The Day of Days

  June 6 th, 1944  Soldiers had been training in Britain from as early as 1938 and although they knew the time was coming they did not know the details.  British, American, French, Polish, Norwegian, Australian, New Zealand, and Dutch troops will launch one of the biggest ground invasions in history.  Totals:  160,000 Soldiers  24,000 Paratroopers  5000 Ships  50,000 Vehicles  11,000 Aircraft Allied Invasion

  The 25,000 paratroopers were to be dropped behind enemy lines with orders to capture key crossroads and disable artillery guns.  Air attacks were launched against the coastal defenses shortly after midnight on the 6 th.  The Allied navy fired their weapons at the beach as well, in hopes of softening German defenses.  Amphibious invasion began shortly after 5 AM.  Timing was of the utmost importance  A beachhead would be established to supply the Western front and get a VITAL foothold on the European continent. The Plan

 The Landings Entire invasion would take place over an area no larger than 80 KM on a flat, sandy beach along the Normandy coast.

  Soldiers hit the beach and rushed the escarpments and hills to disable German pillboxes and batteries.  Canadian soldiers continued to advance inland through French towns and villages  Eventually reached the French town of Caen  A primary objective for British and Canadian troops on D-Day Canada at Juno Beach

  Of vital strategic importance as it was both a road hub as well as a ideal location for an Allied airfield.  The battle lasted for two months, into August, as Allied troops attempted to take and hold the town.  Several operations would be launched to attempt to take the city with Canadians at the forefront of most offensives.  With the Hitler youth as the primary defenders.  The eventual frustration of the Allied forces with their inability to capture Caen led to a severe bombardment in early July with extensive civilian casualties.  Remains one of the fiercest battles of the war with almost exclusively Canadian casualties. Battle of Caen

  Turning point of the war  Hitler in steady decline  Established foothold in Europe for supplies, command and communication posts.  Showed Allied forces that Germany could be defeated.  Canada was responsible for a beach separate from Britain and the United States  Demonstrated the bravery and strategic ingenuity of the Canadian forces. Results