For the 80th anniversary of the D-Day Landings, this documentary will bring back to life the 100 days it took for the Allies to liberate Normandy, to break through the German line and to pave the way towards victory. 100 critical days, both heroic and tragic, that made history.
“The free men of the world are marching together to Victory!” These are the words of Commander Eisenhower to the Allied troops on June 6, 1944. A few hours later, they were around 150,000 to land on the Normandy coast. Operation “Overlord” was launched: one of the largest military operations of the 20th century. D-Day: 100 Days for Freedom propels us into the 100 sensational days that followed, while reviving the experiences of soldiers on both sides.
Broadcast in prime time, this film event retraces day by day – from D-Day up to the Liberation of Paris – this key moment of the Second World War, through a series of moving testimonies and spectacular colorized archives, both collective and intimate.
VIDEO HERE (1 hour 34 minutes)
With no intent to reduce the D-Day invasion, a moment to remember that the Soviet Union by that date had been fighting Germany for:
ReplyDelete22 June 1941 (1941-06-22) – 8 May 1945 (1945-05-08) (3 years, 10 months, 2 weeks and 2 days)
Hitlers attempt to secure oil fields to support his war machine was destroyed at Stalingrad in 1942 as well as a major part of his army:
Today, the Battle of Stalingrad is commonly regarded as the turning point in the European theatre of World War II,[43] as Germany's Oberkommando der Wehrmacht was forced to withdraw a considerable amount of military forces from other regions to replace losses on the Eastern Front. By the time the hostilities ended, the German 6th Army and 4th Panzer Army had been destroyed and Army Group B was routed. The Soviets' victory at Stalingrad shifted the Eastern Front's balance of power in their favour, while also boosting the morale of the Red Army.
Russians celebrate Victory Day on May 9th. This holiday commemorates the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in 1945
Even now children of those soldiers are honored by carrying pictures of their parents-grandparents.
Odd how an important ally can be turned into worse than Hitler. Orwell's 1984 had something to say about that.
I fear the Russians far less than I fear DC
DeleteOops. I can't review what I just wrote. Did I say I trust the Russians less than DC? A huge mis-statement. I trust the Russians far MORE than I trust DC
Delete150,000?
ReplyDeleteFentanyl Joe: "Hold my beer".
MILLIONS. He brought in an army of MILLIONS to destroy these United States.
What a complete waste of men. If they could see what their country's would become in just a couple of generations...
ReplyDeleteEverything that Germany fought against has now come to pass in the West.
Delete10 days later Marines and Army assaulted Saipan and lost as many troops initially. Also a much larger ocean to deal with
ReplyDeleteAn incredible film. I read a lot about all this and watch film on occasion. With tears in my eyes I think, this is what America used to be.
ReplyDeleteA glance at the persons responsible for running the war, and a consideration of the effects of their policies might be worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteThese individuals would include Chamberlain, Churchill, Stalin, FDR and Hitler.
Others- Rommel, Mussolini, Montgomery, Harris, Stark, Eisenhower, Patton, MacArthur, Tito, Darlan, de Gaulle and a large host played roles of varying consequence.
...Mistakes were made.
Germany's rearmament was unopposed.
England dithered rather than rearm.
Allies squandered the opportunity to hit Germany early in the war.
Stalin trusted Hitler, which freed him to concentrate on France.
French crumbled ignominiously, with disastrous results.
By this time Hitler had conquered most of Europe and set his sights on Britain.
And Russia.
Meanwhile, Japan set out to claim the entire Pacific basin- from Alaska to Australia, the Philippines to the Indian Ocean.
They bombed Pearl Harbor.
The "sleeping giant" awoke.
But was it too late? Almost.
[Then a bunch of stuff happened: America rearmed. Various campaigns in N. Africa, the fjords, Burma, Sumatra, the Atlantic, Greece, Italy and elsewhere. These were not particularly successful but did serve to divert some of Hitler's armies in Russia.]
A combination of poor planning, winter weather, impossible logistics and incredible sacrifice ended Hitler's Russian foray.
And now the Allies were ready to attack Germany.
They did. Germany- doomed, exhausted, bankrupt was defeated.
Russia occupied the former German conquests and made them Soviet puppet states.
And thus, The Cold War began.
Roosevelt thought he could "handle" Uncle Joe. (Nope.) Truman was a rookie.
Ike had to consider shifting assets to the Pacific theater.
So. Who "won" the war?
Well, if that means who won the actual fighting- the answer is clear.
But appraising the post-war situation is more difficult, even in hindsight.
I reckon time will tell.
The Soviet Union and worldwide communism, won the war. Aided by America. That’s a sobering realization.
DeleteMy blood is Buried in the American cemetery in Normandy. 90th Division, Utah Beach
ReplyDeleteExcellent video, wirecutter. It was a great way to spend the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Thank you for the link.
ReplyDeleteMy dad and all but 1 of my uncles served in WW2.. Army, Navy, Marines and Merchant Seaman
ReplyDeleteTo those who stepped up, thank you
To those who never came home, we owe more than we can ever repay
JD