Photo by Robert Capa
On June 6, 1944, Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy, France. US troops were deployed on Omaha and Utah beach. British and Canadian troops were deployed on the other three beaches: Sword, Juno, and Gold. Thousands of troops died, and with a failed attempt to weaken the defenses they were left out to dry. Death was something that seemed inevitable as brave soldiers pushed into the jaws of death to take back the Allied country of France.
Two kinds of people are staying on this beach-- the dead and those who are going to die. |
As landing crafts and boats traveled towards the beach, defense systems were placed underwater, which prevented many boats and landing crafts from reaching the shore. As a result troops had to leap out and swim towards the beach. An excerpt from a post-invasion report shows the obstacles that the troops and vehicles had to overcome.
The terrain where Force "C" landed was of great natural defensive strength, augmented by the addition of many strongly protected and cleverly concealed gun emplacements, machine gun nests, and pill boxes. |
Troops needed to go through all of these obstacles as well as the MG42s awaiting them as they approached the beach.
" ...the troops on some sectors of the beach were met with a hail of bullets that drove some to seek shelter under the surf, others to scramble over the sides of the craft.... The troops, overladen with heavy clothing and equipment, waded slowly through the surf and through fire that increased as they approached the beach" (Harrison 313). |
In the end, the troops took the beachhead. Victory came, but at the cost of thousands of brave men. The tragedy on the beach would liberate France.
German forces were pushed back and the battle for Normandy was yet to come.
German forces were pushed back and the battle for Normandy was yet to come.
THEY FIGHT NOT FOR THE LUST OF CONQUEST. THEY FIGHT TO END CONQUEST. THEY FIGHT TO LIBERATE.
— PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, JUNE 6, 1944