This Week on History Happy Hour: As we approach the 80th anniversary of D-Day, Chris Anderson and Rick Beyer look back on the Normandy landings with a 90-minute encore presentation of our 2021 D-Day Special. Rick hosted the show live from the National D-Day Memorial, and three distinguished guests joined us for a D-Day discussion.

The show begins with author Giles Milton, and a look at his riveting account of the first 24 hours of the D-Day invasion as told through a symphony of incredible accounts from both sides. The book is Soldier, Sailor, Frogman, Spy, Airman, Gangster, Kill or Die: How the Allies Won on D-Day.”

Then we are joined by historians Joe Balkoski (Omaha Beach, Utah Beach) and Craig Symonds (Operation Neptune) for a freewheeling five-way discussion on D-Day Controversies. And we have a few surprises as well.

Giles Milton is an internationally best-selling author of narrative non-fiction. His books include D-Day: The Soldiers' Story and Churchill's Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, which was a Sunday Times best-seller.

Joe Balkoski is a renowned American military historian who has authored eight books on American involvement in the EDO during World War II, including a five-volume series on the history of the 29th Infantry Division and a two-volume set on American participation in the D-Day invasion.

Craig Symonds is a distinguished naval historian who taught for more than 30 years at the US Naval Academy and has most recently been the Ernest J. King Distinguished Professor of Maritime History US Naval War College. A former Navy officer, he is the author of many books on American naval history.