D Day

[jellytot01]

What was the importance of D Day

[Pinotage]

Largest seaborne invasion leading to liberation of Europe, destruction of nazi regime, end of world war

[Grunty]

...and as if that wasn't enough, it kept the film industry in business for years.

[flaming]

All that the other two said AND  'Operation Overlord' (as it the D Day invasion plan was called) was kept secret.  The Germans didn't know where it would be.  By the time they twigged it was too late, the German defence troops had been sent elsewhere.  Arromanches was the nearby small town to the Allied invasion beaches.  Huge pieces of the concrete harbour, the Mulberry, which allowed larger ships to anchor, disgorging men and equipment, are still embedded in the sand  of Arromanches's beach. When the tide is out - very far on Normandy beaches - youngsters can clamber all over the concrete "rocks".  People today could not comprehend their purpose unless they had visited the seafront museum.  Many men were killed before they had landed on the beach but at the end of that day the remaining men had got a good foothold, and pushed forward. There were months more of bitter fighting by this huge army gradually advancing, encountering fierce resistance (as the German command had pulled their  troops into the right area by then).  Without that invasion - so nearly aborted because of bad weather - there was not enough men & supplies to liberate Paris, let alone getting on to Berlin.  Until that Vichy France territory was taken airpower was not close enough, always having to return, with the enemy so close.  I imagine it is well documented on the net; browse from googling  'D Day 1944'.  I recommend a trip to Normandy one day. The beaches are amazing. You can gamble at Deauville,  drink Calvados and Benedictine where they are made...    Not a place you could associate with those grim events of  60 years ago unless you visit Ranville /war grave sites.  We have known peace in this part of the world since '45.  D Day was an important turning point all

[flaming]

right.

[janesmythe22]

To stop Russians to take over the whole of Europe.