The “Night Withdrawal” near Caen occurred during the Battle of Normandy in World War II, specifically in the summer of 1944. It refers to a German strategic retreat from positions near the city of Caen as Allied forces, led by British and Canadian troops, mounted intense offensives to secure the area.

This maneuver was part of Operation Atlantic and Operation Goodwood, where the Allies aimed to capture Caen, a critical objective for their advance through Normandy. The Germans, under pressure from overwhelming Allied firepower and facing the risk of encirclement, conducted an organized withdrawal under the cover of darkness to maintain defensive coherence further south.

The retreat allowed the Germans to avoid catastrophic losses but conceded critical ground to the Allies, paving the way for their eventual breakout from Normandy. The “Night Withdrawal” highlights the tactical adjustments made by the Germans in response to Allied advances and the attritional nature of the Normandy campaign.