...their sacrifices, and those of they who survived to fight on, paved the way to free the world from a tyranny the likes of which had not been known until Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany, along with the other AXIS Powers, unleashed a reign of terror on the world like none before. It all commenced with savage internal attacks within Germany against those whom Hitler and the Nazis called the untermenschen - those he thought were inferior to his so called master race - the Jews, Catholics who opposed him, invalids, mentally ill patients, dissidents, criminals, Slavic peoples and the Romani. (It truly is somewhat similar to how leftists view conservative or libertarian Caucasians today within the USA.) Then, with the invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939, WWII commenced and Hitler's forces, in short time, had conquered most of the countries of mainland Europe and most of Northern Africa; that all while the Japan expanded it's territory by brutally conquering parts of China and many other Asian nations on the continent as well as many island countries within the Pacific Theater. That the Japanese were a brutal tyrannical empire is evidenced by The Rape of Nanking (Nanjing) among many other atrocities committed by them during WWII.
WWII was a long and brutal war, both in Europe and Asia. As we all should know, the Allied forces eventually won.
In Europe, Germany surrendered on May 8, 1945. Many a hard battle was fought and many limbs and lives lost from 1939 through 1945 - but some of the most, if not the most, intense fighting of the whole war took place during the battles that spearheaded all those others. Of course, I am talking about the landings of Allied troops, on the shores of Normandy in Northern France on June 6th 1944 - D-Day, and the battles that followed. D-Day (aka: the Invasion of Normandy) was the largest naval & amphibious invasion in history. The D-Day invasion and the battles that followed to secure Northern France, and thus assure an Allied foothold on northern continental Europe, were devastating and Allied losses were high. The cemeteries of Northern France are overflowing with the bodies of allied troops who landed and died on D-Day, Americans counting for most of them.
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| The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, overlooking Omaha Beach. Source. |
Remember all of them today no matter the allied country for whom they fought because they fought for the freedom of all people of the world. Think of them, read about them in the links provided here and elsewhere, think of their sacrifices, think of their bravery, if so inclined say a prayer for them or honor them in some other way. Let us hope no one ever has to live through something like that again - not any of us on this earth. I am sad to say it though, I believe it will happen again all too soon. Tyranny has a way of rearing it's ugly head again and again but thankfully there are brave men and women who always seem ready to answer the call to defeat it.
If nothing else, take the time to watch and listen to President Ronald Reagan's speech on June 6, 1984 - the 40th anniversary of D-Day.
All the best,
Glenn B
