DDay

D-Day refers to the Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, the opening of the Western Front in World War II. The operation, code-named Overlord, combined naval and air assault with amphibious landings to establish a foothold in German-occupied France and begin the liberation of Western Europe.

Planning included deception operations to mislead the German high command about invasion timing and location. Dwight D. Eisenhower served as Supreme Allied Commander; Allied ground forces were led by British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery with American forces under Omar Bradley, while naval and air forces provided broad support. The assault began with airborne drops behind enemy lines during the night of 5–6 June and continued with amphibious landings along a broad front.

The five landing beaches were Utah and Omaha for the United States, Gold and Sword for Britain, and Juno for Canada. Units faced fortified positions, rough seas, and strong German defenses on the coast. Despite heavy resistance, the landings established beachheads and allowed expansion of the Allied foothold within days.

Over the following weeks, the Normandy front extended inland, enabling breakout operations and the liberation of Paris later in August. D-Day is regarded as a turning point in the war in Western Europe, facilitating Allied advances into France and Belgium and contributing to Germany's eventual defeat.

The operation is commemorated as a major milestone in World War II history. It involved a multinational coalition and demonstrated combined arms cooperation among land, sea, and air forces.