Overlord

There was only one way to end the war in Europe quickly. By 1943, American and British bombings had taken their toll of German arms and men, but the Germans were still in control in France, Belgium and Holland. This meant there had to be an invasion of Nazi- occupied France across the English Channel.

Operation OVERLORD—the code name for the Allied plan to free Europe and win the war—took enormous planning. Men, arms and supplies of clothing and food and all sorts of spare parts had to be brought to England; ships, planes and gliders and tanks had to be readied—all while dummy air fields with fake tanks and planes were set-up to confuse Hitler’s spies. For Germany knew the invasion was bound to happen, and all of the Atlantic Coast was being heavily fortified, particularly along the French coast of the Channel, closest point to England.

The actual landing was brutal and bloody, particularly at Omaha Beach. This story, as well as what happened on Juno and Utah Beaches, the months of planning, the predawn glider attack and the later battles by Allied forces across Europe are vividly recreated by Albert Marrin for today’s readers.