This June marks the eightieth anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy, widely-referred to as D-Day, during World War II. On June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy in France. The Normandy landings were the largest seaborne invasion in history and marked the culmination of planning that began in 1943. D-Day is often characterized as a success that led to the liberation of Europe from the stranglehold of the Nazis, and rightfully so. But the Allied forces paid a heavy price for the victory, as more than 9,000 soldiers lost their lives within the first 24 hours of the landings.
The landings at Normandy have inspired countless books, documentaries and Hollywood productions, but there’s still much to be learned about this momentous occasion in world history. The following are some interesting facts about D-Day.
