Hitler's Sleep Delayed Panzer Reinforcements

When Allied forces landed in Normandy on D-Day, Adolf Hitler was asleep, and his staff had strict orders not to wake him. His staff did not dare wake him up because he had been up until 3am chatting with friends at his residence. German commanders could not move several armored formations from the interior without his personal approval, so the opening hours passed without those reserves being released. Hitler awoke between 11 a.m. and noon but still delayed sending reinforcements because he believed Normandy was a diversion from an attack at Calais. He released some Panzer divisions only after commanders in Normandy repeatedly pressed him to act.

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