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    D-Day Revisited - The 80th Anniversary of The Normandy Landings, 2024

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    See a array Daraoo Te All-New Legal Tender $2 Bill Salutes / THE DAY-THAT-WON THE WAR tte = i Sree Se eee ey Poe c cographic arwork saluting America’s Uncirculated Condition and presr privately-enhanced with sepia-toned WWII heroes. PORN ee ote Smo fee er earaihe (ver seventy-five years ago, on fe is, 19 the heavily otf coatine A superb value cf Normandy in Occupied France became of unforgettable heroism, here, ad tee ‘On D-Day, at Toe, some 160,00 Aled equ your $2 Bl now atthe $39.87 sue pre. Ths ould be your only trop, de by 5,000 sigs and 13,00 aera, began the retest amphibioss _qpportanity to preview Te Al New Day $2 Bl As always, its backed by ou satin history, Cake named Operation Overord, this pivotal bate Became the ueondtioal, 65-day guarantee Future issues in The World War I Bats day that won the war, The courage of our D-Day heres mae victory possible, $2 Bills Collection will sent about eer oer month price. You and ensured our freedom for east come. Now The Bradford Exchange reed send no money naw, and you may cancel at anytime. Soretur the Priority Sates the heroism of D-Day with thisextemely imite US egal tender §2 Bill. Application ody. ‘Genuine US. egal ender and scarce collect bis are arly seen. They make up fener than 1% fall currency produced in the ‘Unite Stats oy. This fii $2 bl estar hid Present Thomas fesons image on the front Whats more, ths been privately enhanced by The rand Exchange Mint with astm sepia ned photographic irager that depicts led ion on D-Day The ack eatres the radical depiction othe ofthe Delaaton of lependence. Ws a magieent expression af npride i enjoy fr years to come ies, even oninary $2 clea, timper-proa IM/DDAY75TH MMs. The Bradford Exchange Mint 9907 Milwaukee Avenue» Niles, IL 60714-0095 Address xy sndrind Gy State 2p E-mail optional 910895-£82401 INTRO OUR DEFINING MOMENT remember D-Day THE FIELDS OF BATTLE Abriefhistory of World War It prior tothe Normandy landings PREPARING FOR victory Overlord THE DECEPTION ‘The chess ‘match that ‘was Operation Bodyguard THE KEY PLAYERS: Notable figures of the Normandy both sides FRANCE Mf HERMANVILLE [= ST.AUBIN a <, AY EUX eu] a ST.LO THE THE THE THE THE CONDITIONS LANDING TROOPS Impact Lecacy Weather was an Assaulting the What it was like How D-Day Why we still make beaches was the tolive through changed the time to honor start of Operation the chaotic hell trajectory of the Normandy failure-of D-Day Neptune of D-Day the war invasion 43 58 oe 78 8 INTRODUCTION JUNE 6, 1944, was nota day like any other—it ‘was one of the most important, consequential and remarkable 24 hours in America’s existence. But why? It wasn't when World War II started orended—two milestones thatare usually marked for major conflicts—and it wasn’t even the occasion. ofthe war's largest fight. (For the US, that was the Battle of the Bulge, which commenced on Dec. 16, 1944, and ended on Jan. 25, 1945.) ‘What D-Day signifies is the moment the United States entered the war in Europe, which was key to helping the Allies beat back Nazi Germany. America had supported the war effort overseas ever since the fighting had begun five years earlier, but ‘was reluctant to commit soldiers to join the fray. ‘That changed after Japan's attack on Hawaii's Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. This drew the US. into the conflict. But while it was natural for Americans to focus on what was happening in the Pacific, Nazi soldiers were steadily advancing across Europe. Then came D-Day—aclear announcement that the United States was committed to defending and preserving its beliefs wherever necessary. On that fateful June 6, an estimated 133,000 allied troops— including some 73,000 US. soldiers—were joined, by7,000 ships in the largest amphibious invasion the world had ever seen. ‘The attack cleared the way to land 850.000 men, nearly 150,000 vehicles, and some 570,000 tons of supplies on the beaches of Normandy, France—thus beginning an allied push along the western front. Less than a year later, on May 7,1945, Germany officially surrendered—restoring peace and hope. ‘Make no mistake, the Normandy invasion was costly. The Allies suffered more than 10,000 casualties on D-Day, and the sacrifice established the US. as asuperpower, set atone that has helped the world avoid a global conflict ever since, and. helped define America’s “Greatest Generation.” Rarely has combat been remembered so nobly. As President Franklin D, Roosevelt remarked to Americans when he explained why allied soldiers were invading: “They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate.” This message not only resonated inits time, it remains some 80 years later asa reminder that—at least sometimes—bloodshed is just and worthy. Soldiers of the U:S. Army's ist Infantry Division pose for a picture in Dorset, England, on June 5, 1944, shortly before departing ‘or Omaha Beach. The African American soldier on the far right is possibly a member of the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion. A BRIEF HISTORY OF 5 PTW MEY ol: Mee . OT EU RADY i kcis y © Peat ema aN ar Sc Cee SaD%e Sut os hoot oe — = THE FIELOS OF BATTLE - cH.o7 MOST HISTORIANS AGREE that World War IL officially began on Sept. 1,1939, when Nazi Germany—Ied by Adolf Hitler— invaded Poland, But tensions in Europe had been simmering ever since the end of World War I in 1918. In the aftermath of what British author FG, Wells had unfortunately misidentified as “the war to end. all wars,” there was. rise in nationalism in the countries that had been defeated. Nowhere was this more true than in Germany, which had been crushed by the Treaty of Versailles—the pact that forced Germ give up part of its territory and all its overseas possessions. Furthermore, Germany was also ‘made to pay a huge financial penalty and accept, full responsibility for starting the war ‘The punishments bred resentment, and many Germans were suddenly eager to rally around anyone who told them they should fight back. ‘They found such a leader in Hitler, and under him, Germany welcomed support from Italy’s fascist regime and Imperial Japan—the three countries beeame known as the Axis, When the Germans invaded Poland, provoking Great POLAND Britain, France Mobilise WARSAW. AND. MANY OTTER wane wa TOWNS BOMMED ag ys HC (erat ue Clockwise from left: The Nazi flag Is rased over a captured Polish miltary transport depot; German soldiers on the streets of ‘Warsaw during the Poland invasion; a newspaper announces the Invasion, as well as the mobilization of British and French troops. THE FIELDS OF BATTLE - cH.o7 Britain and France to declare war on them two days later, they knew they would not be alone in battle. Another world war was on. Within months, Germany and the Soviet Union began to aggressively expand their territory. The Soviets invaded Finland in November 1939. The following spring, Germany did the same in Norway and Denmark. In June 1940, Germany and Italy invaded France. And on June M4, the French capital of Paris fell to the Axis, ‘The United States watched all of this unfold in horror, but was only willing to offer financial assistance. The wounds of World War I—with. an estimated 116,516 American lives lost—were still fresh, and popular support for engaging in an other global conflict was weak. The US. government began to mobilize for war, but outwardly, the country maintained its isolationist stance. ‘That changed on Dec. 7,1941, when the Japanese attacked the US. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, The devastating morning raid not only drew the US. into the war, but it also caused the nation to redouble its efforts to build up the military, ‘Abfirst, the Germans were in control of Europe. But there were signs that Hitler was overreaching in his quest for world domination. Strategically, he made the fateful decision to ‘open up two fronts in the war. At the same time THERE WERE SIGNS THAT HITLER WAS OVERREACHING IN HIS QUEST FOR WORLD DOMINATION. ‘Clockwise from bottom left: A building in Helsink! burns Finnish navy during the Soviet invasion in December 19: (2 pepay 1 THE FIELDS OF “et cH.01 reground) and USS burn after the Japanese 7, THE FIELOS OF BATTLE - cH.o7 he was conducting a relentless air assault on Great Britain to the west, he began an invasion of the Soviet Union to the east. Even with Germany's ‘massive and motivated army—as well as its huge technological advantages—the country’s forces were stretched thin. By 1942, the advance of German and Italian troops was stalling along the eastern front, Things got worse for Hitler in the summer of 1043. In July, the Soviets turned the Nazis back at the Battle of Kursk, the largest tank battle in history. Meanwhile, the Allies began an invasion of Italy that would eventually lead to the fall of the country’s fascist regime and the arrest of leader Benito Mussolini. Hitler diverted forces to the defense of Italy and was forced to cancel his offensive operation in Kursk, about 325 miles south of Moscow. Around the same time, the war in the Pacific began to change as well, with the US. Navy reclaiming several islands from the Japanese. And while the US. remained focused on victory there, ithad also begun planning to increase its commitment to the war in Europe—something the Soviets had been urging ever since 1941, when the two countries had entered into an unlikely alliance, Preparations for what would become known as D-Day took nearly two years. With the US. military built to unprecedented strength, the Ameri under the leadership of President Franklin D, Roosevelt and Gen, Dwight D., Eisenhower—were now ready to attack with confidence. The Allied forces in Europe were led by U.S. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower (tight. Inthe Pacific, US. Marines lead an amphibious Jeep and other vehicles through the surf on New Britain Island, New Guinea, in December 194 (above). a Taha THE AMBITIOUS TIA w Mh TRL) 4 (Fy FOR YEARS, SOVIET leader Joseph been urging the U.S. and Great Britain—two of his fellow Allied powers—to invade Western Europe ‘The Nazi advance into the Soviet Union had stalled, but Stalin still needed help from the Allies to go on the attack. The British drew up multiple plans for an invasion, but the war had taken a costly toll on them already and their forces were depleted. In May 1943, British prime minister Winston Churchill crossed the Atlantic on the HMS Queen Elizabeth to meet with US. President Franklin D, Roosevelt at the Trident Conference in Washington, D.C. It was there that the two leaders agreed on a strategy to open a second front in Europe Churchill convinced Roosevelt to help with an invasion of Italy to the south. Meanwhile, the Stalin had Soviet leader Joseph Stalin (above) had for years been urging his fellow Allied countries to jnvade Europe from the west. The first incursion Into the continent actually took place in the south, when the Alles invaded Sicily in July 1943 (right. In May 1943, British prime minister Winston Churchill (ight) Visited Washington, D.C, to meet with U.S. President econ es kar’ Conference, the meeting was a chance for the two men to Ca erence dlscuss pl PREPARING FOR VICTORY - CH.02 president and George Marshall, the U.S. Army Chief of Staff, persuaded Churchill that an invasion of German-oceupied France could work. This secret mission—led by British Gen. Bernard Montgomery and Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied ‘Commander—was called Operation Overlord. The British and the Americans settled on the Normandy coast in northwestern France as the best spot for the invasion, They also agreed to delay action until May 1, 1944, in order to give the Allies a chance to replenish supplies, improve technology, and build up troop strength, Tt was going to take at least that long to properly plan the invasion anyway. There were too many challenges for the Allied forces to just show up and start shooting, at least if the goal was to win. The Allies first engaged in Operation Pointblank—a strategic bombing campaign that targeted German aircraft production, fuel supplies, and airfields. ‘That afforded the Allies a chance to achieve air superiority, which they felt was necessary for an amphibious assault. They also targeted German communication lines and blew up roads and rail links to effectively cut off the north of France, making it impossible for Germany to send in reinforcements once the attack began. But they couldn’t just target the area around Normandy, which would have tipped their hand. THE BRITISH AND THE AMERICANS SETTLED ON THE NORMANDY COAST. Clockwise from top right: US. Army Chief of Staff Gen, George C, Marshall hel GGen. Bernard L. Montgomery ight) was a key leader of Operation Overiord ‘convince the British to Invade France; British led bombs explode a German rubber factory. PREPARING FOR VICTORY - CH.02 They had to make sure their preinvasion attacks took place all across France, Meanwhile, British Lt. Gen. Frederick Morgan began planning for the invasion. He presented his plans to the Allied leaders in July 1943, with responsibilities for securing the beaches along the Normandy coast divided up among three countries. ‘The Americans would land at beaches code-named Utah and Omaha. The British would arrive at Sword and Gold. The Canadians would land at Juno. None of the beaches had ports, which were deemed too risky to attack, so the Allies had to construet, artificial harbors. They also had to build an arsenal of modernized guns and tanks to aid in the attack. Plans weren't finalized until late November 1943, when Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin all met in Tran at the Tehran Conference. That was when Churchill and Roosevelt let the Soviets in on their secret. After this meeting, preparations advanced rapidly. Eisenhower was brought in to plan the naval, air, and land operations. Deception campaigns were used to confuse the Germans. British factories stepped up the production of equipment and munitions. And more than a million American servicemen headed overseas, At the same time, a massive reconnaissance effort began with the Allied Expeditionary Air Force flying, thousands of missions over occupied France in the final three months before D-Day. To be sure of where they were headed on the crucial day, the Allies needed low-altitude photos of the terrain, military structures built by the Germans, and the shape of the Three military ilustrators in London work on charts and map legends to help graphically show the size of the lied ground and air forces committed to the Battle of Normandy (above). CHURCHILL AND ROOSEVELT LET THE SOVIETS IN ON THEIR SECRET. coastline, Again, the Allies had to run these sorties juropean coast so.as not to draw lies also enlisted the help ofthe French resistance, an underground group working secretly out of occupied territory. This group gave word to out Axis troop strength and movements, e undertaking involved people from more than a dozen countries—coming, from different cultures and political backgrounds— working together to pull off a dangi It spread out over 50 miles on a well-fortified beach, Also vital was coordination with the Allies attacking Italy to t and fightingon the eastern front on the Soviet Union. In short, Operation Overlord required flawless execution and coverin multitude of details—all of which were necessary for the Allies to have achance to succeed, [Attendees at the Tehran Conference in November 1943 included above, front row, from left) Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill. was in Tehran that plans fer Operation Overlord were finalized. Tt , ! aa Bd | ed de) PT) BODYGUARD ee ee gee te ee hs ne enero ne Ge em ei THE DECEPTION - WITH ALLIED FORCES T0 the south and west of Germany, and with Soviet troops to the east, the war's momentum had shifted. And Hitler's Nazi machine had begun suffering more defeats. srmany—which had moved through Europe so far, so fast—was now fighting on two fronts, With Nazi supply lines and personnel stretched thin, the Allies had an opportunity. They could invade France and confront something less than overwhelming resistance—as longas they could take the Germans by surprise ‘That's why Operation Bodyguard was so key. st developed by the British war cabinet, the goal ofthis intricate, multifaceted operation was simple: Deceive the Germans with false information, The name was taken from something British prime minister Winston Churchill said to Soviet premier Joseph Stalin at the Tehran Conference, at which the invasion plans had been officially agreed upon. “In wartime, truth is s0 precious” Churchill said, “that she should always beattended by a bodyguard of lies Soviet soldiers fighting the invadi Sept. 1, 1942, little more than a German army on ok into the Battle of Stalingrad. Lasting for more than five months, Stalingrad was the bloodiest battle of the war, with total casualties of ‘more than 1 milion. It ended Ina costly German defeat THE DECEPTION - cH.o3 ‘The Allies knew Normandy was the best place to land their forces and were convinced Germany felt the same, So they began a series of operations designed to make it seem like they were considering everything from postponing the invasion to moving itas farnorth as Norway, or maybe farther down the Atlantic coast or Mediterranean coast. ‘The Allies believed that if they could create enough uncertainty, the Germans wouldn't be able to build up their presence in Normandy, and they'd be left with far-flung reinforcements. Operation Bodyguard was itself comprised of other, smaller operations. One of the most important was Operation Fortitude, which had two parts: north and south. Fortitude North involved the creation of phantom armies that seemed to be positioned to attack Norway. Fortitude South, included Operation Quicksilver, which involved the First US. Army Group, a fictional unit said tobe stationed in southeast England under the command of US. Gen. George S. Patton. ‘This drew attention from the Germans, as Patton was respected and feared inside Nazi high command. Misinformation about what Patton was about to do ‘was fed to Nazi intelligence through British double agents. Meanwhile, in southeast England, fake military installations were built, complete with inflatable tanks and phony landing craft Operation Graffham was created to support : Fortitude North. This political deception involved IN WARTIME, TRUTH IS SO PRECIOUS THAT SHE SHOULD ALWAYS BE ATTENDED BY A BODYGUARD OF LIES. ‘The Allies wanted Germany to think the Invasion point would be somewhere besides Normandy, One option was in German= ‘occupied Norway (above, tp). Another was in the Mediterranean (above, bottom, and right), where Allied ation was regular. THE DECEPTION - sending information through double agents about supposed collaboration between the Allies and Sweden. Meetings between British and Swedish officials gave the impression that the groundwork was being laid for the Allied invasion force to move through Sweden after landing in Norway. For the most part, the components of Operation Bodyguard worked, though not all were successful, ‘There is debate over whether Operation Ironside had any effect. That plan was born from intercepted German communications that showed the Nazis worried about an invasion from the Bay of Biscay near the French border with Spain. A misinformation campaign through double agents was then created, to suggest a possible second wave of the invasion targeting Bordeaux. The Germans held defensive exercises in the region, but never committed enough troops to show they took the threat seriously. Overall, most of the operations that took place under Operation Bodyguard were considered a rousing triumph. While Normandy was still well- fortified when the Allies landed, there was no doubt the Nazis were stretched thin and, at least to some degree, caught guessing, Even after D-Day, Hitler was so convinced that another invasion force was coming to the north or south that he delayed the arrival of reinforcements by about seven weeks. Operation Bodyguard demonstrated the power of intelligence and misinformation. It was, in the words of US. Gen, Omar Bradley, the “single biggest hoax of the war,” and it paved the way fora new kind of weapon that has continued to be deployed Gen. Omar Bradley ‘tight, and above, standing, fa left, with Gen. Dwight Eisenhower and his staff) was the commander in chlet of US. ground forces during preparations for the Normandy Invasion. 7003 NOTABLE FIGURES OF THE INVASION THE KEY PLAYERS - CH.04 THE HEROES OF D-Day GENERAL DWIGHT MAJ. GEN. sa Futian a D. EISENHOWER PERCY HOBART ‘women who supported them. ‘The former Army halfback brilliant engineer and military Therollofhonor includes many _ and future U.S. president had theorist, Hobart was actually who lost their lives, or who: along, distinguished military. dismissed from the British Army lives were never the same. But He commanded the Allied in 1940 because of his difficult the central figures who planned —_ forces when they landed in personality and wild ideas, But and commanded the execution of North Africa in November when the British sawhow ill- thelargestseaborne invasion in _1942, and was promoted to equipped their tanks were for history haveachievedameasure Supreme Commander of the an amphibious assault during ofimmortality. Anarray of US. Allied forces ahead of the D-Day _ the Dieppe Raid in Northern and British leaders—and some invasion. After the war, he Franec in 1942, prime minister notorious Nazi figures—have became president of Columbia Winston Churchill recalled him earned aplace in the story of University and the first Supreme _toservice. Hobart designed June 6,1944, for the roles that Commander of NATO. He specialized tanks to overcome they played. rode his enormous popularity the obstacles of a beach invasion. toa landslide vietory in the Dubbed “Hobart’s Funnies,” they presidential election of 1952. were key to the success of D-Day. SIR TRAFFORD LEIGH-MALLORY — Apilot in World War I and a senior commander in the Royal Air Force in World War I, he implemented the “Transportation Plan”—the massive bombing campaign against German road knots, bridges, rail centers (marshalling yards and repair shops), rail lines and airfields in Northern France ahead of the invasion. The operation prevented the Germans from bringing in reinforcements on D-Day. Leigh-Mallory—along with his wife and eight others—later died in a plane crash in the French Alps in November 1944. Lelah-Mallory was the younger brother of star-crossed British mountaineer George Mallory, who died in 1924 while attempting ‘to climb to the summit of Mount Everest. ttt} Ci cd : THE KEY PLAYERS - cH.04 GEN. BERNARD MONTGOMERY jonty” was a senior English commander in World War II and led the British Eighth Army during the Allied invasion of Ttal Though he had a reputation for being difficult to work with, he eventually wa: ‘command of all Allied erlord and prepared them for the Normandy inv: Later in the war, he was given temporary command of the US. First and Ninth armies in the Battle of the Bulge. Montgomery at his headquarters in Blay, France, on July 6,1944—one month after the D-Day invasion. He's holding his puppies Hitler and Rommel, who ‘always traveled with him. In the ‘background are his canaries. which he also took with him wherever he went. THE KEY PLAYERS - CH.04 LT. GEN. FREDERICK SIR BERTRA GROUP CAPT. MORGAN RAMSAY JAMES STAGG A senior British Army officer He was the hero of Dunkirk in AScoitish weatherman with who became the Chief of Staffto 1940, when more than 300000 _the Royal Air Force, he may the Supreme Allied Commander, Allied soldiers—trapped and have prevented the D-Day Morganis the original architect _ surrounded on the shores invasion from turning into a of Operation Overlord. The of Northern France—were colossal disaster. As the Chief British government assigned miraculously evacuated to Meteorologist for Operation him the task of plotting the Dover. Ramsay, who had risen Overlord, Stags forecast a invasion of Europe, which he through the ranks ofthe Royal__storm on June 5, 1944—which worked on during the summer Navy, was eventually tapped by _ was the original planned date of 1943, When Gen. Bernard Eisenhower to lead Operation for the invasion landings. On Montgomery was appointed to Neptune—the massive naval, the night of June 4, he met lead the operation, he changed component of D-Day, which. with Gen. Eisenhower and some of Morgan’splan but kept _included sweeping the channel__convinced him to postpone many ofthe keycomponents in _of mines, transporting troops for 24 hours, tellinghim the place—includingthe landingsite andequipment,and providing —_ weather would beclearer on of Normandy. offshore support. June 6, Stagg was right. SIR ARTHUR TEDDER Acommander in the Royal Air Force who led Middle East operations, he was eventually appointed the Deputy Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, making him the right-hand man of U.S. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower. Tedder was also sent to the Soviet Union as an Allied emissary to seek assistance in the Battle of the Bulge. When the Germans surrendered in 1945, it was Tedder who represented the Allied Forces and signed the official document that ended the war in Europe. r hard on Tedder. n 1940 his oldest son, Dick, was killed while on active service in France, ‘Three years later, his wife, Rosalinde, perished in an aircraft crash in Egypt—an accident he witnessed with his own eyes. ae THE KEY PLAYERS = Ahero of Nazi Germany, the “Desert Fox” earned h reputation for battlefield brilliance while leading German and Italian forces during their invasion of North Africa early in the war He was also the commander of the German forces in Normandy on D-Day, though he wasn’t actually present in France. By then he had begun to turn on Adolf Hitler, and was part of a plot to kill the Nazi leader shortly after the Allied invasion. Caught and convicted, he chose to die by suicide rather than face a Rommel (center in Tunisia in March 1943, As commander of the German ‘Afrika Korps, he won a string of early Victories that eared him the nickname "the Desert Fox." Ahead of D-Day, he ‘was in charge of defensive preparations along the coast of northern France, — F RANCE Se HERMANVILLE ie ST.AUBIN : ae < \ BAYEUX A AN wy —— ~~ ST.L0 Z THE CONDITIONS = CH.O5 FOR ALL THE PREPARATION that went into the invasion of France, one uncontrollable detail could have wrecked everything—the weather. The commanders of the Allied forces gave extensive thought to the ideal conditions for their plan: They needed to operate in the cover of darkness, but with enough light to sce obstacles on the beach, as well as to maneuver aireraft and heavy equipment. This translated to a full moon with minimal cloud cover. Additionally, the tides needed to be low so that soldiers could detect, avoid and disarm mined obstacles. Wind speeds and visibility conditions were also important. Withall factors accounted for, optimal conditions only existed for a few days each month—a window of opportunity that the Allies couldn't afford to squander, That's why they enlisted three teams of meteorologists under the command of British Group Capt. James Stagg, His mission: Tell the Allied generals when it was safe to go. This was no ordinary weather forecast. At stake were hundreds of thousands of lives and the future of a free Europe. Dwight D, Eisenhower, the Allies’ Supreme Commander, had initially chosen June 5 as the 3s from southern England on June 5, 1944: (clockwise from top right) Tanks and troops are loaded into a landing craft vehicles are loaded onto a landing ship in Dorset; U.S, Army troops load onto a landing craft in Weymouth THE CONDITIONS = CH.O5 were miserable. There were high winds and rough seas that would have made the beach landings even more treacherous, as well as low storm clouds that OPTIMAL would have hampered the ability of Allied aireraft to support troops on the ground, Staggandhis cams recommended a CONDITIONS ONLY postponement, but were forced to make avery EXISTED FOR A FEW DAYS EACH sion. The effort to undo what had been done would risk the secrecy of the plan-—the most crucial MONTH. element to success. Furthermore, the next available dates witha tide high enough weren't until June 19-20, a window that did not include a full moon. Short Stirling bombers of the Royal Air Force line the runway in Keevil, England, on June 5, 1944. That night, the planes would carry paratroopers to Normandy as part ofthe D-Day Invasion. Wait or go? Stagg needed to make a decision, but, he did have one enormous advantage. In the months before D-Day, the Allies had established dominance over the Atlantic, This allowed them to station aship 600 miles off the coast of Ireland—a ship with weather forecasting technology the Germans didn't have, Itshowed a rising barometer, a sign the storm was passing quickly, Stagg further enlisted the help of Ted Sweeney, the caretaker at Blacksod Lighthouse, located on the west coast of Ireland. He was the one who had tipped Stagg to the coming storm on June 4. Now, Sweeney reported that the front had passed by later the same day This was enough evidence to convince Stagg that a long delay was not necessary. He reported to Eisenhower that the operation was safe to proceed ‘on June 6, Still, the weather on D-Day was far from ideal, Allied troops began their predawn assault amidst strong winds and choppy waters. This caused trouble for landing eraft and brought the tide in more quickly than anticipated. The result: Shallow obstacles on the beach were hard for troops to see and avoid. But the Germans were caught by surprise. With weather reports coming irom Paris—not from the Atlantic itself—the Nazis expected two full weeks ofstorms, and thought the conditions made it Impossible for the Allies to launch an invasion, ‘The Germans were so confident that the weather was on their side that many top commanders had left their posts to attend strategic training sessions in Rennes—a city 125 miles inland. Field Marshal USS. assault troops exchange jokes aboard thelr landing craft as they wait for It to depart England—after a one-day delay—for the D-Day invasion in Normandy, France. THE CONDITIONS = CH.o5 ‘On the open sea inthe English Channel, landing craft loaded with USS. intantrymen head for the Normandy coast ‘on June 5, 1944. Each ship is connected by a cable to its barrage balloon, @ device used to defend against German dlve-bombers. THE CONDITIONS - cH.o5 lent Eisenhower was riding to the inauguration of John F. Kennedy when the young, ssident-elect asked the war hero a question; Why had the D-Day invasion succeeded? meteorologists than the id. iad Stagg chosen to advise Eisenhower to play it safe and wait until later in June, it would have been a disaster. From June 19 . Normandy was hammered by a major storm. Troops loaded onto landing craft in southern England on tune 5, 1944, The photo at right ie of soldiers of tho US. 1st Infantry Division, who wore headed for Omaha Beach, Despite suffering heavy casualties, the division secured the beachhead. aS Pees am aiuie & AAR hance br — 2 oi», a = : Be NR FRANCE . ee BAYEUX eigen ST.L0_ THE LANDING - cH.o8 AFTER Y oo Hal One ie JON BUT NOT Laan EARS OF DISCUSSION, months ofplanning, countless efforts to deceive, and a Herculean effort to build up Allied strength, US. Gen. Dwight D.E on June 5,1944. The Shortly afte began with the French AL6:20 a. Normandy This aspe Neptune. It was jower gave the order to go wasion of France was on, ir midnight, on June 6, aerial operations 24,000 Allied troops parachuting into countryside, m, the first Allied troops arrived on the shore. ct of D-Day—the largest amphibious history—was code-named Operation full assault on five sections of the Normandy coast, coordinated among troops from three nations—the United States, Great Britain, and Canada, It took 15 hours and ended with more Clockwise from top tight: Gen, Dwight 0. Eisenhower chats with solders from the U.S. 101s Airborne Division lust before the D-Day invasion; British paratroopers en route to Normandy: British troopers admire the slogans written on the nose of a glider. i THE LANDING - US. soldiers prepare to disembark from thelr landing craft Pee Cu ee ou nig oe ee ee ree the shore encountered heavy machine gun fre and Peete aes THE LANDING - cH.o6 than 0,000 Allied troops and countless tanks and pieces of heavy artillery taking up positions in occupied France. A total of 4414 Allied troops died on this day alone. ‘The massive and chaotic operation had been set into motion days earlier when ships across the southeast coast of England had been loaded and began awaiting the order to cross the English Channel. Once Gen. Eisenhower had given the go-ahead, troops made the nearly 100-mile trip across the water. ‘The first “shots” came in the form of a barrage from 7000 Allied ships in the channel. Under the command of Royal Navy Adm. Sir Bertram Ramsay, the ships bombarded German entrenchments on the bluffs above the five beaches. But it failed to drive the Germans from their positions. So when the invasion force finally reached the coast, resistance was fierce. The first wave of troops consisted of a newly created Navy demolition team and a group of Army engincers, Their task was to remove—while under fire—as many obstacles along the shore as they could find. The casualties were mi The next wave arrived in small boats, finding chaos up and down the Normandy coast. Their mission was to advance past the beach and then upacliffin order to force the Germans to retreat from the high ground. In real time the task seemed impossible to achieve. Almost immediately, it was clear to Allied command that the toughest fight was at the beach code-named Omaha—one of the sectors assigned to US. troops. There were land mines everywhere, and German machine gun fire was heavy. The beach was engulfed by so much smoke that arriving, soldiers couldn't find their landing areas. With the tide rising fast, many soldiers ended up off course, mixing in with other units. As more troops arrived, they started to pin each other down, unable to advance. It didn’t help that the rough surf kept amphibious tanks at bay—only two of the expected 29 actually made it to the beach. Clockwise from top right: The view from a German machine gun emplacement overlooking Omaha Beachy U.S. soldiers on ‘Omaha tend to the wounded: an aerial view of the Normandy beaches afte the invasion; soldiers wading ashore on D-Day. THE LANDING - cH.os IN REAL TIME THE TASK SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE. The situation at Omaha was so bad and bloody that Gen, Omar Bradley, who commanded the forces there, considered abandoning the entire operation all together. What saved the day was a decision by Allied command to send British and American destroyers closer to shore for a direct assault on the blufls. The ships were supposed to stay back to protect the fleet inthe channel. But when the invasion stalled at Omaha, they were ordered in to help clear the way. As historic as Operation Neptune was, this, portion of the invasion actually failed to achieve its objectives. Ithad targeted the liberation of several French cities, including the strategically important city of Caen. The Alli ned none of these cities on D-Day. It took nearly a week for the Allies just to link th es, which were spread over ted for another 45 days, of the Battle of imperfect as it w: ;nt a major accomplishn Allies a foothold in Europe and turned the tide of the war toward completion—and triumph, Jeeps driving along the beach at Normandy carry wounded toldiers to waiting Navy vessels, More than 4,000 Allied troops had been killed on D-Day, and in all, Aled forces suffered more than 225,000 casualties during Operation, Overtord, 4 EV) aha 4 /? \ a haha a os - en eee in ad Pies ene eee) THE TROOPS - GRATEFULLY, MOST OF US will never now what the Allied soldiers experienced on D-Day. Many of those who survived the invasion and returned home didn’t want to discuss what had happened with family or friends. Perhaps the closest approximation—witnessed by a mass audience through modern eyes—was in director Steven Spielberg's epic 1998 film, Saving Private Ryan. Set at Omaha and beginning with the arrival ofa Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel (LCVP)— also known as a Higgins Boat after its inventor, American boatbuilder Andrew Higgins—the scene focuses on John Miller (Tom Hanks), a captain in the 2nd Ranger Battalion, as he barks instructions to the young soldiers under his command, reminding them to “move fast and clear those ‘murder holes,” and to “keep the sand out of your weapons.” Just before the Higgins Boat drops its, ramp he says, “Ill see you on the beach.” ‘What comes next is sensory overload: smoke, water, blood-red blended with olive-green, the high-pitched whizz of bullets, and the screams of ‘The 1998 movie Saving Private Ryan recreated the horrors ‘of D-Day for moder audiences. During the shooting of the landing scene, director Steve Spielberg (far left) and actor ‘Tom Hanks (center) listen to the guidance of actor Dale Dye, who also served as the film's military adviser. THE TROOPS - cH.07 men being shot, many almost immediately. It is a scene with jumpy camera work, an unrelenting and confusing barrage of images that seem to flash all at once to evoke panic, fear and nausea. Perhaps that was what D-Day looked like through the eyes of a soldier. As to how it felt, the best we can do is read the words of those who lived it, “The beach was a total chaos,” recalled Capt. Joseph Dawson of the US. Ist Infantry Division in the book D-Day: As They Saw It. “With men’s bodies everywhere, with wounded men crying, both inthe water and on the shingle. The beach sounded like a beehive with the bullets flying around.” “It was cold, miserably cold, even though it was June. The water temperature was probabl degrees,” said Robert Edlin of the 2nd Ranger Battalion, in a story on EyeWitnessToHistory.com. “Tsaw men sinking.all [around] me. There were bodies floating everywhere... face down in the water with packs still on their backs.” Foramoment, Navy Beachmaster Robert Watson was one of those bodies, after an explosion had rocked his landing craft and sent him flying through the airand into the water, with 60 pounds, of equipment on his back. He recalled being “scared to death,” especially knowing the other landing craft had been ordered not to stop for survivors. ‘When he regained his composure and looked around, he told World War II History magazine, “I thought I was the last man in hell.” Hell is how many others described it. Meanwhile, the American public—in an era when photos litary staff at New York’s La Guardia Field listen as President Franklin D. Roosevelt prays for Allied forces on June 6, 1944 (ight. After the landings, troops on Omaha Beach stand watch over the bodies of dead and wounded soles (above). CA ene THE TROOPS - cH.o7 weren't instantly published on the internet—had no idea how bad it was. It was portrayed in overarching. terms asa battle of good vs. evil, with noble sacrifices, heroic men, and a well-executed plan. “Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor,” said US, President Franklin D, Roosevelt. “A struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.” That may have been what D-Day was about, but the reality was hardly so elegant. “We leaped out into waist-deep water and three- foot waves,” recalled Russell Stover of the US. 29th Infantry in D-Day: As They Saw It."Some lost their footing, some their weapons. There was only one tank ahead and to the left but it wasn’t firing or moving. There were no ‘instant fox holes’ either. ‘There wasn't one crater for cover... twas very obvious to me that many plans were going wrong” Allied leaders never talked about the messiness of D-Day, but the men on the ground could never forget it. This didn’t diminish their pride in participating, nor in how they judged the invasion’s importance, But the patriotie polish applied to WE LEAPED OUT INTO WAIST-DEEP WATER AND THREE-FOOT WAVES. from the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division moving inland the nearby town of Saint-Laurent-sur-Mor on June 7, 1944. Beneath them can be seen the build-up of vehicles and personnel on Omaha Beach to support the Normandy Invasion. THE TROOPS - cH.07 IT SEEMS... A PURE MIRACLE THAT WE EVER TOOK THE BEACH AT ALL. the operation covered the actual feelings and perceptions of the men who'd born the weight of sacrifice. D-Day did not glitter in glory for tl troops. It was a dark and heavy experience. Maybe the most accurate telling came from Emnie Pyle, a syndicated journalist whose accounts of D-Day and its aftermath were published in newspapers all across the US. He wrote of bodies floating in the water, “scores of tanks and trucks and boats” that had sunk beneath the waves, and “the awful waste and destruction of war.” More than a week after the invasion, it was all still there for Pyle to see, “Here in a jumbled row for mile on mile are soldiers’ packs,” he wrote. “Here are socks and shoe polish, sewing kits, diaries, Bibles, and hand grenades. Here are the latest letters from home. Here are toothbrushes and razors, and snapshots of families back home staring up at you from the sand” He wrote about how he saw driftwood sticking out in the distance, only to discover that “they were a soldiers two feet... the toes of his G.I, shoes pointed toward the land he had come so far to see, and which he saw so briefly: Pyle then reached an unavoidable conclusion. “Now that it is over,” he wrote, “it seems tome a pure miracle that we ever took the beach at all.” Clockwise from left: Journalist Erle Pyle works ata fleld desk; medics treet wounded soldiers on Utah Beach on D-Day; wounded troops from the U.S. Ist infantry Division eat and smoke on Omaha Beach: dead bodies near the surf on Omaha. BASED ON STRATEGIC objectives, the D-Day invasion wasn’t a clear-cut success. The Allies had hoped to capture the cities of Carentan, Saint-L6, Bayeux, and especially the city of Caen by the end of the first day. They also wanted enough control of all five beaches along the Normandy coast to form an unbroken link. But by day’s end, none of that had been achieved. There had also always been a bigger objective that, went along with the invasion, though—something far more important, Allied leaders wanted the attack to generate momentum, to spark push that would liberate Paris within 90 days and deliver a blow to the Germans, one strong enough to turn the entire war. Symbolically, they wanted to set Adolf Hitler's Nazi regime back on its heels. itish prime minister Winston Churchill (above, center) and Gen. Bernard Montgomery (above in tan coat) examine a map after the Allied Invasion of Normandy. At left, an aerial view of the town of Carentan, France, oh July 4, 1944. ae - og BIT Ry that measure, the D-Day invasion was an unqualified success, It started Europe on a path toward freedom. And the Nazis would, indeed, surrender within a year, Before the invasion, the Nazis had expanded allacross Europe, facing relatively little resistance along the way. Hitler terrorized the continent, killing millions of civilians, imprisoning millions more, and rounding up Jewish people to send to concentration camps, where many were systematically executed—a genocide of unfathomable evi Most historians agree that as Hitler had muscled his way through Europe, the armies he'd faced had failed to punch back with sufficient force. The strongest fight came from the Soviet Union to the east. But the Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin, knew his army couldn’t liberate Europe alone, He pleaded with the United States to join the fight for freedom in Europe~and once it did, the end of Hitler’s reign eventually followed, ‘The invasion of Normandy opened up acorridor to flood France with troops and equipment. Within three months, the Allies had landed more than 2million men in France, along with heavily- armored tanks and massive gu The Germans were well-armed, too, fought fiercely. But D-Day had rattled them. IT STARTED EUROPE ON A PATH TOWARD FREEDOM. Clockwise from top right: A U.S. soldier gets a kiss from an elderly French couple: @ makeshift monument to @ dead American soldier in Normandy; US. airmen paint messages on their bombs before a rac, a British soldier searches for snipers in Caen. THE IMPACT - cHi.o8 But one campaign—even one as significant as the Normandy invasion—does not win Equally important was the run-up to D-Day, when the Allies fought to establish air superiority on the western front, as well as to gain control of the Atlantic h battle generated momentum, and that ‘momentum was key. The more the Allies pushed forward, the more the Nazis lost their grip on the French resources they'd tried to exploit. And an emboldened French nce rose up toattack the Nazis from within just as they were losing ground. Soon, Germany was forced to recall assets fromall over the world. They lost land, ports, and airfields—as well as millions of men—until, finally, they no longer had the resources to defend, let alone attack, The Normandy invasion didn’t do all that, but it set the Allies in motion toward that outcome. After years of being bullied by Hitler, it was a call for everyone on the continent to fight back. The 101et Aitbomne in formation for a medal ceremony in Carentan, France, on June 20, 1944 (above). Two months later-and about 190 miles to the east--members of the French Resistance colebrated the liberation of Paris, raising thelr ries and cheering American soldiers. 09 MAKI ‘To commemorate the 75th annivarsany af the ©:0y to the fieldgjaf Sannervillo, Crance, on June (e ST.AUBIN Py oo _ ay BAYEUX ay sae ST.LO @ @® a es ea CHE IN AND PRAY FOR ies | ALLIED VICTORY - HOURLY INTERCESSIONS ON THE HOUR. * THE LEGACY - cH.09 MOST OF THE HEROES are gone now, lostto the unstoppable passage of time. Bighty years have passed since the first Allied soldiers landed on the beaches of Normandy, enough time for succeeding generations to face their own milestone moments in history—an entirely different set of wars, and tragedies, and triumphs. But the importance of D-Day will never be lost, nor will the bravery and sacrifice of the men who stormed the beach ever be forgotten, The invasion will live on forever, even as the people who participated fade away. “Itwas unknowable then,” said US. President Barack Obama during 42009 speech in Normandy to mark the 65th. anniversary of D-Day. “So much of the progress that would define the 20th century, on both sides ofthe Atlantic, came down to the battle fora slice of beach only six miles long and two miles wide” ‘The significance of that shoreline was defined by the beliefs of the forces that fought over it, Symbolically, the Nazi regime wasn’t just expanding its territory by war or attempting to eliminate an enemy, Hitler was attempting to redesign the world—and the people who inhabited Clockwise from top right: US. President Barack Obama speaks in Normandy on June 6, 2009, the 65th anniversary of D-Day a veteran of World War I! stands on Omaha Beach on June 5, 2018; a sign outside New York's Trinity Church on June 6, 1944. oc THE LEGAcy - cH.o9 it—in how they thought, looked, and behaved D-Day was the moment when disparate forces united against such evil, “At the core, the American citizen soldiers knew the difference between right and wrong,” said historian and Navy veteran Stephen Ambrose, who wrote the acclaimed World War II hook Band of Brothers, “And they didn’t want to live ina world in which wrong prevailed.” They were “citizen soldiers”—volunteers and draftees, mostly. Many had enlisted despite immense danger to join a cause in which they deeply believed. That's why these people are remembered as The Greatest Generation. They were willing to sacrifice themselves to save the world. ‘D-Day was their defining moment—the largest seaborne invasion the world had ever seen. It required the cooperation of a dozen countri all united to fight what British prime minister Winston Churchill famously called “a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalog of human crime.” ‘To face such a challenge required more than strength, “The men of Normandy had faith that what they were doing was right, faith that they fought for all humanity.” US. President Ronald Reagan said in 1984 on the 40th anniversary of D-Day. “It was the deep knowledge that there isa profound, moral difference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for THE MEN OF NORMANDY HAD FAITH THAT WHAT THEY WERE DOING WAS RIGHT. (On June 6,1964, Dwight D. Eisenhower drove ajeep on the beach at Normandy with newsman Walter Cronkite

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