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Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force
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A flowchart showing the Anglo-American chain of command for the Normandy invasion on D-Day, June 6, 1944, with boxes for key leaders such as Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Charles de Gaulle, and Dwight D. Eisenhower, and the hierarchical structure of military forces involved in the operation.
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Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force

military organization
Also known as: SHAEF
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A flowchart showing the Anglo-American chain of command for the Normandy invasion on D-Day, June 6, 1944, with boxes for key leaders such as Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Charles de Gaulle, and Dwight D. Eisenhower, and the hierarchical structure of military forces involved in the operation.
Anglo-American chain of command for the Normandy Invasion Infographic showing the Anglo-American chain of command during the Normandy Invasion on June 6, 1944.

The Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) was the military command responsible for planning and executing the Allied invasion of northwest Europe during World War II, specifically Operation Overlord, the Normandy invasion.12

Key Aspects of SHAEF:

  • Leadership: SHAEF was led by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, an American commander chosen for his ability to foster cooperation among Allied leaders.12
  • Scope: It held authority over all air, sea, and land forces from contributing Allied nations for the invasion.1
  • Coordination: SHAEF worked closely with the Combined Chiefs of Staff, a system of consultation between British and U.S. military leaders, to ensure a unified strategy.1
  • Operation Overlord: The command was instrumental in orchestrating the complex D-Day landings on June 6, 1944, involving airborne assaults and seaborne troop movements across five beaches in Normandy.12
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2 Britannica Sources
  1. Anglo-American Chain of Command in Western Europe, June 1944
  2. How the Normandy Invasion Happened: Infographic Overview

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