Editing Operation Totalize (section)

{{Short description|1944 Allied offensive in Normandy, France}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox military conflict
|conflict=Operation Totalize
|partof=[[Operation Overlord]]
|image=File:Totalise88gun.jpg
|image_upright = 1.23
|caption=A [[Cromwell tank]] and [[Willys MB|jeep]] pass an abandoned German [[8.8 cm PaK 43|88 mm]] anti-tank gun during Operation Totalize, 8 August 1944.
|date=8–9 August 1944
|place=[[Normandy]], France
|coordinates = {{coord|49|11|10|N|0|21|45|W|type:city_source:kolossus-zhwiki|display=inline}}
|result=Allied victory
|combatant1={{flag|Canada|1921}}<br />{{flag|United Kingdom}}<br />{{flagicon|Poland|1928}} [[Polish Armed Forces in the West|Poland]]
|combatant2={{flag|Nazi Germany|name=Germany}}
|commander1={{flagicon|Canada|1921}} [[Guy Simonds]]<br>{{flagicon|Canada|1921}} [[Harry Crerar]]
|commander2={{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Kurt Meyer]]
|strength1=85,000 men<br />2,000 aircraft<br />720 artillery pieces<br />3 infantry [[Division (military)|divisions]]<br />2 armoured divisions<br />2 armoured [[brigade]]s{{sfn|Hart|2004|p=23}}
|strength2=3 infantry divisions,<br />1 SS Panzer division<br />1 heavy tank [[battalion]]<br />At least 74 tanks{{sfn|Hart|2004|p=32}}
|casualties1=At least 1,256{{efn|Michael Reynolds quoting [[Stanisław Maczek]], places the Polish losses during the operation at 656 men.{{sfn|Reynolds|2001|p=246}} Copp wrote that Canadian losses included more than 600 men killed.{{sfn|Copp|2004|p=211}}}}<br />146+ tanks{{efn|Reynolds claims that the operation cost the Canadians over 80 tanks, while Maczek claims that the 1st Polish Armoured Division lost an additional 66 tanks.{{sfn|Reynolds|2001|p=246}}}}
|casualties2=3,000 casualties{{efn|Copp states that German losses are estimated but did include 1,270 prisoners.{{sfn|Copp|2004|p=211}}}}<br />At least 45 tanks{{sfn|Wilmot|1997|p=414}}
|campaignbox =
{{Campaignbox Normandy}}
}}
'''Operation Totalize''' (also spelled '''Operation Totalise''' in recent British sources) was an offensive launched by Allied troops in the [[First Canadian Army]] during the later stages of [[Operation Overlord]], from 8 to 9 August 1944.{{sfn|Wilmot|1997|pp=410–414}} The intention was to break through the [[Nazi Germany|German]] defences south of [[Caen]] on the eastern flank of the Allied positions in Normandy and exploit success by driving south, to capture the high ground north of the city of [[Falaise, Calvados|Falaise]]. The goal was to  collapse the German front and cut off the retreat of German forces fighting the [[Allied Powers (World War II)|Allied]] armies further west. The battle is considered the inaugural operation of the First Canadian Army, which had been activated on 23 July.{{sfn|Bercuson|2004|p=229}}

In the early hours of 8 August 1944, [[II Canadian Corps]] launched the attack using [[mechanized infantry]]. They broke through the German front lines and captured vital positions deep in the German defences. It was intended that two fresh armoured divisions would continue the attack but some hesitancy by these two comparatively inexperienced divisions and German armoured counter-attacks halted this offensive.{{sfn|Fellgiebel|1986|p=366}}{{sfn|Számvéber|2018|p=168}}{{sfn|Bergström|2014|p=172}} Having advanced {{cvt|9|mi}}, the Allies were halted {{cvt|7|mi}} north of Falaise and forced to prepare a fresh attack.{{sfn|Wilmot|1997|p=414}}