D-Day: The Beginning of
the End
The first day of the Battle of Normandy
June 6th, 1944
By: Lily Ayau Period. 1
D-Day was the beginning of the end of the war in
Europe, and the foundation it set for the two
month battle to come was a pivotal point in the
war’s history
Thesis Statement
-On June 6th, 1944,
thousands of young
soldiers landed on five
beaches along the
coastline of German-
occupied France.
-With the code name “Operation
Overlord”, one Canadian
division, two British divisions,
and three U.S divisions were
sent into battle that day
-Over 13,000 paratroopers flew
behind German lines on the morning
of D-Day, and assisted with the
invasion of Utah Beach
-In addition to the airborne
assault, troops landed at
Utah Beach, Omaha
Beach, Gold Beach, Juno
Beach, and Sword Beach.
Paratroopers encountered obstacles like bad weather and disorganization
during their mission on D-Day
-The invasion at Omaha Beach was
arguably the most difficult. The terrain
allowed German soldiers to shoot down
unprotected troops by the dozens,
while still being hidden from the
warships.
-In addition to the geography, the Allies
were unaware of the kind of opposition
they’d be facing, believing that the
352nd division was no less than 20
miles away from the shore.By week’s end, the Allies had
secured 50 miles of French
coastline. Over the coming
months, the Allies would liberate
Northern France, and by spring
1945, they would end the war in
Europe.
American Paratroopers Prepare to Jump into Occupied France on June 6,
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