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The battle plan, code-named Operation Overlord, called for the largest amphibious assault ever to start the liberation of occupied Europe from Nazi Germany. It began in the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, now known as D-Day. Thousands of American, British, Canadian, and French soldiers-backed by paratroopers, bombers, and warships-stormed a 50-mile stretch of French beach called Normandy.

This "invasion of Normandy" was the greatest event to occur between the years of 1919 and 1945. D-day was the beginning of the end of the war. The invasion of Normandy allowed the Allied forces to get their soldiers back on the European mainland and to start defeating German opposition and Nazi tyranny. It was the major turning point of World War II and perhaps one of the greatest strategic military operations that ever executed.

As the tide of World War II began to turn in favor of the Allies, U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower had the task of forming the largest invasion fleet in history, in order for an amphibious landing on the northern coast of France to be effective. If it was executed as planned and labeled a success, the landing would be the starting point for the massive attack. The attack would move eas

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Dropping paratroopers behind German forces and supporting the soldiers on the beach, air support was crucial for the success the operation.

As planned, airborne units led the invasion.

The invasion of Normandy, also known as D-Day, proved to be the pivotal point in the war. Amphibious craft landed some 130,000 troops on five beaches along fifty miles of Normandy coast. In the eastern zone, British and Canadians landed on Gold, Juno, and Sword beaches. Most of the drops took place in clear weather, but were scattered over a large expanse of the countryside.

The drops took place on both flanks of the invasion area in the late hours of June 5th and early morning of the 6th. The Canadians made the deepest penetration of any land forces on June 6th, again with moderate casualties.

The assault had been timed for low tide to expose as many underwater obstacles as possible. The beaches chosen for the landings stretched from the estuary of the Orne to the southeastern edge of the Cotentin peninsula, with the British and Canadians taking the eastern beaches (Juno, Sword, and Gold) and the Americans taking the western beaches (Utah and Omaha). airborne troops seized their first key town, Saint Mere Eglise. In spite of this, British and American paratroopers met most of their D-Day objectives. The naval bombardment began at 5:50 am, detonating large German minefields, and destroying many blockhouses and artillery positions. The warships opened fire with the most intense bombardment in naval history.

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