Thursday marked 80 years since D-Day, one of World War II's most significant episodes, when Allied forces stormed the coast of France and changed the course of history.
On June 6, 1944, more than 130,000 troops — mostly from the United States, United Kingdom and Canada — landed on the shores of Normandy to combat Axis forces led by the Germans.
Brutal, bloody fighting led to many deaths on both sides, but steadily, over several weeks, the Allies gained the upper hand and began to turn the tide of the conflict. Germany surrendered less than a year later.
D-Day was codenamed "Overlord" and is regarded as the largest amphibious invasion in military history. The meaning behind the official name of the operation is more elusive. The U.S. Army said that it was simply alliteration, while the French say that the "D" stands for "disembarkation." U.S. General Dwight Eisenhower said that the name stands for "departed date," a term used in amphibious operations.
Eisenhower was the operation's supreme commander, and 12 nations coordinated for the invasion. Using Allied forces from land, air, and sea, the operation brought five naval assault divisions to the Normandy coast.
By entering Normandy, Allied forces hoped to break through and push the Germans east, gradually liberating France, which they accomplished.
While more than 130,000 Allied troops reached shore that day 80 years ago, an additional nearly 200,000 sailors operated 7,000 ships and landing craft. During the landing, casualties surpassed 10,000.
By June 30, the numbers of Allied soldiers on the ground in France had increased dramatically. More than 850,000 men, almost 150,000 vehicles, and 570,000 tons of supplies were on the shores of Normandy.
Yet an invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, was not always the plan. There was intense consideration of where the attack would take place. The Calais area was the most obvious answer because the English Channel is the narrowest in that area. At Normandy, the travel distance and supply lines were longer.
Normandy was ultimately chosen, despite the associated difficulty and risk because it offered a chance to surprise the Axis. Originally, the attack was planned for June 5, but inclement weather pushed the operation to June 6.
Before the commencement of D-Day, undercover Allied agents posing as German sympathizers misled the German forces. They said that the invasion would occur in the Pas de Calais, causing Adolf Hitler to situate most of his panzer tank divisions in that area.
Fighting in Normandy brought challenges. Allied forces found themselves dealing with hedgerows, thick vegetation, and narrow roads. German forces used the hedgerows for defensive purposes to create deadly fields for Allied forces to cross.
The fighting in Normandy ended between July 24 and July 25, 1944. The American forces began Operation Cobra, which allowed them to push through German lines near the French town of Saint-Lo. With this movement, the Normandy Campaign concluded as the Allied forces sought to free northern France and Paris.
Today, D-Day remains a day of remembrance. In a recent statement issued by the White House, U.S. President Joe Biden proclaimed June 6, 2024, as a National Day of Remembrance of the 80th Anniversary of D-Day.
"I call upon all Americans to observe this day with programs, ceremonies, and activities that honor those who fought and died so that men and women they had never met might know what it is to be free," he said in the statement.
