Remembering D-Day: June 6, 1944
“The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.”
On this day, 73 years ago, the Allies stormed into Normandy, France, and led an invasion to liberate Western Europe from the Germans. These men risked everything to bring an end to one of the most evil regimes in history.
American, British, and Canadian soldiers took part in Operation Overloard, also known as D-Day, along the 50 miles of five beaches. D-Day is “one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history.”
Preparations
General Dwight Eisenhower took control of Operation Overlord in January 1944. From History:
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.
May 8, 1944 General Dwight Eisenhower sets D-Day for the Normandy invasion as June 5 – the date will be changed to June 6. #WWII pic.twitter.com/lbTNGSsw9B
— #WWII Diary : B-17 Pilot (@FrancesBekafigo) May 8, 2017
Morning, all. Somber day on the beaches of Normandy: Omaha, Utah, Gold, Sword, and Juno. Sky is overcast, drizzly. pic.twitter.com/scwhOxsYJx
— Glenda Burgess (@GlendaBurgess) May 28, 2017
German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel knew the vulnerability of these beaches. He knew the Germans had to defend the beaches, but no one believed him. He wanted to secure the entire Atlantic Wall. Luckily for the Allies, Adolf Hitler insisted this not happen…
Right Before the Invasion
Eisenhower sent out this speech the night before the invasion.
https://twitter.com/MWRiop/status/342698188878270464
#Eisenhower visited #Airborne troops on the eve of #DDAY at #GreenhamCommon #airfield pic.twitter.com/UmnvGa8dTF
— Home Front History (@homefront1940) May 25, 2017
Everyone knew the importance of this invasion. It would make or break the Allies.
Religious service for soldiers about to fight on D-Day, tomorrow 1944: #NARA pic.twitter.com/otEuUQrG6b
— Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) June 5, 2017
Victory was not a guarantee. Even Eisenhower knew that:
Gen. Eisenhower’s handwritten note saying if D-Day landings fail, the "blame or fault…is mine alone”—this week 1944: pic.twitter.com/he4bevRKEj
— Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) June 4, 2017
The Invasion
D-Day anniversary: June 6, 1944.
Read the Chicago Daily Tribune's front page: https://t.co/p9ZR6eJo20 pic.twitter.com/d4iQhOlKKC
— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) June 6, 2017
The airborne operations of D-Day began at midnight to destroy bridges and road crossings. The bombings would also help the amphibious forces advance once they conquered the beaches.
On June 6, 1944, at 6:30AM, the amphibious invasions began in the sea. Since Hitler didn’t listen to Rommel, the Allies did not face the opposition that could have destroyed them. From History:
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.
Uncertainty. But look at these brave men. The GREATEST GENERATION venturing into the cold waters into oncoming fire to save a place most have never visited, people they did not know. Bravery.
June 6 1944 Sadly the Number of Men who survived D-Day is Dwindling,but They and the Ones who have passed will never be forgotten.#DDay pic.twitter.com/HkeLYckFT9
— Tom's Old Days (@sigg20) June 6, 2017
D-day: storming the castle https://t.co/xUG0eARNyI pic.twitter.com/YCdiqXxJnG
— Phineas Fahrquar (@irishspy) June 6, 2017
Today in 1944: American troops land at Omaha Beach on D-day. ? by magazine correspondent Robert Capa. The story: https://t.co/Lfgdaoqtwx pic.twitter.com/BzNmg0LWVO
— National Museum of American History (@amhistorymuseum) June 6, 2017
https://twitter.com/magnuslewis263/status/872041488212996097
On this day in 1944.
Some gave all. All gave some. #DDay#LestWeForget pic.twitter.com/uoZbJzn7Xu— John (@Saint_Spitfire) June 6, 2017
Survivors
Unfortunately, the Greatest Generation has grown old and we are losing their valuable voices. PLEASE watch these videos and listen to their stories.
Here is a documentary of Easy Company of the 101st Airborne, which HBO made into a miniseries, Band of Brothers.
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Comments
I don’t think is anybody alive at that time, alive now, or living in the future who is or was not affected by their bravery and the sacrifices these men made on D-Day. Had Germany succeeded in their conquest of Europe, who knows how history would be different the world over.
Can anyone imagine the likes of obama, al gore, bill clinton, al sharpton, john kerry, etc being on those landing crafts? They would have hid out in Canada.
Saving Private Ryan Omaha Beach:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT3q8tba_lw
No, they would be broadcasting on Reichssender Hamburg alongside “Lord Haw-Haw” trying to demoralize the invasion troops.
My dad and father-in-law were there on those beaches on the D day. My father-in-law was a Ranger
I went to Normandy last June and I was overwhelmed with awe. To stand on Omaha Beach at the water’s edge and look up at the huge concrete bunkers and realize that you have several hundred yards of absolutely NOTHING to hide behind is blood chilling! Custer had a better chance than those men on that beach. Today we have the capability to take out all of the bunkers with ease, but back then it was dumb bombs and the Army Airforce bombers dropped all of their bombs too far inland and did no damage to the dug in Germans. Our tanks failed to arrive as planned so it was flesh against lead. I cannot imagine what the feeling of those brave men must have been when the front ramp of their boats went down and half of the men in front of the fell dead into the ocean. When I returned to my bed that night I was almost numb with thoughts of what they must have felt. God bless them all!
Ah yes, fond memories of when western societies were vibrant and robust enough to kick the teeth in of any tyrant who was foolish enough to attack us.
Also interesting is comparing our civilizations response to aggression 73 years ago with today’s response to the great unwashed ‘thong’ of the Middle East. Today’s ‘protagonists’ were allies with yesterday’s enemies – how strange is that? The only thing different is the moral strength and willpower within ourselves.
“Two men, two rifles9 out of 2200 is all they were able to contribute to the taking of Omaha Beach”
The 29th Division was a reserve division composed of men from Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia that was elevated to active duty status when they reported for their summer reserve training in 1941. They never went home till war’s end. Bedford, Va lost nearly all its marriage aged young men on D-Day.
http://www.angelfire.com/ok/flyingc/images/Omaha.pdf