Another page from American history, completely lost on over half the graduating seniors from U.S. High Schools, yet it is one of the most important battles of all time and certainly in our time:
Photo – Cemetery in Brittany, France. American war dead from the Normandy landing.
Allied Commanders
Dwight Eisenhower (Supreme Allied Commander)
Arthur Tedder (Deputy Supreme Allied Commander)
Bernard Montgomery (21st Army Group, Ground Forces Commander in Chief)
Trafford Leigh-Mallory (Air Commander in Chief)
Bertram Ramsay (Naval Commander in Chief)
Omar Bradley (U.S. 1st Army)
Miles Dempsey (British 2nd Army)
German Commanders
Erwin Rommel (Heeresgruppe B)
Friedrich Dollmann (7.Armee Oberkomma)
Gerd von Rundstedt (Oberbefehlshaber West)
Battle of Normandy Order of Battle
Allies
1,332,000 Forces by July 24th
Contributing Countries:
United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Free French Forces, Poland, Australia, Free Belgian Forces, New Zealand, Netherlands, Norway, Free Czechoslovak Forces, and Greece
Axis Countries:
380,000 by July 23rd
Germany
Battle of Normandy Casualties
Allies: ~209,000
Germany: ~200,000
Importance of the Battle of Normandy
The Battle of Normandy signified the establishment of Allied forces in Normandy France as part of Operation Overlord in World War 2. The invasion would be the single largest amphibious operation in history with the primary objective to make a lodgment in the city of Caen and later Cherbourg Once these objectives could be secured, the Western Allies could commence the Western European campaign and start the march to take down Nazi Germany. The invasion would see approximately 6,900 vessels used to include 4,100 landing craft and 12,000 aircraft. More than 10,000 tons of bombs would be dropped against the German defenses with 14,000 attack air sorties flown. Winning the battle would signify a turn of the tide of the war against Nazi Germany who had managed to keep the upper-hand against the Allied Powers for much of the war previous to the invasion.
Summary of the Battle of Normandy
The Invasion of Normandy would be the first time since 1688 that an army had crossed the English Channel. By the evening of June 6th, 1944, there would be more than 100,000 Allied soldiers ashore in Normandy with more than 9,000 casualties. The Allies would establish a foothold in Normandy by June 30th and would cross the River Seine on August 19th, 1944.
One of the keys to the success of the Battle of Normandy was the work conducted by the American and British cryptographers that the German military believed were unbreakable. Most messages were delivered to General Eisenhower within three hours of the time of transmittal by the Germans.
The Germans would attempt to stop the American force columns by using small parties with self-propelled gun support. Although these tactics worked well for the first two days of the battle, they would ultimately fail against the masses of soldiers landed in support of the attack. On June 8th, the 175th Infantry would advance on a 12 mile route that took the Germans by surprise.
Post Script – The Allies, led by American Airborne forces won the gamble and eventually freed Europe from the grip of Nazi tyranny. Without the United States, our industrial might and our sheer tenacity, the world today would be a very difference place today. This is why it is so vital to the future of our nation and the values it represents, to know and appreciate such great sacrifices. They were made on our behalf and it is right to honor our fallen heroes who died in defense of liberty… today and all days. Be proud you are an American and show your colors.
Did anyone else see Obamas speech yesterday at the Vietnam Memorial? He and his speech writers did a great job of proving he really is the Communicator in Chief. But, based on his past actions as the Commander in Chief of not following the advice of his military advisors and leaders I ask why the big sudden change.
Im not taking away from the acknowledgement that took place for the ten MIAs and their families whose names were added to the wall. It was a beautiful and touching ceremony. But, does he really think that his past actions and associations with individuals who were leaders in the Vietnam protests can be undone because he now realizes he needs their votes? He and his speech writers had to know about the polls showing him 13% down with vets and took the opportunity to pander for their votes.
If you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas. An assertion that human failings, such as dishonesty and foolishness, are contagious.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/154904/veterans-give-romney-big-lead-obama.aspx
Veterans Give Romney Big Lead Over Obama
Veterans responsible for Romney’s advantage among men overall
by Frank Newport
PRINCETON, NJ — U.S. veterans, about 13% of the adult population and consisting mostly of older men, support Mitt Romney over Barack Obama for president by 58% to 34%, while nonveterans give Obama a four-percentage-point edge.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Ayers
William Charles “Bill” Ayers (born December 26, 1944)[1] is an American elementary education theorist and a former leader in the movement that opposed U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. He is known for his 1960s activism as well as his current work in education reform, curriculum, and instruction. In 1969 he co-founded the Weather Underground, a self-described communist revolutionary group[2] that conducted a campaign of bombing public buildings during the 1960s and 1970s, in response to U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
Statements made in 2001:
“We weren’t terrorists,” Ayers told an interviewer for the Chicago Tribune in 2001. “The reason we weren’t terrorists is because we did not commit random acts of terror against people. Terrorism was what was being practiced in the countryside of Vietnam by the United States.”[4]
Views on his past expressed since 2001:
Ayers was asked in a January 2004 interview, “How do you feel about what you did? Would you do it again under similar circumstances?” He replied:[37] “I’ve thought about this a lot. Being almost 60, it’s impossible to not have lots and lots of regrets about lots and lots of things, but the question of did we do something that was horrendous, awful? … I don’t think so. I think what we did was to respond to a situation that was unconscionable.” On September 9, 2008, journalist Jake Tapper reported on the comic strip in Ayers’ blog explaining the soundbite: “The one thing I don’t regret is opposing the war in Vietnam with every ounce of my being…. When I say, ‘We didn’t do enough,’ a lot of people rush to think, ‘That must mean, “We didn’t bomb enough shit.”‘ But that’s not the point at all. It’s not a tactical statement, it’s an obvious political and ethical statement. In this context, ‘we’ means ‘everyone.'”[38][39]
Peggy and to think this man is training our teachers and directing curriculum in the schools makes it worse. men didn’t fight, bleed and die for the country to be destroyed from within by the likes of Bill Ayers:
http://www.eagleforum.org/column/2008/oct08/08-10-24.html
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122411943821339043.html
http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/08/higgins/social-justice.htm
http://books.google.tt/books/about/Handbook_of_Social_Justice_in_Education.html?id=nznv9mDKv-sC
Tina: Unfortunately, Ayers’s far-out education theories are already having an effect in education schools. One after another, teachers colleges are using their courses to promote socialist notions of wealth distribution, “social justice,” diversity and environmentalism, and to punish students who resist this indoctrination by giving them low grades or even denying them graduation.
There is no doubt we are dealing with the results of his teaching, which have reached across the nation. My son when he was a student at Chico State had to take a Psych course for his GE requirements. He made the mistake of choosing one called, The Psychology of Prejudice. As a blond haired, blue eyed white boy he had to listen for a whole semester to the instructor use him as an example of the race problems from the past to the present. My son wanted to speak up and defend himself and others because of the many minority friends he had, but didnt for fear of failing the class.
While watching Obama speak I had mixed emotions. (I even shed a few tears because my husband was one of those Vietnam Vets.) The ceremony really was very touching, and I was glad to hear him tell the Vietnam vets, Welcome homeWelcome home.Welcome home! And his vowing that no future soldiers would ever be treated like they were brought applause. But, I also kept thinking what a hypocrite!! Based on his own words in his book that he sought out socialist and Marxist professors and organizations, and his association with Ayers, made me wonder if he would have made that speech if he didnt need the votes with the poll showing him down 13% against Romney?
It’s primary election day here in California and I just happened to stumble upon the following story about the President shutting down the Vietnam Memorial for SEVEN HOURS so he could make a 15 minute speech! Families and friends were denied access to The Wall for seven long hours. Why would he do that!!!
http://frontpagemag.com/2012/06/05/obama%E2%80%99s-memorial-day-photo-op-blocks-families-vets-from-d-c-vietnam-memorial-wall-for-7-hours/
Looks like BO stepped in it again.
I watched his speech and thought it very touching, but had no idea The Wall was on lock-down for 7 hours preventing tens of thousands from honoring their loved ones and others from paying their respect.
Reading the comments in your link is heartbreaking. He should have realized that Rolling Thunder alone has brought in over a 100,000 motorcycle riders since it started 25 years ago and scheduled his speech and adding the MIAs names on a different day.
Ill bet BOs poll number from Vets crashed after this. Its just another example of his long list of failures.