Attached to Canadian and British forces, the first Americans to see ground combat in Europe witnessed disaster at Dieppe. The Raid at Dieppe, France holds a unique place in the war in Europe. Commando style raids were very popular in the early years of the war. The European continent lent itself well to this style of warfare.
England, the unsinkable base, was just a short naval journey to occupied coasts from the northern tip of Norway to the French-Spanish border. Air support was readily available, and a massive British Fleet served as a deterrent of sorts that could protect withdrawing forces.
At a tactical level, these types of missions could accomplish specific objectives, such as capturing radar technology or destroying drydocks. At a strategic level, commando operations were great publicity and kept the United Kingdom in the war even though they were no longer on the continent. These raids also forced Germany to commit more resources and troops to defending larger areas, giving the attacking forces the advantage of surprise and flexibility.
Launched on August 19, , Operation Jubilee was a continuation of these tactics. Of the many things that made this raid different, it was the first time Americans would participate in ground combat in France. Originally conceived as Operation Rutter, the raid at Dieppe was supposed to accomplish a range of missions. Under tremendous pressure from German forces in the east, Soviet Union Premier Joseph Stalin demanded a second front be opened in the west to divert German war material and troops away from Russia.
Within England, more action against Germany was desired to demonstrate that they were still in the fight. Operation Rutter would exceed previous raids in scope and complexity. Previous raids consisted of a few hundred commandos and Royal Navy personnel; Dieppe would involve 5, British, Canadian, and American landing troops.
