D-Day Landing beaches Private tour

The “Operation Overlord” marks the beginning of the battle of Normandy occurred on June 6, 1944 and is known as D-Day.

This day marks the beginning of the Allied invasion in Western Europe, occupied by Nazi Germany, in World War II.

The Normandy invasion began with the arrival of paratroopers the night before, massive aerial and naval bombardment and an amphibious assault early in the morning. Sixty years later it remains the largest maritime invasion in history, with nearly three million soldiers crossing the English Channel.

The armies involved in this great military operation had distinct objectives which consisted of the possession of the beaches, codenamed Omaha and Utah, for the Americans; Juno, Gold and Sword for Anglo-Canadians.

Germany, at the initiative of Rommel, awaiting the allied landing, sought to defend itself through the so-called Atlantic wall. Rommel, with all his military experience had predicted that the allied landing would occur in the beaches of the French northwest and managed, thus, to make the battle of Normandy true hell for the Allies, causing heavy casualties.

However, through this operation the Allies secured a solid beachhead on the French coast, defeating the German military forces that were spread, protected by coastal and land fortresses, throughout Brittany.

In fact, the landing was crucial to the Allies, as it led to the mobilization of German troops for this new battle front, weakening and German defense against the Soviet Union.