Today is the 64th anniversary of the allied invasion of Normandy in an attempt to route the Nazi's from occupied France, and to double the efforts against the Nazis that had started with the invasion of Anzio months before. The invasion of Normandy was the largest amphibious assault in the history of the world. The first day of the assault has gone down in history simply as D-Day. It should be needless to say it was one of the bloodiest battles of all time - but lest we forget I make mention of it here that total losses in the Battle of Normandy were approximated at: over 425,000 for both sides combined, with 209,000 allied casualties. On D-Day alone there were an estimated 10,000 allied casualties. There were also an estimated 15,000 - 20,200 French civilians killed, mostly due to allied bombing. (Yet the allies were praised for liberating France, could you imagine the outcry of the libs if this happened today in these numbers.)
As I said, I make note of this here lest we forget. We should never forget those who were wounded or who died in service of our nation, or in pursuit of true freedom in the world. We should hold them in a place of honor as long as there is one man or woman among humanity who is left standing. They were scared, they were brave, they were tenacious, they were tender, they were fathers, they were sons, they were soldiers, they were civilians, they were all there to defeat a common enemy, they were there to help liberate our allies, they were the men and women who lost their lives, their limbs, their innocence forever doing the right thing for the rest of us. Lest we forget.
More info on D-Day can be found at:
http://www.army.mil/d-day/
http://www.ddaymuseum.co.uk/faq.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normandy_landings
http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_701702421/D-Day.html
http://www.warchronicle.com/numbers/WWII/ddaycasualtyest.htm
All the best,
Glenn B
