D-Day 80th Anniversary

Thank you for helping our tooshies in our most desperate hour, gringolinas. 🙏😘

Thanking and thinking of Private First Class Ferris LeBlanc.

It's no accident that things started going to shit with the WW2 generation mostly gone. All that anti-fascist and global unity work from the mid-century is crumbling because the living, experiential memory of the consequences fascist evil and centuries of European strife is almost gone.

So far I've seen (online), videos from June 5, of Prince William reading a letter from a British man written on June 5th, 1944 prior to the start of the landings, done at Portsmouth.

Also King Charles' speech at Portsmouth.

Also a speech by Princess Anne at the Bayeux War Cemetery.

Well done all 3.

Prince William's speech...link below.

Princess Anne at Bayeux.

Fuck the royals. I'm more interested in the living veterans who took the boat trip over instead of those leeches and their hangers-on.

People putting the attention where it should be.

King Charles. - Portsmouth.

Paratroopers getting customs checks thanks to Brexit.

D-Day vet tells his story, unlike royal cheap sentiment.

Veterans gather for D-Day remembrance.

Live 80th D-Day commemoration in France ongoing...

Canadian vets in France.

American vets.

PBS News Hour - American vets.

Hopefully, Joe will deliver his D-Day speech without incident and not give Fox News a lead story.

French eyewitness to action at Pegasus Bridge at the start of D-Day.

The Bletchley Park podcast is a great way to hear what was going on in real time from the code breakers, news bulletins and interviews with eye witnesses.

Operation Overlord episodes cover The Longest Day.

General Eisenhower’s speech that was broadcast to Europe that evening gets me every time. We’re coming. Wait for my signal. We will act together.

We cannot forget. We MUST obliterate these Nazi pukes. Again. Our time has come.

Fuck. Forgot the link

Sir Tom Jones

For old time radio lovers, the Internet Archive has hours of news broadcasts from NBC and CBS from D-Day. I found it really interesting to hear the real time coverage of events as they happened.

R21, I listened to those broadcasts some time back.

I seem to recall that frequently the Allies' media were actually reporting what the German radio was reporting.

Winston Churchill

You're right, R22. Trans-Ocean, the German news service, was the first to report the Allied invasion; the US news services picked it up from them. But I recall they were very careful about telling listeners that the reports were unverified and could just be the Germans pulling a stunt. I think it was a few hours before Eisenhower confirmed it was true.

To date, one of the greatest travesties of the 21st century was draft dodging Donald "bone spurs" Trump presiding over the 75th anniversary of D Day. Cocksucker never served in the military, nor did anyone in his conning/grifting family and they're all proud of it.

Yet idiotic Americans lap up his fake patriotism like kittens lap up milk.

My late father parachuted into what he called "the shit" on D-Day. He didn't really talk about it. I'm proud of him and his airborne unit.

When you see the Normandy beaches, you get a sense of the scope of the invasion and both the courage and the sacrifices it took to free Europe from the Nazis. D-Day was just Day One of eleven more months of war across Europe.

The graves of the war dead, whether US or UK or Belgian or German or French soldiers, are maintained so well, and when we were there ten years ago, the cemeteries were filled with French school kids who were so respectful of where they were. Really moving day that’s stayed with me since then.

I'm glad it's President Biden who went to the ceremony at Normandy. He has high respect for veterans.

Stevie Nicks from 1994 (on my YouTube channel).

I remember Reagan's 40th anniversary speech. That another 40 years have passed is a bit jarring.

Listening to some of the reports from the English people who saw all of the planes flying overhead and the French people who witnessed the paratroopers air dropping in is really intense.

One of the French ladies interviewed said the whole sky was filled with paratroopers. She said they weren’t sure at first if it was a diversion or the Real Thing. I guess they didn’t know until the troops started digging in and the Germans fell back.

Zelensky and the veteran -

I trust a lot of Biden ads will be lifted from the D-Day ceremony.

Reagan was 73 when he spoke at D-Day ceremonies in 1984 and he was outstanding.

Germany Surrenders

For all the Churchill idolatry, he opposed & sought to sabotage the D-Day invasion.

General Eisenhower

Oh, how beautiful, R32.

The veteran tried to kiss his hand. 🥹🥹

Gosh.

That’s how we know we are on the correct side of history. FUCK the russian apologist.

^^Apologists ^^

Hot actor Richard Todd was one of the first paratroopers into France

Lots of D-Day-related content on TCM today.

I started watching Saving Private Ryan earlier. I really think the first 20 minutes are amazing. The invasion part. I forgot about the part with the old man that starts the movie. Yes, I started heaving and getting all emotional. I watched up until they inform the mother about the other sons. I just didn't have it in me to watch the whole thing. I do recognize there are some problems with the movie but overall, it's one of the best war movies.

Zelensky very worthily represents the people who are fighting against unfinished fascism.

[quote] For all the Churchill idolatry, he opposed & sought to sabotage the D-Day invasion

This is untrue. At the very worst, Churchill feared that the allies were sending hundreds of thousands of young men to certain death in a slaughter reminiscent of WWI. The estimates Churchill and Eisenhower were seeing predicted that 75% of the parachute troops alone could be killed on D-Day.

At a time when Allied troops had already landed in Italy, Churchill favoured pouring more troops into Italy and trying to open another front through Southern France. The thought of throwing 150000 young men at the Atlantic Wall horrified him, and he fought Eisenhower to delay the invasion until every advantage could be given to them in terms of logistics and munitions. In the end, Eisenhower essentially (and I think rightly) overruled him, and insisted on D-Day in June. In the end, the 5000-10000 casualties on D-Day were regarded as miraculously low, which is mind-boggling.

I've traveled extensively throughout the UK and W. Europe. One of my Top 5 destinations was Normandy, and notably the D-Day sites.

We've all seen photos of the Crosses/Stars of David, row upon row of cold white marble, markers of heroism, overlooking Omaha, Utah, Gold, Juno, Sword, beaches eternally vigilant.

And the almost-mythic parachutist of Sainte - Mere-Eglise, first town liberated. The townspeople were very welcoming and friendly. US flags were everywhere.

But the most amazing moment came when, in stopping to admire the beautiful old half-timbered buildings of a local farm, the owner came out to greet my husband and me. Hearing that we were obviously American, he invited us in to see a most valued possession, prominently displayed in his front room: a WW II helmet of a US soldier.

They gave us General Lafayette; we gave them General Eisenhower. Crucial, both.

Freedom Fries, indeed.

Rishi Sunak has totally disgraced himself and his office. What disrespect to the veterans.

R46, Did he have a booty call?

^ There is a general election in the UK on July 4th. He left early to give an interview to ITV. All the other dignitaries stayed on, as they should have. Opportunistic little runt.

[Quote] This is untrue. At the very worst, Churchill feared that the allies were sending hundreds of thousands of young men to certain death in a slaughter reminiscent of WWI. The estimates Churchill and Eisenhower were seeing predicted that 75% of the parachute troops alone could be killed on D-Day.

It’s not untrue, but it wasn’t just Churchill who opposed it, it was the entire UK military.

When the Americans entered the war, and a Europe First strategy was developed, they wanted to launch an immediate invasion across the channel. The British simply did not fight major continental powers that way. Churchill was looking for his “peninsula war” (the British war in Spain that caused a perpetual annoyance to Napoleon) — an invasion in a weak zone. He did not want to risk a showdown with the German main forces.

As the British were actively engaged with the gernans in North Africa, Churchill and his commanders devised a plan for the Americans to invade North Africa from the west, trapping the Africakorps. The allies would clear Africa this was, then invade Sicilian from Africa, and Italy from Sicily.

The Americans thought this was all bullshit but reluctantly agreed. Africa was cleared, Sicily conquered, and then Italy invaded, but it turned out to be far from the “Spanish ulcer” Churchill had hoped. Italy is ridiculously easy to defend against southern invasion — it’s narrow and there’s an amazing amount of highly defensible positions. The Germans were still near the top of their game, and the allies paid dearly for every inch. Thousands of Allied lives were fruitlessly squandered in Italy.

But Churchill’s indirect strategy did have some benefits for Normandy, although no one had planned for or anticipated them. First, amphibious operations are probably the most complex military operations of all. The allies had massive problems with the invasion of North Africa and Sicily. Italy went a bit better. All the time they were picking up experience in amphibious operations and by Overlord they weee veterans at it and planned for every contingency. It went far from perfectly, but it might have been a complete shambles if the allies hadn’t done it several times before.

Also the Americans had not fought the Germans yet and the experience in Sicily was a useful primer. A lot is made of the American rout on first contact at Kasserine Pass, but it’s nothing the Germans hadn’t already done to the French, British and Russians before.

And by 1944 the situation of the German army was much worse than in 1943, largely due to the Russian front and allied bombing campaigns.

So we should probably split the difference here — the British indirect approach and desire to focus on Italy was a failure — by the end of the war the Germans were still defending Italy when they surrendered at Caserta — but an invasion straight across the channel in 1943 (or even worse, in 1942) would have been vastly riskier. But who knows? It might also have ended the war a year earlier. Think of all the suffering caused by Nazi terror between 1944 and 1945.

[Quote] At a time when Allied troops had already landed in Italy, Churchill favoured pouring more troops into Italy and trying to open another front through Southern France.

No, Churchill was FANATICALLY opposed to Operation Dragoon (the invasion of southern France). He was the number one foe of the invasion and fought it every step of the way, and claimed until his dying day that it was a mistake. He was wrong — it opened up the southern ports to allied supply and the dragoon invasion forces helped hold the southern front along the German border after the race across France.

^^^ Also the Americans had not fought the Germans yet and the experience in TUNISIA was a useful primer.

Thanks for the post, R45. I've been thinking about going to France one more time, mainly to visit the cathedrals of Chartre and Reims. I've been considering visiting Normandy as well. You've inspired me to do so.

While watching the TV documentary World at War around 1970 when I was in 4th grade (almost all the guys in class would watch it on Sunday evening then talk about it in the school yard in the morning), it all seemed like ancient history, fascinating and compelling, but a long time ago. The war ended only 25 years before. One thing about getting old, it certainly changes your perspective on time.

I was surrounded by veterans, uncles & neighbors. I never thought to ask them about their experiences. It just wasn't talked about. Overtime someone would mention bits and pieces about someone's else's experience, it was almost never the person themself. They were all so young, experienced horrific times, yet they came through better and stronger people for it.

R2

That is a fantastic museum - strongly encourage NOLA visitors to spend at least half a day there.

My grandfather ran what would later be called a MASH unit in Belgium at the Battle of the Bulge. One night, he was asked if he wanted to sleep inside the brick hospital nearby or out at the MASH camp with the others (he was an officer and actually had a choice) and he elected to stay in the camps. I don’t know why but maybe he had patients to look after.

The hospital was bombed that night and everyone inside was killed. My dad was already a toddler at that point so I would still be born, assuming he still met my mom, etc., but I would have missed all the wonderful years I had with my Pappy. He was a good, good, man and the last Austin physician who made house calls. His wife, my Mimi, kept copious diaries which are so lovely to read, though she mentioned not liking a Gregory Peck movie, which was disappointing.

R9

The French immigration guy on the left looks highly amused.

R51 I’d love to agree with the last sentence of your post, but way too many of them either didn’t come through it or did, but broken. My husband’s dad fought his way onto the beach at Iwo Jima and was a shattered man who lived in pain for the next sixty years. He wasn’t the only one.

^ We should give thanks every day to these extraordinarily brave men. I had it drummed into me by my parents what could have happened if not for the Allies winning WW2.

Very true, R54, I shouldn't have made such a blanket statement.

One uncle was always very quiet, reserved, distant, not very emotive. I knew he was one of the very few survivors in his battalion during the Battle of the Bulge and had liberated a concentration camp in Austria. An aunt later told me that before the war, he was always the life of the party, and that he came back a very changed man. I think the Depression and war years were just too painful to talk about. I only learned recently that my father's family was so poor (his father had TB and couldn't work) that my grandmother had to go around to rectories to beg for food. All I heard growing up was that on Sunday's their apartment through the 40s and 50s was the place to be, there was great food, beer, music, dancing, laughter and good times. I think they really tried not to think of the bad times.

- R51

Part of the reason the attack was so successful is due to the intelligence information gathered.

From what I understand, at some point in 1943 or early 1944, Hitler had hosted the Japanese commander (not the emperor, I don’t think, but his top military advisor).

As he was wont to do, Hitler bragged about how many troops he had, where they were stationed, how many tanks and planes he had and where those were stationed, etc. The Japanese guy turned around and sent this information back to the emperor and it was ALL intercepted, decoded and passed on. A lot of the information could be corroborated by people on the ground in France. Remember, the British had broken the Enigma code, so they could also confirm what the Japanese guy passed on.

While Operation Overlord was a massive risk, the Allies had a lot more information than Hitler realized.

Still, it was a fucking awesome attack. I can’t imagine how terrifying it was to those young men who participated.

And some fools today are rooting for the goddamn Nazis.

He should never be allowed to live this down.

Can you imagine being 18 or 20 and facing that fucking beach?

There’s yet another series on the History Channel with recorded voices of soldiers from D-Day where they tell what it was like to be the first ones off those boats. Brits and Americans, alike. They also have recorded interviews from the German soldiers defending the shores.

Pretty much like the movie, the fucking nazis were shooting fish in a barrel.

The German machine guns could shoot a frightful number of rounds per minute.

There was an article in the Wall Street Journal this week about the toll the preparatory bombings took on the French villagers. Thousands were killed, some villages totally destroyed. Supposedly warning leaflets were dropped but never reached the people because of winds.

R59, an 18-20 year old in 1944 was a very different cat than one today. His formative years were spent in the Depression. But still undeniably scary.

I totally agree, R62. But I also think it is important to remember that 18-20 year olds faced the horrors in Korea and Vietnam. I could be wrong about the exact number, but 700 firemen, many in their 20s & 30s, were ordered to go rescue people from the upper floors of the WTC and not one of the 700 refused, I witnessed nurses just out of school face the daily horror show that was covid for weeks and they kept showing up to work and did the best they could and helped save many.

I think no matter the absurdity or silliness that seems to be a group of people who rise to the occasion, who face the challenge and somehow do what needs to be done.

Average age of D day casualties - 26. 26!!!

Sunak really stepped in it. He's lost the Palace. "There was also fury at Buckingham Palace, where courtiers pointed out that the King, who is being treated for cancer, was advised not to travel but was determined to do so, despite being in pain."

[quote]: NOS A GULIELMO VICTI VICTORIS PATRIAM LIBERAVIMUS: We, once conquered by William, have now set free the Conqueror's native land."

I do like that Churchill apparently had this quote saved up for the commonwealth war cemetery.

Moreover, r66, the Conqueror was William of Normandy; that is to say, the Allies just reversed his game plan, shown on the Bayeux Tapestry! Why the Nazis didn't figure this invasion path out (or at least side with those who did), instead looking at Calais, I don't know!

Just re-watched "The Eye of the Needle," about getting the Normandy plan to Hitler. Donald Sutherland and Kate Mulligan are excellent in this tense thriller.

The 3rd "Band of Brothers" installment, "Masters of the Air," is about our "Bomber Boys" who softened up German forces prior to D-Day. Apple+ TV.

My father fought at the Battle of the Bulge. He was in Luxembourg with the 80th Division Heavy Artillery when he braved enemy fire (according to the official certificate) to observe their positions, for which "gallantry in action, 5 January 1945" he was awarded the Silver Star.

The 80th division was the most accurate with the artillery, and when I was in high school my father recalled that to convince me that "See? Trigonometry is important"!

Kate Mulligan. Sorry! (WHET?)

[Quote] Moreover, [R66], the Conqueror was William of Normandy; that is to say, the Allies just reversed his game plan, shown on the Bayeux Tapestry! Why the Nazis didn't figure this invasion path out (or at least side with those who did), instead looking at Calais, I don't know!

Because Calais made a lot more sense than Normandy. It was a lot closer. Indeed, the distance between the allied invasion embarkation zones and Normandy caused some problems with fleet cohesion and direction. Some of the invasion forces were affected by current and tide, making navigation very difficult, so they were off in their landings, the most famous being “Omaha Beach.”

[italic]Love, love, hurray for love.

Who was ever too blase for love?

Make this a night for love

If we have to fight, let's fight for love.[/italic]

He fought, they fell in love, and they got married yesterday, 80 years later in Normandy. The mayor of one of the first towns liberated married them and Biden and Macron made the state dinner their wedding dinner.

"Together, the collective age of the bride and groom was nearly 200. But World War II veteran Harold Terens and his sweetheart Jeanne Swerlin proved that love is eternal as they tied the knot Saturday inland on the D-Day beaches in Normandy, France. Their respective ages — he's 100, she's a youngster of just 96 — made their nuptials an almost double-century celebration. Terens called it "the best day of my life."

On her way into the nuptials, the bubbly bride-to-be said: [bold]"It's not just for young people, love, you know? We get butterflies. And we get a little action, also."[/bold]

It's pretty impressive that they both seem to be able to get around without any assistance.

R69, I made my point with historical precedence. Your supporting of Calais from the German view makes zero sense, like, are you trying to somehow show the "error" of Normandy? When the Nazis were convinced otherwise until too late?

Yes, they had artillery stationed there and killed many, but the more heavily fortified Calais would have been a total disaster for the Allies and thus the war.

And one last attempt to override Auto-correct: Kate Nelligan.

Why Normandy:

Actually the Nazis gave us a kick in the teeth the first 24 hours.

"As he was wont to do, Hitler bragged about how many troops he had, where they were stationed, how many tanks and planes he had and where those were stationed, etc. "

Now which contemporary Republican blowhard candidate does this sound like?

I really like the New Yorker’s take on the invasion.

That’s great, r75!

[Quote] [R69], I made my point with historical precedence. Your supporting of Calais from the German view makes zero sense, like, are you trying to somehow show the "error" of Normandy? When the Nazis were convinced otherwise until too late?

What kind of nonsense is this, you silly cunt? It was either Normandy or Calais. The Germans thought Calais more likely, and there were grounds for that. The Allies decided on Normandy, and there were grounds for that too.

One you have something rational to add, ring a bell or do a dance or something.