Operation Overlord: The D-Day Invasion of Normandy, June 6, 1944

invasion65 years ago today marked the beginning of the end of Adolf Hitler’s reign of insanity as American and allied forces landed on the Nazi occupied beaches of Normandy, France.

Nearly 200,000 personnel were involved with the attack. Thousands of soldiers died risking the invasion so that hundreds of thousands more could push back the Nazis and end World War II. The invasion had been planned for months to insure its success. The success was solidified by the support America gave our troops.

America didn’t want to be in WW2. But everyone realized there was no way to stay out of. The continued freedom of America meant the continued freedom of the world, and we knew that allowing Germany and Japan to trample those freedoms meant the inevitable end of the world, and America, as we knew it. Americans pulled together and did what had to be done to fight the tyranny.

Between 1942 and 1945, many factories stopped manufacturing commercial goods and converted to supporting the army. General war-ration-bookMotors, Ford, Chrysler and Willies (Jeep) didn’t build a single passenger car during those years…they built tanks, planes, ships, munitions and Jeeps that we necessary to win the war. People here in America sacrificed goods and time for the war effort. Gas and food was rationed, and people rolled with it. They bought war bonds to help pay for the effort. They wrote and performed music that was uplifting and supported the armed forces, and made movies that did the same. Why? Because it was the right thing to do, because we were all united against a clear enemy. Hell, the Nazis and the Japanese were so damned bad that we actually had Communist Russia as our allies! And Americans hate Communism!

glen miller airforce band65 years later, the only Nazis who still exist are a handful of extremists who use the Swastika as a lame excuse to spread hatred. The Japanese are our best friends now, known for prosperity, well-made cars and electronics, not for military might or Imperialist ventures. America is divided on how we should handle our real enemies, terrorist organizations. We’re divided because unlike D-Day, there’s no clear path to finding and suppressing these enemies. But the spirit should remain the same. I thank God that America has the strongest armed forces in the world. I thank the soldiers who keep me safe, who are willing to sacrifice their lives so that I can walk on the beach or have a drink at the Tiki Bar in freedom. And I believe in America – even with its problems – the greatest country on earth.

-Mack

Interesting D-Day Links:

Wikipedia Normandy Landings

A German Point of View

The National D-Day Memorial Foundation

The US ARMY D-Day Invasion Page

The White House

–I drive a vintage Cadillac and a Chevy. My wife drives a Honda but I don’t hold it against her because she bought it from a local, American-owned dealership. My Sax was engineered in France and built in China, but I bought it from a supplier in New York. I drink liquor from Scotland that’s imported through NJ and buy gas that was pumped from the middle east and refined in Texas. The computer I’m typing this on was invented in California and built in Taiwan, then sold to me by an American owned company in Florida. This is America. We can make our economy as strong as we want if we believe in the system and make it work.

6 Replies to “Operation Overlord: The D-Day Invasion of Normandy, June 6, 1944

  1. Hello,
    I am interested in using the picture above of the D-Day landing in a book I am writing of my dad’s letters home from the war. I am adding pictures in where they fit to give added context and visual information so the reader can better understand what was happening and what it was like (at least a little bit.)

    My dad landed D-Day plus 1 and described the beach (much like your picture).

    I would like permission to use it in my book. I will, of course, give credit to you the owner (I am hoping you hold the copyright). If you don’t hold the copyright, can you help me find who does?

    Thank you for your time and consideration of this request.

    Judy Cain
    Daughter of WW2 veteran

  2. June 6 1944 marked the beginning of the end of Hitler’s reign of insanity to be sure. It also marked the beginning of the infinitely more menacing and dehumanizing reign of insanity in the United States. The government theft of property of the Gibson Guitar company is a case in point. The government assault on the cross in the Mojave Desert at Cima, CA which echoes the crosses growing row on row in Flanders Fields is another. We reward the sacrifice of America’s war dead by tacit collaboration with the assault on civilization in America, that they laid down their life to stop in Europe and the Pacific.

    1. Larry,

      I considered removing your post as your comment of an “infinitely more menacing and dehumanizing reign of insanity in the United States” than Hitler’s reign is so incredibly extreme. However, since this post is all about freedom, I think it would be hypocritical to remove it.

      I believe anyone would admit that our government has been, and always be, not perfect. The Japanese camps during WW2 in the mid west, the Red Scare, Civil rights, and all the problems we’re having today…sure, we’ve had our issues and our government hasn’t always made the best or most intelligent decisions on how to handle them, but I don’t think very many people would equate this to the daily terror that Europeans endured during the 1930s and 40s.

  3. Pingback: D-Day | Game Glist

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