The Normandy Invasion Relied on Higgins Boats
On June 6, 1944, thousands of Allied soldiers used these boats to storm the beaches of Normandy in the largest amphibious invasion in history.
2World War II with Tom Hanks
How Higgins and His Boats Won the War
Andrew Higgins' landing craft were essential to the largest amphibious invasion in history, carrying Allied soldiers to the beaches of Normandy.
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How Higgins and His Boats Won the War (from HISTORY This Week)
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What to know before you press play.
Andrew Higgins Was a Relentless Inventor
Higgins was a hard-driving New Orleans boatbuilder known for designing vessels that could navigate swamps and crash through obstacles.
34The Navy Initially Dismissed Higgins' Ideas
Despite the eventual success of the boats, the Navy repeatedly dismissed Higgins' ideas before they became central to the war effort.
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“What other inventions were crucial to the success of the Normandy invasion?”
“How did Andrew Higgins' personality influence his relationship with the military?”
“What other roles did amphibious operations play in World War II?”
Background reading
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Questions
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Experts
Voices named in the source.
Dr. John Curatola
Samuel Zemurray Stone Senior Historian at the National WWII Museum
7Sources and disclosure
Where this guide comes from.
This guide is based on the episode 'How Higgins and His Boats Won the War' from the podcast 'World War II with Tom Hanks'.
- Publisher show notes
For more stories just like these, check out HISTORY This Week wherever you get your podcasts.
- Publisher show notes
June 6, 1944. As thousands of Allied soldiers prepare to storm the beaches of Normandy, they climb down rope nets into small wooden landing craft bobbing in the dark waters of the English Channel. Within hours, these boats will carry them into the largest amphibious invasion in history.
- Publisher show notes
The craft are known as Higgins boats, named for their inventor, Andrew Higgins: a hard-driving New Orleans boatbuilder who built his reputation designing vessels that could speed through swamps, crash through obstacles, and go places other boats couldn't.
- Publisher show notes
Higgins was stubborn, abrasive, and relentless.
- Publisher show notes
The Navy repeatedly dismissed his ideas.
- Publisher show notes
How does a small-time New Orleans boatbuilder force his way into the military industrial complex? And what exactly is so special about these boxy little Higgins boats?
- Publisher show notes
Special thanks to Dr. John Curatola, Samuel Zemurray Stone Senior Historian at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana. His book is Armies Afloat: How the Development of Amphibious Operations in Europe Helped Win World War II.
- Publisher show notes
You can find the rest of the books we used to research this episode at historythisweekpodcast.com.
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