DDay

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#1

Im surprised to find that noone has posted anything relating to DDay, the major battle that cost many lives, and was the turning point for victory in Europe. I have found on BBC an entire page of articles relating to DDay and I would like to list them here.

This link shows DDay in Pictures, and give a brief explanation.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/04/world_operation_overlord/html/1.stm

“I invaded my own country” About French commandos who fought with the Brtish on DDay
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3675525.stm

About a soldier who landed on DDay, and his job was to be a bodyguard. He describes it in his own words.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3755189.stm

An American soldier who landed on Omaha beach. In his own words.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/3731383.stm

“I saw British bombs and knew it was war” About a German Soldier who was in the German Tank regiment when DDay began.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3712245.stm

"The battle for Normandy"A general description of the War into Normandy. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3758093.stm

Dont Forget the Canadians. About the Canadians who fought bravely during dday. 14,000 Canadians took part.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3765557.stm

[b]WW2 Animated Battles.[b] Extremely interesting you should all take a look. Not only DDay, other major battles.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/war/wwtwo/launch_ani_campaign_maps.shtml

Very good Description with Audio
http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/june/6/newsid_3499000/3499352.stm

Of course this is only a small part of what happend for the success of DDay, please add any more information.

#2

I would say that it was one of the turning points, consider th Soviet Op Bagration… Bigger than D-Day…

#3

I wouldnt say Dday was a turning point in the war. It was just an operation that really had to work in order to ensure victory in europe. Now if the Dday operations had failed it could have been a turning point for the Germans. El Alamein and Stalingrad where Turning points in the war. I consider turning points anytime where the side that was on the offensive then becomes the side on the defensive.

BTW SAM one of the reasons that this thread never really took off is because most people westerners know so much about it and it makes it such a broad topic. The site has loads of small bits info about Dday. Even you average person that isnt interested in WW2 knows that Dday was the day that the allies landed in Europe in force.

#4

One thing very few people know:
There were thousands of Germans fighting on the Allied side in OP Overlord. The number is still classified, but I’ve heard that every British platoon back then had at least one German in British uniform, the same applies to the Americans.

Jan

#5

I don’t belive in that ,please give us some prove.

#6

Prior to the start of the war a lot of Germans who did not fit the Nazi mold left and moved to France, Britain or the US. When France was attacked they moved to Britain. Initially most were interned some would have volunteered for service as they would not have been called up unless they had been born in the UK. Do not forget that the monarch was part German, a Saxe-Coburg I think.

#7

While Im not sure about the thousands, I know for a fact there were hundreds of germans fighting for the allies.

A lot of course were jews and they were given British names and identities in case of capture. Some were extremely usefull and sadly some were not trusted by their British compatriots and not used for the task in hand.

#8

Yes maybe hundreds not thousands Firefly you are in right ,i sad thats all propagand.

#9

If anyone’s interested there was a exhibition at the Imperial war museum recently about D-Day, actually quite good, i think it’s still there so those of you who can should go have a look.