London, 6 June 2022 (TDI): D-Day is being commemorated today on its 78th anniversary. Allied World War II veterans gathered for commemorations in honor of the Day.
Commemorations
Veterans, including their families as well as domestic and international visitors, commemorated the Day despite the rainy weather. They participated in numerous events this past weekend and also today for the D-Day 78th anniversary.
Today marks 78 years since D-Day.
If you have a few minutes to spare today, spend them listening to D-Day and Royal Marines veteran Trevor Stacey. Trevor passed away last year but in 2019 spoke movingly of what he remembered of 6 June 1944.#DDay78pic.twitter.com/4vrKspKpgW
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) June 6, 2022
This year’s anniversary of D-Day follows the two successive years of the COVID-19 pandemic as it restricted and deterred visitors.
In light of the ongoing war in Ukraine, many felt the significance of the celebrations of paying tribute to people that brought peace and freedom.
History of D-Day
Almost 160,000 soldiers from the Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy in France and started to break through the German army’s defenses.
In the months leading up to D-Day, extensive training occurred in the UK including divisional exercises to individual training to prepare soldiers.
Many troops that landed on the D-Day beaches were from the UK, the US, and Canada. Not only these countries but also different armed services from Australia, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, & others.
Thus, there was the Allied liberation of Western Europe from the control of Nazi Germany because, during that time, the Nazis had taken over almost the whole of Europe.
On the 6th of June 1944, the troops landed in Normandy. That is, on five beaches along a 50-mile stretch of the heavily fortified coast of France’s Normandy region and the battle began.
The Assault
Likewise, the attack started at the time when the Allied planes and warships bombarded German positions along the coastline. Therefore, it was meant to damage the defenses and make it easier for the troops to get ashore.
In line with this, planes and gliders dropped tens of thousands of allied soldiers behind the defenses of the German.
More to this, they took control of significant bridges and roads. As a result, it was harder for the German army to rush more men toward areas where the troops were landing.
The Battle of Normandy lasted from June 1944 to August 1944 during World War II (1939-1945). As it was codenamed Operation it was also called D-Day.
In conclusion, it was regarded as the ‘greatest amphibious operation’ in history and an important date in the history of WWII.
