#invasion of normandy

[deadpresidents]

Order of the Day message delivered to Allied forces from General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander, prior to the D-Day invasion, June 6, 1944.

[iceman-kazansky]

On this day, 79 years ago, 326,547 troops and 54,186 vehicles were deployed to the beaches of Normandy.

This day is better known as The Day of Days or D-day, codenamed "Operation Overlord."

[fdrlibrary]

D-Day and Radio News-A Different Perspective

In 2024 we expect and receive nearly instantaneous information about current events and happenings from a multiplicity of sources. Many people find it hard to believe that not too far in the past one relied upon a handful of radio and television stations, newspapers and magazines for news. This was certainly true in 1944 at a time when the major radio networks, CBS and NBC, weren’t yet twenty years old, and the broadcasting of an international war on a worldwide scale had no precedent.

Continue reading on our Blog: https://fdr.blogs.archives.gov/2024/06/06/d-day-and-radio-news-a-different-perspective/

[njhgc]

Eightieth Anniversary of D-Day, June 6, 1944

80 years ago today, local residents awoke to read of the Allied Forces invasion of France where American, British, and Canadian troops set out to free Europe from Nazi occupation.

Although met by fierce resistance upon landing on the beaches of Normandy, German forces were reportedly less prepared than expected as liberators made significant gains inland. Thousands of ships and aircraft were involved in the coordinated effort.

War photographers like Bert Brandt were embedded with the troops on D-Day and captured the intensity of combat; many of their photographs appeared in the Morristown Daily Record.

[geezerwench]

[fadingtimetravelqueen]

Honoring the Heroes of D-Day: Preserving the Legacy of World War II Veterans

As we commemorate the 79th anniversary of the D-Day landings, it is essential to reflect upon the profound impact of this momentous event in world history(more)

[ozma914]

book review: Decision In Normandy, by Carlo D'Este

 The invasion of Normandy, France, during World War II, was a Big Deal.

If you know anything about history, you were already aware of that. But the battle is also clouded in myth and legend, and author Carlo D'Este decided to wade in and find out the truth of the matter. How hard could it possibly be?

Judging by the pages of acknowledgements, appendixes, and listed sources, I'm thinking it wasn't easy.

D'Este concentrates on the Allied ground commander in chief, General Sir Bernard Montgomery. (Ike Eisenhower had overall command of the entire operation--which maybe explains why he lost all his hair.) It was Montgomery who came up with the master plan for the invasion and its immediate aftermath. It was also Montgomery who tended to not only take credit whether due or not, but also continually insist everything went exactly according to that plan, often against all evidence.

This is a big picture book, concentrating on the various leaders on both sides. All the usual suspects are there, including Patton, Bradley, Rommel, and Churchill, along with a lot of other names that should be remembered more than they are. Often through their own words and writing, we follow their hopes, fears, and frustrations as the invasion threatens to bog down into the horrors of WWI trench warfare.

 D'Este has an advantage over earlier authors: Access to a mountain of related material that remained top secret and unavailable for years or even decades after the war. He clearly spent a huge amount of time going through it, as well as tracking down every interview he could find. As a result he had a clear picture, warts and all, of everything that went on from the moment the invasion was decided on (and sometimes earlier), to the Allied breakout weeks later.

It's an unflinching look, especially at Alexander. D'Este admires the General's abilities, but isn't afraid to get into the dark side of a leader who was vain, opinionated, and dead set against ever admitting his mistakes. We're left with the picture of a man who was better than some people think, and worse than others believe--in other words only human, just like all of us. The same treatment is given to everyone in the command chain above and below Alexander, and D'Este's conclusions are often surprising--but backed up by facts and witnesses.

Decision in Normandy is no light skimming of history, and as such I suppose it will mostly attract hard core history and war fans. (Maybe "war fans" is the wrong way to put it.) I found it fascinating, but it was certainly also dry in places, as D'Este shovels on facts, maps, and military units. It was also a revelation to me--I've studied WWII all my life, and this book revealed things I never knew--or knew wrong.

http://markrhunter.com/ https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"

[newyorkthegoldenage]

D-Day services at Congregation Emunath Israel on West 23rd Street, June 6, 1944.

Photo: Howard Hollem et al. for the Office of War Information via Shorpy

[artthatgivesmefeelings]

Évariste Vital Luminais (French, 1821-1896) The Invasion, n.d. Museum of Fine Arts Boston

[lonestarbattleship]

USS AUGUSTA (CA-31) off Normandy, while boats from USS ANNE ARUNDEL (AP-76) head for the beaches.

Note: the photo has been retouched AUGUSTA's radars, as well as certain items of equipment that appear to have been mounted in the landing boats.

-Information from Navsource: link

Date: June 6, 1944

NARA: 80-G-45720

[deadpresidents]

New York Times June 6, 1944 & June 7, 1944.

[blackswaneuroparedux]

I sat silently just reviewing these things maybe, I’d say, thirty-five or forty-five seconds. Now it’s been reported by some of the people present for example my own Chief of Staff says that’s five minutes, well I know that wasn’t - but five minutes under such conditions sounds like a year. Actually I’d think after thirty, forty-five seconds something like that I just got up and said okay, we’ll go and, uh, every - this room was emptied in two seconds. Well of course that’s the most terrible time for the senior commander, he’d done all that he can do, all the planning and matter of fact there’s very little more that any commander above division command can do anything once you get started. And then finally along about six in the evening I went over to the field from which the airborne, the American airborne, started out. And um, there was a very fine experience. They were getting ready and all camouflaged and their faces blackened and all this. And there they saw me and of course they recognised me and they said, ah, quit worrying General we’ll take care of this thing for you. And that kind of thing was a good feeling. As they started off, I watched them out of sight.

- General Dwight D. Eisenhower

Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower talks with paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division in Newbury, England, on 5 June 1944, prior to their departure for their role in the D-day invasion, dropping behind enemy lines. The soldier with a “23” tag was a fellow Kansan, Lt. Wallace C. Strobel.

[vox-anglosphere]

D-Day paratroopers over Juno Beach on 6 June 1944 and in 2004

[thepastisalreadywritten]

Leon Gautier (October 27, 1922 - July 3, 2023)

[retrocgads]

UK 1998

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

TODAY’S FROZEN MOMENT - 80th Anniversary

June 26th, 1944 - Here were the Seaforth Highlanders… advancing thought the fog and brush in the first days of the Battle of Caen in France, in the weeks after the Normandy invasion…

This was another brutal battle, and this shot always strikes me a bit weird…

The Seaforth Highanlders were an infantry regiment within the British Army … from Scotland…

There is something ridiculous as well as heartening seeing the lead guy for this crew blowing bagpipes as he trudges his men into battle… a sort of medieval ritual applied in modern warfare…

But it sure makes for a nice photo…

(Mary Elaine LeBey)