most devastating invasion

what do you think the most devastating invasion was

 

Are you going to ask the same type of question over and over? What do you think? Instead of just asking a question why not present which one you think was? Instead of just a one line question why not give your view or perhaps elaborate on that you think? What Theater do you think? What type of "invasion"? There were many "invasions" during the war. Large and small. Different types. Combineds arms, Airborne,Seaborne,Ground. Different opponents. You question is really quite broad. "Devastaing"? In what aspect? Damage? Casualties? Ground lost? What criteria do you have in determining what was "Devastating"?

 

fine what do you think was the most devastating airborne operation?

 

Battle of Crete

 

How about you go first? What do you think? There weren't that many Airborne "invasions". Which one do you think was and why? And "devastating" to who? The attacker or defender? I would like to know what your thoughts are on the subject?

Normandy,
Crete,
Sicily,
The Low Countries,
Market Garden,
The Rhine,
To name a few or some of the smaller operations? None were particulary "devastating". The closest being Crete. And that was technically "devastating" to BOTH sides". But more so to the attacking German paratroopers that they were hardly used thereafter.

 

i think the most devastating airborne invasion was the 101st invading Normandy. by devastating i mean casualties to the invaders.

 

The 101st did not inflict many German casualties in their Normandy drop.

Battle of Crete

German losses
6,698 total

Allied Losses
3,564 dead
1,925 wounded
17,090 captured

I would say that Crete was the only "devastating" airborne attack, and it was very costly to both sides.

 

In terms of "devastating" when talking about the losses inflicted on the enemy, I would go with Varsity or Overlord.

 

Varsity was smaller than Crete in terms of losses on both sides. And it was against a mostly defeated enemy.

It's hard to really tell how many casualties the Allied Airborne inflicted on the Germans in their drops. Probably not very much.

 

The 101st casualties in Normandy was 868 killed,2303 wounded or injured and 665 missing and captured. For the 82nd 3927 wounded,1206 injured and 1282 killed. German losses on Crete were in the area of 4,041 total dead and missing presumed dead alone. Mostly paratroops. Market Garden for the British and Poles was 11,588–13,226 and for the US 3,542–3,974.

82nd Airborne Division During WW II - Statistics
The 101st Airborne Division During WW II - Statistics
German casualties | NZETC