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What was it like to break through the Atlantic Wall?

In early June 1944, Allied soldiers knew something big was about to happen. Their commanders tried to prepare and inspire their troops for what would certainly be a bloody and difficult battle. Everyone could see that D-Day was very near. (D-Day is a military term for the day on which a major battle is scheduled to begin.) This slideshow will introduce you to the situation the Allies faced, and how this incredible event affected the war.

Hitler's Wall

Building the Atlantic Wall

As soon as Hitler had taken over Western Europe, he began construction on a huge wall to prevent invasion from England. His Atlantic Wall would be the biggest obstacle to the Allied troops as they attempted to kick the Nazis out of France.

D-Day

D-Day Invasion Map

After several delays due to bad weather, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the supreme commander of the Allied forces, launched approximately 156,000 soldiers across the English Channel on June 6th, 1944. Phony intelligence fooled Hitler into believing that the invasion would land at Pas-de-Calais, but the real force was sent to the beaches of Normandy in northern France.

Here to Stay

Attack on Normandy

The invasion, known as Operation Overlord, was a fierce and deadly battle, costing the lives of tens of thousands of Allied soldiers in just over two months. Despite these losses, the Allies were able to gain a foothold in Nazi territory, and were soon moving soldiers and supplies across the channel at an unstoppable rate.

The End of the Third Reich

Allied Progress, August 1944

By the end of August, the Allies had recaptured a large portion of France, and had taken Paris back from Hitler. From there, the Allied march to Berlin was inevitable. The Nazi dream of world domination was over, and the Germans surrendered on May 7th, 1945.

Question

Why was the invasion of Normandy on D-Day a critical turning point in history?

The invasion of Normandy on D-Day shifted the momentum of World War II to the Allies, and made Hitler's defeat simply a matter of time. If Allied troops had not fought and won this battle, the map of Europe would look very different today.