70th Anniversary of D-Day

[Solid Lifters]

During World War II (1939-1945), the Battle of Normandy, which lasted from June 1944 to August 1944, resulted in the Allied liberation of Western Europe from Nazi Germany’s control. Codenamed Operation Overlord, the battle began on June 6, 1944, also known as D-Day, when some 156,000 American, British and Canadian forces landed on five beaches along a 50-mile stretch of the heavily fortified coast of France’s Normandy region. The invasion was one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history and required extensive planning. Prior to D-Day, the Allies conducted a large-scale deception campaign designed to mislead the Germans about the intended invasion target. By late August 1944, all of northern France had been liberated, and by the following spring the Allies had defeated the Germans. The Normandy landings have been called the beginning of the end of war in Europe.

Preparing for D-Day
After World War II began, Germany invaded and occupied northwestern France beginning in May 1940. The Americans entered the war in December 1941, and by 1942 they and the British (who had been evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk in May 1940 after being cut off by the Germans in the Battle of France) were considering the possibility of a major Allied invasion across the English Channel. The following year, Allied plans for a cross-Channel invasion began to ramp up. In November 1943, Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), who was aware of the threat of an invasion along France’s northern coast, put Erwin Rommel (1891-1944) in charge of spearheading defense operations in the region, even though the Germans did not know exactly where the Allies would strike. Hitler charged Rommel with finishing the Atlantic Wall, a 2,400-mile fortification of bunkers, landmines and beach and water obstacles.

In January 1944, General Dwight Eisenhower (1890-1969) was appointed commander of Operation Overlord. In the months and weeks before D-Day, the Allies carried out a massive deception operation intended to make the Germans think the main invasion target was Pas-de-Calais (the narrowest point between Britain and France) rather than Normandy. In addition, they led the Germans to believe that Norway and other locations were also potential invasion targets. Many tactics was used to carry out the deception, including fake equipment; a phantom army commanded by George Patton and supposedly based in England, across from Pas-de-Calais; double agents; and fraudulent radio transmissions.

A Weather Delay: June 5, 1944
Eisenhower selected June 5, 1944, as the date for the invasion; however, bad weather on the days leading up to the operation caused it to be delayed for 24 hours. On the morning of June 5, after his meteorologist predicted improved conditions for the following day, Eisenhower gave the go-ahead for Operation Overlord. He told the troops: “You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you.”

Later that day, more than 5,000 ships and landing craft carrying troops and supplies left England for the trip across the Channel to France, while more than 11,000 aircraft were mobilized to provide air cover and support for the invasion.

D-Day Landings: June 6, 1944
By dawn on June 6, thousands of paratroopers and glider troops were already on the ground behind enemy lines, securing bridges and exit roads. The amphibious invasions began at 6:30 a.m. The British and Canadians overcame light opposition to capture beaches codenamed Gold, Juno and Sword, as did the Americans at Utah Beach. U.S. forces faced heavy resistance at Omaha Beach, where there were over 2,000 American casualties. However, by day's end, approximately 156,000 Allied troops had successfully stormed Normandy’s beaches. According to some estimates, more than 4,000 Allied troops lost their lives in the D-Day invasion, with thousands more wounded or missing.

Less than a week later, on June 11, the beaches were fully secured and over 326,000 troops, more than 50,000 vehicles and some 100,000 tons of equipment had landed at Normandy.

For their part, the Germans suffered from confusion in the ranks and the absence of celebrated commander Rommel, who was away on leave. At first, Hitler, believing the invasion was a feint designed to distract the Germans from a coming attack north of the Seine River, refused to release nearby divisions to join the counterattack. Reinforcements had to be called from further afield, causing delays. He also hesitated in calling for armored divisions to help in the defense. Moreover, the Germans were hampered by effective Allied air support, which took out many key bridges and forced the Germans to take long detours, as well as efficient Allied naval support, which helped protect advancing Allied troops.

In the ensuing weeks, the Allies fought their way across the Normandy countryside in the face of determined German resistance, as well as a dense landscape of marshes and hedgerows. By the end of June, the Allies had seized the vital port of Cherbourg, landed approximately 850,000 men and 150,000 vehicles in Normandy, and were poised to continue their march across France.

Victory in Normandy
By the end of August 1944, the Allies had reached the Seine River, Paris was liberated and the Germans had been removed from northwestern France, effectively concluding the Battle of Normandy. The Allied forces then prepared to enter Germany, where they would meet up with Soviet troops moving in from the east.

The Normandy invasion began to turn the tide against the Nazis. A significant psychological blow, it also prevented Hitler from sending troops from France to build up his Eastern Front against the advancing Soviets. The following spring, on May 8, 1945, the Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany. Hitler had committed suicide a week earlier, on April 30.

http://www.history.com/topics/d-day

Cheers to all those who served.

 

[DQuaN]

Forever indebted to those brave men.

 

[W3H5]

May their memory never be forgotten for facing almost certain death so that we can live in freedom this day.

Let us not forget those defending those beaches who were also fathers, brothers and sons and who just happened to be fighting on the losing side.

May the Force be with them all.

 

[Shaun]

The world hero is thrown around way too often nowadays especially if you can kick a ball for example.

These men and others like them are true heroes. They didn't ask to be and on most occasions don't want to be but they are.

May we never forget.

 

[Lizard]

Oh forgot it was that day.

Respect for those who took part. May they never be forgotten.

Although why does no one remember Midway? That was June 4th to June 6th 1942.

 

[DustDriver]

Less countries involved and in the middle of nowhere?

 

[a6m5]

Forever indebted to those brave men.

Amen.

My thoughts are with all those who served with honor, or those who suffered loss in the World War II, but we are most definitely indebted to all those who fought & took down the Axis forces.

 

[Slash]

I'm forever in debt to those who fought for our rights. Rest in peace my friends.

 

[Maccer_42]

May their memory never be forgotten for facing almost certain death so that we can live in freedom this day.

Let us not forget those defending those beaches who were also fathers, brothers and sons and who just happened to be fighting on the losing side.

May the Force be with them all.

👍 Very well put.

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

Although why does no one remember Midway? That was June 4th to June 6th 1942.

I imagine many people do remember the Pacific campaign (especially the soldiers and the families of the soldiers who fought out there), but D-Day was strategically much more important, it is often considered as the turning point of the war.

As DQuaN said, forever indebted to those brave people.

 

[Bopop4]

Forever grateful to the men and women who served during that time.

It's mind boggling to think of the organization it took to pull that landing off.

 

[Lizard]

but D-Day was strategically much more important, it is often considered as the turning point of the war.

That is debatable. Midway was the turning point of the pacific war, the Japanese lost 4 carriers and a heavy cruiser. There was a lot resting on that one as well as if the US had lost Midway then Pearl Harbour would be within land based bomber range.

Anyway D-day I know I have already said this but those who took part have 100% of my respect for what they did.

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

That is debatable.

D-Day was more strategically important. There is no argument.

 

[MiuraSV777]

I'm forever in debt to those who fought for our rights. Rest in peace my friends.

This is a summary of how I feel.

The brave men that fought in d-day still live on. They always will.
In our freedom. Rest Live in peace; to every soldier that is fighting, has fought, has fallen, and that will fight.

 

[BobK]

I imagine many people do remember the Pacific campaign (especially the soldiers and the families of the soldiers who fought out there), but D-Day was strategically much more important, it is often considered as the turning point of the war.

Odd that I don't recall seeing D-Day referred to as the turning point of the war. Yet just about every account about Midway says it was the turning point.

The Normandy invasion was our second landing on the European continent, although the first one was somewhat bogged down at the time.

It could be argued that the invasion was nothing more than a sideshow to take the heat off the Russians, who were facing about ten times the number of German troops than we ever faced in Western Europe.

As DQuaN said, forever indebted to those brave people.

Fully agree with that statement though. 👍

 

[Rage Racer]

I think there can't be one turining point of the whole WWII. We can only tell the most important battles on every theatre. D-Day is the one of the most important events on the Western Front. And the Battle of Britain wasn't less important than D-Day, remember though.

The Battle of Stalingrad is considered the turning point of World War II in Europe. But if we wouldn't win the Battle of Moscow, the victory in Stalingrad would probably not happen. (Oh, what am I saying though - history doesn't accept any "what if?" questions.)

P.S. Thanks to the War Thunder game for reminding us about anniversaries of such events though.

 

[Slash]

I hear much more about D-day than Midway. In fact I never even knew about Midway until a few years ago, simply because it was never taught to me in school. I learned it on my own.

 

[TyrrellRacing]

I think there can't be one turining point of the whole WWII. We can only tell the most important battles on every theatre. D-Day is the one of the most important events on the Western Front. And the Battle of Britain wasn't less important than D-Day, remember though.

The Battle of Stalingrad is considered the turning point of World War II in Europe. But if we wouldn't win the Battle of Moscow, the victory in Stalingrad would probably not happen. (Oh, what am I saying though - history doesn't accept any "what if?" questions.)

P.S. Thanks to the War Thunder game for reminding us about anniversaries of such events though.

I agree.

Pretty silly arguing about which event was the turning point.

Odd that I don't recall seeing D-Day referred to as the turning point of the war. Yet just about every account about Midway says it was the turning point.

The Normandy invasion was our second landing on the European continent, although the first one was somewhat bogged down at the time.

It could be argued that the invasion was nothing more than a sideshow to take the heat off the Russians, who were facing about ten times the number of German troops than we ever faced in Western Europe.

Fully agree with that statement though. 👍

The invasion was planned so as the Allied forces could take Germany before Russia. By 1944, Russia had essentially beaten Germany.

 

[terminator363]

I think there can't be one turining point of the whole WWII.

Agreed, I think every conflict that occurred had importance in some way. That's why I think we should commemorate everyone throughout the war.

 

[Rage Racer]

70th anniversary today. Cheers, allies!

 

[lbsf1]

RIP to all those that died on both sides, just young men bravely following orders.

 

[Slash]

9,000 men were engraved into the beach sand today to honor those who fell.

Forever in debt to those men. 👍

 

[CodeRedR51]

Tonight is a good night to watch Saving Private Ryan I think.

👍

 

[Ibonibo]

All of the post ^ 👍 x2

And also that we always remember what these people fought for (as some seemed to have forgotten in the last years, aka rise of the extreme rights in the middle of EU, during EU vote,...). May we all overcome out little diffferences and kindergarden arguments in honor of those lives lost.

 

[DQuaN]

Forever indebted to those brave men.

I'll just quote myself from last year.

 

[BobK]

Tonight is a good night to watch Saving Private Ryan I think.

👍

Indeed it would. Also good would be The Longest Day. Too bad neither is an Amazon Prime Instant Video freebie.

 

[Lizard]

Remember both sides dead. Just because they lost or were fighting for a fascist dictatorship doesn't make the Germans any less important. They had families too. So too did our soldiers and the American and Canadian soldiers and remember their efforts that led to the defeat of fascism and brought freedom to a lot of Europe.

Also remember the brave American Airmen 2 years earlier on the last day of the Battle of Midway and the Japanese who went down with the Mikuma.

 

[Slash]

This song was written specifically about this day.

 

[Michael88]

Remember the fallen on both sides. Most German soldiers weren't eeeevil Nazis, they were just soldiers following orders because insubordination meant firing squad.

A member of my family was a Wehrmacht pilot, he dropped the bombs in the woods instead on the targets he was given, of course his comrades told the command. Because he was so young they did not shoot him but sent him on a suicide mission. He was shot down an died from his wounds a couple of days later.

The morale of the story: war sucks for all sides and even though most people don't want to admit it there are also heroes on all sides.

 

[Pagey279]

I saw a story on the news, on one of the boats that set sail from England to Normandy they sailed past the White Cliffs of Dover, one of the men on board said "Take a good look men, for most of you this will be the last time you see England." It's something you simply can't get your head around.