D-Day, why it mattered

Hello dear Amy’s Garden readers! I have for you today another Miscellany article!

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In the middle of the night on June 6, 1944, around 20,000 British, American and Canadian paratroopers dropped into Normandy, France, which was occupied by Nazi Germany. Their goal was to take control of key roads and bridges. The next morning more troops arrived in boats on the beaches of Normandy. There were many challenges as they disembarked, including land mines and enemy fire, resulting in great loss of life. This massive invasion called D-Day was ultimately successful. 

Adlof Hitler had been the leader of Germany since 1934. He was a cruel dictator and desired to conquer. After annexing Austria he set his sights on Poland, invading in 1939. Britain, Canada and France immediately declared war on him, officially beginning World War Two, but this did not stop him from continuing his campaigns. In 1940 he invaded many more European countries, including France. In 1941 he broke previous treaties by invading the Soviet Union. There was a long fight and Germany eventually failed. After the Japanese attack on Pearl harbor, the United States also entered the war. 

Britain, Canada, the United States and the Soviet Union were called the Allies. In 1943 they launched a campaign to invade Italy. After they took most of southern Italy, these battles came to a stalemate. Meanwhile, the Soviet Union continued to fight in the East, but these battles were not enough. In order to finally win the war they would need to invade German soil. By 1943 plans for an invasion of France were underway, and after months of preparation the invasion finally came. Led by general Dwight Eisenhower, this invasion would aim to completely destroy the Nazi regime. 

After the Allies successfully took the beaches at Normandy they continued to move inland, liberating Paris by August. By September, the first US troops entered Germany, and as the Soviets continued to push in from the East, Germany was surrounded. By the Spring of 1945, Berlin fell and Germany surrendered. 

There were many factors that played into the Allied victory on D-Day. Hitler’s invasion of Russia had cost him a great amount of troops and resources, leaving less on the Atlantic coast. Even so there were still many defenses, but through clever deception the Allies were able to avoid the worst of it.  

D-Day was a turning point in the war. It was the begining of the end of Nazi Germany. The Allies now had the upper hand in Europe. Even though many more hard battles had to be fought, it was only a matter of time before the Allies would win the war. If D-Day had ended in a German victory, this would have been much harder. The war would have dragged on. Countless more people would have been killed. Hitler’s death camps could have operated longer and the annihilation of Europe’s people could have continued. Even though it cost many lives, the D-Day invasion would ultimately lead to a brighter future for generations to come.