It was a dark time of war and there was a need for hopes and prayers in the Allies’ fight for liberty and security.
June 6, 1944 was D-Day, the culmination of the allied effort among American, British and Canadian forces to bring the World War II to an end. In those early morning hours, more than 5,000 ships and 11,000 airplanes crossed the English Channel, landing on the beaches of France, intent on forming a western front and driving the Germans back to Berlin.
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower commanded this invasion, code named Operation Overlord, unparalleled in its expanse.
Here are the words the general spoke to the forces preparatory to their invasion:
“Soldiers, sailors, and airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force, you are about to embark upon the Great Crusade towards which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you, the hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.
“In company with our brave allies and brothers in arms on other fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine. The elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed people of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world. Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well-trained, well-equipped, and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely. But this is the year 1944, much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The united nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats in open battle, men to men. Our air offenses have seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our home fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and ammunitions of war and placed at our disposal, great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned, the free men of the world are marching together to victory.
“I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory. Good luck and let us all beseech the blessing of almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.”
That exhortation launched a force of thousands of American and Allied troops who attacked in a broad area across the coast of Normandy. Five landing areas were targeted, beaches with names now etched in history — Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. Paratroopers and glider forces were sent into places like St. Mere-Eglise and Carnetan.
German soldiers who looked from their pillboxes out at the English Channel looked in disbelief as hundreds and hundreds of ships in waves appeared on the horizon, spewing shells and flame and disgorging thousands of troops.
It appeared at one point that the invasion at Omaha Beach might fail. Troops were pinned down and unable to move, many officers were dead, and the men were in disorder, some without weapons. Finally, a lieutenant stood and shouted: “The only men who will be on this beach will be those who are dead and those who are going to die.” And with that he led them up the cliffs and off the beach.
The invasion was a success.
By nightfall of June 6, 1944, more than 156,000 allied troops were on the ground in Normandy.
Eisenhower had written another message early that morning, and he stuffed it in his pocket in the event he needed it. Thank God he never had to read it. He had written:
“My decision to attack at this time and place was based upon the best information available. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt, it is mine alone.’”
For several hours after the attack began, it appeared that message might have to be used, a message indicating the invasion had failed.
But it did not fail, and less than a year later, the Third Reich of Adolph Hitler had collapsed, Hitler himself was dead, and the killing was over. Had this great invasion not been successful, the entire course of the war could have gone in a different direction. Hitler would have had more time to develop his new weapons — the V1 and V2 rockets, the jet fighter plane — and the atomic bomb.
But thanks to the courage of the thousands of Allied troops who wrote D-Day into the history books, we were able to prevail and free Europe from the oppression of the Nazis and protect the world from their deadly tentacles.
We can but thank God on this anniversary of D-Day for every individual who was a part of that day and for the many sacrifices which were made.