D-day

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In 1942 General Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander, had warned Germany

to, “Beware the fury of an aroused democracy.” On D-Day, June 6, 1944, the Allies

mounted the largest amphibious assault in history and redeemed Eisenhower’s warning.

The invasion force consisted of more than 5,000 ships, 1,200 warships and 13,000

airplanes. Some 90,000 U.S., British, Canadian, and free French troops landed on the

beaches of Normandy while about 20,000 more came by parachute or glider. The

Invasion had been in preparation for a year. Over 55,000 brave American soldiers

stormed the beaches of Normandy, an appalling 2,700 Americans had took their last steps

of life defending their country, their world, and everything they stood for.

D-Day, planned by the Russians, Americans, and British insisted that the United

States help with the advancement on France (Atlantic front). British and Canadian forces

would also combine in the cross-channel invasion. Simultaneously in Eastern Europe

(eastern front) the Soviets would battle while the Americans, the British, and the Canadian

forces would attack a stretch of beaches along the French coast. The U.S. would attack a

part of Normandy code named Omaha and Utah beaches. These were two code names for

these particular sectors of the invasion front.

Buildup

Around a year before D-Day, Hitler had gained and occupied Western Europe and

parts of Russia during it’s blitzkrieg crusade throughout 1939-41. Adolf Hitler, the Nazi

leader of Germany, had also acquired control of the North African coast. Without

intervention from the Western Allies, Hitler would reign Europe for years to come.

Subsequently while Russians were engaged in the war, Joseph Stalin, the Soviet

leader, had wanted the Allies to join and proceed to make a “second front” along Western

Europe. In 1942 this idea was virtually impossible for the United States because we

were still forming an army. The materials needed to have such an invasion were not yet

built to cross the English Channel. Meanwhile in the1940’s campaign, when the British

were battling in Dunkirk, France, the British had to withdraw forces from being

massacred by Hitler’s army. During this confrontation Hitler had declared war on the

United States on December 11, 1941 just after Pearl Harbor was bombed by the Japanese

military forces.

Roosevelt first stated that “Germany is priority first.” This was agreed in

Argentia, Newfoundland in August of 1941. Eisenhower, U.S. general, proposed an

attack in 1943 named (Operation “Roundup”) and another called (Operation

“Sledgehammer”), these would be used in the event of the Soviets collapsing or the

weakening of Germany. Both plans were presented in London, England and Roundup