Atlantic Wall

Atlantic Wall
Part of Nazi Germany
Western coast of Continental Europe and Scandinavia
Type	Coastal defence and fortifications
Length	1670 miles (2687 km)
Site information
Controlled by	Nazi Germany
Condition	Partially demolished; mostly intact
Site history
Built	1942–1944
Built by	Forced labourers
In use	1942–1945
Materials	Concrete Wood Steel
Battles/wars	World War II
Events	St Nazaire Raid Dieppe Raid Operation Overlord Operation Undergo Battle of the Scheldt
Garrison information
Past commanders	Erwin Rommel (1943–1944)
Occupants	Wehrmacht

The Atlantic Wall (German: Atlantikwall) was an extensive system of coastal defences and fortifications built by Nazi Germany between 1942 and 1944 along the coast of continental Europe and Scandinavia as a defence against an anticipated Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe from the United Kingdom, during World War II. The manning and operation of the Atlantic Wall was administratively overseen by the German Army, with some support from Luftwaffe ground forces. The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) maintained a separate coastal defence network, organised into a number of sea defence zones.^[1]

Hitler ordered the construction of the fortifications in 1942 through his Führer Directive No. 40. More than half a million French workers were drafted to build it. The wall was frequently mentioned in Nazi propaganda, where its size and strength were usually exaggerated. The fortifications included colossal coastal guns, batteries, mortars, and artillery, and thousands of German troops were stationed in its defences.^[a] Today, ruins of the wall exist in all of the nations where it was built, although many structures have fallen into the ocean or have been demolished over the years.

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