the rest of their company, and then continue on in the war. The paratroopers when they jumped out of the planes had bags, attached to their foot with all the supplies they would need. A lot of the paratroopers would lost theirs on the way down and they would leave them with out supplies. The supplies included were:
Standard Parachutist pack
M-1 Garand Rifle with 8-round clip
cartridge belt with canteen
hand grenades
parachute and pack
anti-flash headgear and gloves
pocket compass
machete
.45 caliber Colt automatic pistol
flares
message book
Officer pack
(British, but similar to American officer pack)
Sten gun
spare magazines with 9mm ammunition
2 lb. plastic high explosives (HE)
2-36 primed hand grenades
two full belts of Vickers
.303 ammunition
wire cutters
radio batteries
small-pack
basic equipment webbing
48 hours' worth of rations
water
cooking and washing kit
(Website 3).
So, as you could see these packs were very important and if you lost one you would hope that you find someone that had those things so that you could be protected, you would have no weapons it was you against whatever was out there. They would have some things in their pockets, like a knife, but in a fight versus a knife and a gun, the gun would have the advantage. You weren't completely weaponless but you were pretty close. Paratroopers were important in World War Two because of the fact that they are one of the reasons that the Allies had a success, it was a turning point, the beginning of the end, it was more helpful than fully appreciated.
Paratroopers did many things in World War Two, they helped out a lot of things and they were at on point a turning point in the war because of how successful D-Day was. "Paratroopers were to play a decisive part in World War Two" (Website 2). They unexpected, to the point where you didn't know when they were going to happen, not that you wouldn't notice thousands of men floating down right in front of you. Both Axis and Allied powers used paratroopers to get a step ahead of the game, but it mostly known for the Allied powers and their drop at D-Day. "As the war approached neither Britain nor America had paratrooper regiments. Both countries put their faith in the movement of complete military units by air – men, supplies, artillery pieces etc. This was known as air-landing" (Website 2). This shows that, it wasn't really something that was in the mind of the Americans or British armies, they were more focused on air-landing. They, obviously, eventually became familiar with the idea of paratroopers it just wasn't their first ideas. It was mostly used my the Germans until the Americans started looking for volunteers to create their own regime of Paratroopers. Training lasted a while, since this was something that weren't really familiar with.
One of the most known uses of paratroopers was D-Day, "The D-Day invasion began with a dangerous attack by American paratroopers. Dropped behind enemy lines to soften up the German troops and to secure needed targets, the paratroopers knew that if the accompanying assault by sea failed -- there would be no rescue" (Website 3). They were entrusted with a task that they didn't know whether it was going to be a success or failure. It was the first real air drop that they were going to do altogether and not in training. The day of D-Day when they were getting to Germany it was foggy and so that meant that the paratroopers had to be dropped earlier than usual. So they would have to try and figure where they were and get to their indicated destination, find the rest of their company, and then continue on in the war. The paratroopers when they jumped out of the planes had bags, attached to their foot with all the supplies they would need. A lot of the paratroopers would lost theirs on the way down and they would leave them with out supplies. The supplies included were:
Standard Parachutist pack
M-1 Garand Rifle with 8-round clip
cartridge belt with canteen
hand grenades
parachute and pack
anti-flash headgear and gloves
pocket compass
machete
.45 caliber Colt automatic pistol
flares
message book
Officer pack
(British, but similar to American officer pack)
Sten gun
spare magazines with 9mm ammunition
2 lb. plastic high explosives (HE)
2-36 primed hand grenades
two full belts of Vickers
.303 ammunition
wire cutters
radio batteries
small-pack
basic equipment webbing
48 hours' worth of rations
water
cooking and washing kit
(Website 3).
So, as you could see these packs were very important and if you lost one you would hope that you find someone that had those things so that you could be protected, you would have no weapons it was you against whatever was out there. They would have some things in their pockets, like a knife, but in a fight versus a knife and a gun, the gun would have the advantage. You weren't completely weaponless but you were pretty close. Paratroopers were important in World War Two because of the fact that they are one of the reasons that the Allies had a success, it was a turning point, the beginning of the end, it was more helpful than fully appreciated.