D-Day + 70...Liberty Must Always Be Defended

Dear readers, on this 70th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Nazi-held Europe on 6 June 1944, D-Day, we have seen the entire free world come together on the beaches of Normandy to commemorate the unequaled achievement of the brave men who debarked into the cold early morning waters off the coast of northern France. The beaches, which will soon be declared by the UN as part of the world's patrimony, were code-named Utah, Omaha, Juno, Gold and Sword. Omaha - Bloody Omaha, as it was known - where the water turned red with the American blood of 2,000 soldiers, aged 18-25. As always, it was the young men, patriots and heroes, who bore the weight of battle and death. ~~~~~ Some facts about D-Day, in which the "D" meant just Day, although it became "Le Débarquement" for the French. The Normandy Invasion was, and still is, the largest invasion force ever launched. At 3am on 6 June 1944, 1,900 Allied bombers attacked German lines. A staggering seven million pounds of bombs were dropped that day. A total of 10,521 combat aircraft flew a total of 15,000 sorties on D-Day, with 113 lost. A naval bombardment from seven battleships, 18 cruisers, and 43 destroyers began at 5am and went on until 6.25am. Midget submarines, called X-boats, lay submerged in the sea off the coast of France, surfacing on the morning of D-Day to guide in the invading craft using beacons. The flat-bottomed landing craft were originally designed to rescue flood victims on the Mississippi river in the US. US troops went ashore on the landing beaches, Utah and Omaha, at 6.31am, followed an hour later by the British and Canadians. There were 61,715 British troops, 21,400 Canadian soldiers and 73,000 Americans. Nazi defenses on the beaches included concrete gun emplacements, wooden stakes, mines, anti-tank obstacles, barbed wire and booby traps. Around 50,000 German troops opposed the landing forces. Field Marshal Erwin Rommel was in charge of defending northern France from the expected Allied invasion. On June 6, he was at home in Germany celebrating his wife’s 50th birthday, having been told the sea was too rough for a landing. Nazi leader Adolf Hitler was asleep when word of the invasion arrived. No one dared wake him and it’s said vital time was lost in sending reinforcements. The heaviest losses were on Omaha beach where US forces suffered 2,000 casualties. Canadian forces met heavy resistance on Juno. In the first hour the chance of becoming a casualty was one in two. ~~~~~ If you make only one trip to France, go to Normandy -- where the French are in solidarity with Americans and British and Canadians who come to walk the beaches. Go to the American Military Cemetery at Colleville-sur-mer where 9,387 Americans are buried. Go to the Omaha Beach below Colleville to see the monumental problem the Allies faced. Go to the museums and learn about D-Day. Go to Sainte Mere Eglise and see the parachute replica that still flutters from the church steeple. Go to Pegasus Bridge and see where the British held back and beat the Nazis. Go to Normandy because it belongs to you, to me, to our childten, to the world, forever - for as long as liberty lives and free men and women are prepared to defend it. ~~~~~ Here is the D-Day message to the Allied troops of General Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander. -- "From Gen. Eisenhower: SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE. Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world. Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely. But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to Victory! I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory! Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking. Dwight D. Eisenhower." ~~~~~ There are turning points in history that must never be forgotten, that must be passed from generation to generation as a beacon of liberty and human sacrifice and greatness. For the modern world, its name is D-Day.