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D-Day 75th Anniversary and The Greatest Generation
Podcast 71
Thursday, June 6th marked the 75th or Diamond anniversary of the D-Day invasion. The allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy facing overwhelming odds, and a heavily dug-in German army. This “great generation” preserved freedom and faith for the future free world during World War II. Podcast 71 will take a look into the battle that took place, and how today’s young folks could learn a lesson from this great generation.
A Brief History of D-Day
The Normandy landings were the landing operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D-Day, it was the largest seaborne invasion in history. The operation began the liberation of German-occupied France (and later western Europe). Liberation from Nazi control and laid the foundations of the Allied victory on the Western Front.
Planning for the operation began in 1943. In the months leading up to the invasion, the Allies conducted a substantial military deception. Codenamed Operation Bodyguard, the plan was to mislead the Germans as to the date and location of the main Allied landings.
The weather on D-Day was far from ideal. Operation Overlord had to be delayed for 24 hours. The invasion planners had requirements for the phase of the moon, the tides, and the time of day. This meant only a few days each month were deemed suitable. Adolf Hitler placed German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in command of German forces. Rommel’s responsibility was to develop fortifications along the Atlantic Wall in anticipation of an Allied invasion.
Naval bombardment and airborne assault preceded the amphibious landings. The landing of 24,000 US, British, and Canadian airborne troops shortly after midnight before the next day’s invasion. Allied infantry and armored divisions began landing on the coast of France at 06:30. The target 50-mile (80 km) stretch of the Normandy coast was divided into five sectors: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword.
Casualties were heaviest at Omaha, with its high cliffs. German casualties on D-Day have been estimated at 4,000 to 9,000 men. Allied casualties were at least 10,000, with 4,414 confirmed dead.
The Great Undertaking of D-Day
The number of soldiers landed on the beaches at Normandy on D-Day was 129,710. Let’s compile the paratroopers and the pilots of aircraft that were flying over, bombing, transport, and all of the crew that were on the ships that crossed the channel. This total gives a total of 150,000 Allied troops who were part of the mission.
Some German leaders thought that the invasion was going to happen in Northeastern Europe, toward the Russian front. This is due to the genius idea of General Eisenhower and his command. Command units were burning fires and running training missions. The German spies spotted the decoys.
The Germans were so surprised that Erwin Rommel,
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By David Lamar MarksPodcast 71
Thursday, June 6th marked the 75th or Diamond anniversary of the D-Day invasion. The allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy facing overwhelming odds, and a heavily dug-in German army. This “great generation” preserved freedom and faith for the future free world during World War II. Podcast 71 will take a look into the battle that took place, and how today’s young folks could learn a lesson from this great generation.
A Brief History of D-Day
The Normandy landings were the landing operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D-Day, it was the largest seaborne invasion in history. The operation began the liberation of German-occupied France (and later western Europe). Liberation from Nazi control and laid the foundations of the Allied victory on the Western Front.
Planning for the operation began in 1943. In the months leading up to the invasion, the Allies conducted a substantial military deception. Codenamed Operation Bodyguard, the plan was to mislead the Germans as to the date and location of the main Allied landings.
The weather on D-Day was far from ideal. Operation Overlord had to be delayed for 24 hours. The invasion planners had requirements for the phase of the moon, the tides, and the time of day. This meant only a few days each month were deemed suitable. Adolf Hitler placed German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in command of German forces. Rommel’s responsibility was to develop fortifications along the Atlantic Wall in anticipation of an Allied invasion.
Naval bombardment and airborne assault preceded the amphibious landings. The landing of 24,000 US, British, and Canadian airborne troops shortly after midnight before the next day’s invasion. Allied infantry and armored divisions began landing on the coast of France at 06:30. The target 50-mile (80 km) stretch of the Normandy coast was divided into five sectors: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword.
Casualties were heaviest at Omaha, with its high cliffs. German casualties on D-Day have been estimated at 4,000 to 9,000 men. Allied casualties were at least 10,000, with 4,414 confirmed dead.
The Great Undertaking of D-Day
The number of soldiers landed on the beaches at Normandy on D-Day was 129,710. Let’s compile the paratroopers and the pilots of aircraft that were flying over, bombing, transport, and all of the crew that were on the ships that crossed the channel. This total gives a total of 150,000 Allied troops who were part of the mission.
Some German leaders thought that the invasion was going to happen in Northeastern Europe, toward the Russian front. This is due to the genius idea of General Eisenhower and his command. Command units were burning fires and running training missions. The German spies spotted the decoys.
The Germans were so surprised that Erwin Rommel,