D-Day WW2 Blog Assignment

  Intro: On the 6th of June in 1944 the Allies landed in northern France. This opened the long-awaited "Second Front" against Hitler's Germany. The men had been fighting for nine long hard months over in Italy, despite this Normandy was in a strategically more important region. This was the setting to drive the Germans out of France destroy the National Socialist regime. Despite this the Germans were ready, this day in history would be one of the saddest, but greatest single victories in American history.
 
   The war had been going on for a few years at the time of the invasion. Everyone had been locked in a gory, seemingly endless struggle for victory. By this time the Germans had been stopped and they were retreating into eastern Europe for further protection. The Germans occupied France but their defenses were being exhausted. The United States, with help from its allies had taken out thousands of German planes and locked down their vicious submarine warfare. Now the invasion of France seemed not only plausible but a necessary task the troops needed to accomplish if they were going to defeat he all-powerful Germany. Now was the time to act and everybody knew it.

   Commanded by U.S army general Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Normandy assault phase was scheduled. It was codenamed "neptune" while the entire operation was given the alias "Overlord." Weather predicted satisfactory conditions on June 6th, the troops prepared for battle, but I don't think anyone could have expected the sheer magnitude of what was to take place.Followed by dozens of minesweepers, Hundreds of amphibious ships and craft, with warship support crossed the English channel. In addition three divisions of paratroopers dropped inland. Following a brief attack from the ship's guns thousands of troops stormed the shores. There were six divisions in total, three American, two British and one Canadian. After hard fighting and thousands of casualties, the day's end brought a strong foothold.
   As the German counter-attacks were put to rest, the Allies consistently poured resources into France.With two months time sufficient reinforcements made it possible to break out from the Normandy perimeter. With this constant advancement and the Soviet's aggressive push in the east, Hitler's armies were showing immense signs of weakness. They were slowly being forced back into their homeland. The second world war had entered its climatic phase, one which would later lead to any ally victory. Had it not been for the brave men at the battle of Normandy, it is very possible the War could have shifted into German control.
   Conclusion: The battle at Normandy was one of the single greatest triumphs in a single battle in American History. The brave men knew going into the battle that it would be difficult and most likely gruesome but realizing the battle needed to be won and that their countries livelihood depended on it, they charged into the fray. D-Day is a defining moment in American history, in many people's eyes it is the moment that changed the momentum of the war and ultimately lead to our victory. We the brave men and women who lost their lives defending our country our freedom, without them it could be a very different story.