D-Day—to Take Back a Continent

a 76th anniversary remembrance

76 years ago today, the US-led Allied Expeditionary Force launched Operation Overlord—the D-Day invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe at the Normandy beaches in northwestern France.

The Axis Powers of Germany and Italy had occupied most of western Europe since 1940; it was sometimes referred to as Fortress Europa.   The other great Axis Power, Japan, had taken over much of the Far East, having started its expansion in the early 1930s.   In late 1941, Japan had attacked Hawaii, bringing the United States into the war on the side of the Allies, whom the US had already been supporting since World War II had started in 1939.

Within less than a year of the Normandy Invasion, Nazi Germany surrendered unconditionally.   By the middle of August 1945, Japan also surrendered unconditionally, ending the Second World War.

With an estimated 70 to 85 million people killed, World War II is by far the deadliest in human history.   Tens of millions of people died during the conflict due to genocides, including the Holocaust.   Many millions more were purposely starved to death.

It was a totally decisive victory for the US.   America had become the greatest superpower in the world, and it has remained so to this day.   Of the seven foreign wars in its history that the United States has fought in, this is the only war that it has ever won.   ( More to come on this. )

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