Original subtitles

[ARTILLERY FIRE]

\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: IT WAS THE TURNING POINT OF WORLD WAR II--

THREE MILLION SOLDIERS,

\h\h\h\hHUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF SHIPS, PLANES, AND TANKS,

A LOGISTICAL COMPLEXITY \h\h\h\h\hUNPRECEDENTED

IN A MILITARY OPERATION.

THIS WAS THE BATTLE OF NORMANDY.

♪

\h\h\hMORE THAN 75 YEARS SINCE THE END OF THE WAR,

\h\h\h\h\hCERTAIN DETAILS OF THIS TREMENDOUS BATTLE

HAVE GONE UNTOLD.

\h\h\hMan: VERY FEW PEOPLE COULD TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENS

IN JUNE AND JULY AND AUGUST

\h\h\h\h\hAND HOW THE BATTLE FOR NORMANDY ACTUALLY ENDED.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: NOW UNPUBLISHED ARCHIVES,

20 YEARS OF RESEARCH,

EXPERTS FROM THE UNITED STATES, \h\h\h\h\h\hTHE UK, AND CANADA

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBRING TO LIFE THE BOOTS-ON-THE-GROUND REALITY

OF NORMANDY’S 85 DAYS OF HELL.

\h\hMan: LIBERATION HAS COME TO NORMANDY, BUT SO HAS WAR.

Narrator: THREE MONTHS \h\hOF SAVAGE COMBAT...

\h\h\hMan: IF WE CAN DESTROY THE GERMAN ARMY IN NORMANDY,

THEN THE REST OF FRANCE \h\h\h\hWILL BE SAVED.

Narrator: ...DURING WHICH THE ALLIES AND THE GERMANS

WILL FIGHT MERCILESSLY.

\h\h\hMan: IT’S A BATTLEFIELD WHERE THEY LIVE AND THEY DIE

AND WHERE THEY FIGHT AND WHERE THEY KILL.

Man: FROM THE AVERAGE SOLDIER’S \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hPOINT OF VIEW,

THIS JUST SEEMS TO BE A HOPELESS SITUATION.

[GUNFIRE]

Man: IT WAS A VERY DIRTY BATTLE, A SCHMUTZIGER BUSCHKRIEG,

A DIRTY BUSH WAR.

\h\h\h\hMan: EVERYONE PAID A HECK OF A PRICE FOR THIS.

Narrator: D-DAY WAS JUST THE BEGINNING.

JUNE 6th, 1944, \hEARLY MORNING.

\hTHOUSANDS OF SHIPS EMBARK FROM ENGLAND,

HEADED TO THE FRENCH COAST \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF NORMANDY.

TWO YEARS IN THE MAKING, IT’S AN ALLIED OPERATION

TO TAKE BACK FRANCE \hFROM THE GERMANS.

THEY CALL IT OVERLORD.

John McManus: RARELY IN HISTORY \h\h\h\h\hWILL YOU FIND A TIME

WHERE THESE MAJOR POWERS \h\h\h\hARE ALL MOBILIZED

ALMOST TO THE FULL EXTENT \h\h\h\hOF THEIR STRENGTH

TO HAVE THIS CONFRONTATION

\h\hOVER WHAT IS TO HAPPEN WITH THE NORMANDY INVASION.

Narrator: ALLIED SOLDIERS \h\hWILL FACE A TERRITORY

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT THE GERMANS HAVE OCCUPIED FOR FOUR YEARS.

CAEN, CHERBOURG, SAINT-LÔ--

ALL THE GREAT CITIES OF NORMANDY ARE UNDER NAZI CONTROL.

THE LANDING ZONE CHOSEN \hIS 80 KILOMETERS LONG.

\hPLACED UNDER THE COMMAND OF U.S. GENERAL EISENHOWER,

THE TROOPS WILL LAND \h\hON FIVE SECTORS.

UTAH AND OMAHA BEACHES

\h\hWILL BE TAKEN BY THE AMERICANS;

GOLD, JUNO, AND SWORD BEACHES

BY THE BRITISH AND CANADIANS.

♪

AROUND 6:30 A.M.,

\h\hTHE FIRST WAVES OF ALLIED SOLDIERS LAND ON FRENCH SOIL.

[GUNFIRE]

DURING THE FIRST HOURS \h\h\h\hOF THE LANDING,

THE ALLIES SUFFER HEAVY LOSSES

FROM THE ENTRENCHED \hGERMAN DEFENSES.

\hBUT SOLDIERS AND ARMORED VEHICLES CONTINUE TO LAND,

PUTTING PRESSURE ON THE ENEMY.

Antony Beevor: THE VITAL PART \h\hOF ANY SEABORNE INVASION

\hLIKE OPERATION OVERLORD WAS TO GET GROUND RAPIDLY

BECAUSE ONLY THEN COULD YOU START TO PUSH BACK THE ENEMY

\h\hSO THAT THEY COULD NOT KEEP FIRING AT THE BEACHES.

♪

Narrator: AFTER JUST ONE DAY,

THOUSANDS OF ALLIED SOLDIERS \h\hHAVE ALREADY BEEN KILLED,

BUT THE WIDE SCOPE \h\hOF THE LANDING

HAS BEEN FATAL TO THE GERMANS.

THE FIRST PHASE OF OPERATION \h\h\hOVERLORD IS COMPLETED.

SCATTERED THROUGHOUT \hTHE LANDING ZONES,

THE ALLIES MUST NOW REGROUP THE \hDIFFERENT UNITS ON THE GROUND.

McManus: YOU’VE GOT TO LINK UP \h\h\h\h\h\hTHOSE FIVE BEACHES

AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN.

IF THEY’RE NOT LINKED UP,

\hTHEN THE GERMANS CAN FILL THE GAPS

\h\h\h\hAND CAN BEGIN ATTACKING THE ALLIES

FROM ANY DIRECTION THEY WANT,

FROM WHAT MILITARY PEOPLE \h\h\h\hCALL THE FLANKS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTom Cook: EISENHOWER AND HIS GENERALS

NEEDED TO CREATE A BUFFER ZONE

\h\h\hTO PROTECT AGAINST THE GERMAN COUNTERATTACK

THAT WOULD COME,

\h\h\h\h\hAND, IN FACT, THEY PREPARED FOR THAT.

\h\h\h\hBeevor: THE PLAN FOR SEALING OFF NORMANDY

WAS CALLED TRANSPORTATION,

AND THIS MEANT BOMBING \h\hALL OF THE BRIDGES

OVER THE RIVER SEINE \h\h\h\h\hTO THE EAST

AND OVER THE RIVER LOIRE \h\h\h\h\h\hTO THE SOUTH

SO THAT THE WHOLE OF THE NORMAN \hAREA WAS COMPLETELY CUT OFF.

\hBUT ALSO IT MEANT SMASHING HOUSES AND TOWNS AND VILLAGES

AT CRUCIAL CROSSROADS AND PLACES TO PREVENT THE GERMANS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBRINGING UP REINFORCEMENTS AND SUPPLIES.

♪

THE AMERICAN PHRASE, WHICH HAD \h\h\h\hBEEN INVENTED IN ITALY,

WAS CALLED PUTTING THE CITY \h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE STREET,

\h\hWHICH BASICALLY MEANT SIMPLY BLOCKING THE ROADS

\h\h\h\hSO THAT TRAFFIC COULD NOT GET THROUGH.

♪

\h\h\hNarrator: EVEN BEFORE THE FIGHTING STARTS INLAND,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNORMANDY IS PARTIALLY DESTROYED--

NO WATER, NO ELECTRICITY, \h\h\h\h\hNO PHONE LINES.

\h\hAND NOW, AFTER TAKING THE FIVE LANDING BEACHES,

THE ALLIES MUST ADVANCE, \h\h\hWHATEVER THE COST,

TO PUSH THE GERMANS BACK

AND OCCUPY ENEMY TERRITORY.

♪

\h\hTHE FIRST OBJECTIVE OF GENERAL MONTGOMERY,

COMMANDER OF THE BRITISH \h\hAND CANADIAN FORCES,

\h\h\hIS TO SEIZE THE CITY OF CAEN,

LOCATED NEARLY 20 KILOMETERS FROM SWORD AND JUNO BEACHES.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hON DAY 2, MONTGOMERY IS CONVINCED

\h\h\hTHAT HE WILL SUCCEED IN RAPIDLY CAPTURING CAEN.

\h\h\h\h\hBUT FACING HIM IS GENERAL ERWIN ROMMEL,

\hKNOWN FOR HIS FEATS IN AFRICA AND NICKNAMED "THE DESERT FOX."

ROMMEL MOBILIZES HIS MOST POWERFUL ARMORED DIVISIONS

\hTO MEET THE BRITISH-CANADIAN FORCES ADVANCING TOWARDS CAEN

AND BLOCK MONTGOMERY’S \h\h\hALLIED OFFENSIVE.

[ARTILLERY FIRE]

\h\hTHE FIRST DAYS OF FIGHTING NORTH OF CAEN ARE DEVASTATING.

THE PERFECTLY ORGANIZED \h\h\h\hGERMAN DEFENSES

INVARIABLY REPEL ALL ENGLISH \h\h\hAND CANADIAN ATTEMPTS.

FACING THE GERMAN MARK IV, \hMARK V, AND TIGER TANKS,

THE AMERICAN SHERMAN TANKS \h\h\h\hUSED BY THE ALLIES

ARE JUST NOT UP TO THE MARK.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hMcManus: WHAT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER IS

EVERY AMERICAN SHERMAN TANK

\hHAS TO BE SHIPPED TO THE BATTLEFIELD,

SO IT MEANS YOU HAVE TO \h\h\hPRODUCE SOMETHING

THAT’S REASONABLY LIGHT ENOUGH \h\h\h\h\h\hTO BE ABLE TO SHIP

AND SMALL ENOUGH THAT YOU CAN \h\h\h\h\hGET IT ON THE SHIP.

IT’S A REASONABLY GOOD TANK,

BUT YOU DON’T WANT TO BE \hIN A TOE-TO-TOE BATTLE

WITH A GERMAN TANK HEAD-ON.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: 33 TONS FOR THE SHERMAN.

\h\hMORE THAN 43 TONS FOR THE GERMAN TANKS.

MORE ROBUST, WITH ARMOR SUPERIOR TO THE AMERICANS’,

\h\h\h\h\hTHEY DELIVERED DEVASTATING CANNON POWER.

[BOOM]

[EXPLOSION]

McManus: THE MUZZLE VELOCITY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF THOSE TANKS

MEANT THAT IF IT HIT YOU,

\h\h\h\hTHAT SHELL WAS GOING TO PENETRATE YOUR ARMOR PROBABLY,

YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY \h\hALONG THE SIDES,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND EITHER GO STRAIGHT THROUGH OR WORSE,

RATTLE AROUND INSIDE \h\h\h\hAND EXPLODE.

Narrator: WHILE THE BRITISH \h\h\h\h\hAND THE CANADIANS

ARE DEFEATED ON THE EAST FLANK,

\h\h\h\h\hTHE AMERICANS START ADVANCING ON THE OTHER SIDE.

\h\h\hGENERAL BRADLEY COMMANDS THE TROOPS.

\h\h\hTHEIR FIRST OBJECTIVE IS 17 KILOMETERS FROM THE COAST--

THE SMALL TOWN OF CARENTAN

\h\h\h\hAND ITS NETWORK OF ROADS AND RAILWAYS.

McManus: CARENTAN IS REALLY THE KEY

\h\h\h\h\h\hTO SEAL OFF THE COTENTIN PENINSULA

AND THEN CAPTURE CHERBOURG,

WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, THE GREATEST HARBOR IN NORMANDY.

BUT ALSO IN TANDEM WITH THAT,

YOU’RE GONNA START \hMOVING SOUTHWARD

TOWARDS THE TOWN OF SAINT-LÔ.

[ARTILLERY FIRE]

\h\h\h\hNarrator: THE 101st AMERICAN AIRBORNE DIVISION

SURROUNDS CARENTAN ON JUNE 9th, 1944.

[BOOM]

\h\h\h\hTHE FIGHTING, RUTHLESS AND SAVAGE,

WOULD LAST FOUR DAYS \h\hAND FOUR NIGHTS.

\h\h\hON JUNE 12th, CARENTAN FALLS INTO AMERICAN HANDS...

[BLOWS WHISTLE]

...WITH HEAVY LOSSES \h\h\hON BOTH SIDES.

\h\h\h\h\hBUT THE ALLIES HAVE ACHIEVED THEIR GOAL.

SIX DAYS AFTER THE LANDINGS,

ALL THE COALITION FORCES \hARE FINALLY LINKED UP.

THE TROOPS OCCUPY A BEACHHEAD \h\h\h\h\h80 KILOMETERS LONG,

REACHING AT CERTAIN POINTS 10 TO 30 KILOMETERS DEEP,

WHILE ON THE WEST SIDE, \hTHE AMERICANS ADVANCE

TOWARDS CHERBOURG \h\hAND SAINT-LÔ,

ON THE EAST SIDE,

\h\hTHE BRITISH AND CANADIANS STILL CLASH WITH THE GERMANS,

WHO MAINTAIN THEIR POSITIONS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAROUND CAEN.

THESE REPEATED DEFEATS \h\h\h\hPUT MONTGOMERY

IN A DIFFICULT POSITION \hWITH THE U.S. COMMAND.

\h\h\hHE’S DESPERATE TO WIN A FIRST IRREFUTABLE VICTORY

ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

ON JUNE 12th, HE ATTEMPTS \hAN ENCIRCLEMENT MANEUVER

BY SKIRTING CAEN FROM THE WEST TO TRAP THE GERMAN DIVISIONS.

THE 7th BRITISH ARMORED DIVISION

IS SENT TO THE SMALL TOWN \h\h\hOF VILLERS-BOCAGE.

\h\hBUT THE GERMANS ANTICIPATE THE MOVE

\h\hAND AMBUSH THE BRITISH WITH A TIGER TANK BATTALION

COMMANDED BY MICHAEL WITTMANN,

\hTHE MOST IMPRESSIVE TANK COMMANDER OF WORLD WAR II.

♪

ONE BY ONE, THE BRITISH TANKS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hARE DESTROYED.

♪

\h\h\hBeevor: THE FAILURE TO CAPTURE VILLERS-BOCAGE

BY THE 7th ARMORED DIVISION \h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND XXX CORPS

DID IMPACT BADLY ON MORALE.

THEY JUST REALIZED THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE A FAR TOUGHER JOB

\h\hTHAN THEY HAD THOUGHT ABOUT OR IMAGINED WHEN THEY SET SAIL.

♪

Narrator: IN THESE CONDITIONS, \hTAKING THE PORT OF CHERBOURG

BECOMES AN ABSOLUTE PRIORITY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR THE ALLIES.

\hAFTER CAPTURING CARENTAN, THE AMERICANS TAKE TEN DAYS

TO TRAVEL 50 KILOMETERS \hAND REACH CHERBOURG.

THE 4th, 9th, AND 79th \h\h\h\hU.S. DIVISIONS

FINALLY REACH THE CITY \h\h\h\h\hON JUNE 21st.

THEY LAUNCH THE ATTACK \h\hTHE FOLLOWING DAY.

[EXPLOSIONS]

McManus: THREE U.S. DIVISIONS \h\h\hARE ALL JUST ADVANCING

NORTH TOWARD CHERBOURG

AND TRYING TO GET INTO THE TOWN \h\h\h\hAS QUICKLY AS THEY CAN.

[GUNFIRE]

Narrator: THE CITY IS DEFENDED \h\h\h\h\h\h\hBY 30,000 TROOPS

TRAPPED BY THE ALLIES.

[ARTILLERY FIRE]

McManus: THEY’RE DOOMED BECAUSE THE ALLIED NAVY

FROM THE SEAWARD SIDE \h\h\hCAN POUND THEM,

\hAND THEN THE AMERICAN ARMY COMING FROM THE LANDWARD SIDE

\h\h\hCAN KINDA JUST CATCH THEM IN A VISE.

\hSO, THE WHOLE THING KIND OF JUST DEVOLVES

\h\hINTO THIS SORT OF BLOCK BY BLOCK FIGHT.

[GUNFIRE]

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: IT WILL TAKE A FEW DAYS

BEFORE THE AMERICAN SOLDIERS

\h\h\hDRIVE OUT ALL POCKETS OF RESISTANCE IN THE CITY.

♪

[GUNFIRE]

\h\h\h\h\hON JUNE 26th, THE GERMANS SURRENDER.

THOUSANDS OF SOLDIERS \hARE TAKEN PRISONER.

AFTER FOUR LONG YEARS \h\h\hOF OCCUPATION,

\h\h\h\h\hCHERBOURG FINALLY TASTES FREEDOM ONCE AGAIN.

[APPLAUSE]

♪

McManus: CHERBOURG IS CERTAINLY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE BIGGEST CITY

\h\h\hAT THAT POINT THAT IS LIBERATED.

THERE IS THIS LARGER \h\hGERMAN SURRENDER,

AND THE ALLIES THEN HAVE IT.

AS AN AVERAGE SOLDIER,

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT STILL WASN’T NECESSARILY YOUR TYPICAL DAY,

SO THOSE WHO WERE THERE, \h\h\hSAY, AT CHERBOURG,

TENDED TO REMEMBER THAT.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: DESPITE THIS FIRST VICTORY IN CHERBOURG,

THE CASUALTIES AFTER THREE WEEKS OF FIGHTING ARE STAGGERING.

\h\hTHOUSANDS OF SOLDIERS HAVE ALREADY BEEN KILLED OR WOUNDED.

ON THE BATTLEFIELD, \hTHE MEDICAL TEAMS

\h\h\hTRY TO INTERVENE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

THEY TRANSPORT BLOOD,

SET UP FIELD HOSPITALS.

A COMPLEX ORGANIZATION \h\h\h\hIS ESTABLISHED

TO FOLLOW THE TROOPS \h\hAS THEY ADVANCE.

\h\h\h\hIN SPITE OF THE LOSSES, THE ALLIES KEEP MOVING FORWARD

DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAFTER THE AMERICANS TAKE CHERBOURG, THEY HEAD SOUTH.

THE NEXT ALLIED TARGET IS

LESS THAN 90 KILOMETERS AWAY--

THE CITY OF SAINT-LÔ.

BUT THE AMERICAN SOLDIERS FACE

\h\h\h\hONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS REGIONS FOR INFANTRY AND TANKS--

THE NORMANDY BOCAGE.

THE BOCAGE IS MADE UP \hOF CULTIVATED FIELDS

SEPARATED BY DITCHES \h\hAND EMBANKMENTS,

CANOPIED BY HEDGEROWS \hSEVERAL METERS HIGH.

♪

\h\hMcManus: IT’S BASICALLY A MAZE OF THESE HEDGEROWS,

MOST OF WHICH ARE ABOUT 8 FEET \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO 13 FEET HIGH,

THAT THICK NORMAN SOIL, \h\h\h\hCLAY-LIKE SOIL,

PACKED AROUND FENCES AND STONE

\hTHAT CERTAINLY INDIVIDUAL SOLDIERS CAN’T GET THROUGH,

SO THE HEDGEROW OPENING \hBECOMES A KILL ZONE.

\hNarrator: THE GERMANS HAD FOUR YEARS TO PREPARE THEIR DEFENSE.

HEAVY MACHINE GUNS \h\hWERE POSITIONED

IN THE CORNERS OF EACH FIELD.

MORTARS TARGET EVERY SPOT \hTHE ALLIES MIGHT CROSS,

\h\hAND MINES HIDE IN THEIR PATHWAYS.

WITH A VISIBILITY OF NO MORE \h\hTHAN A COUPLE OF METERS,

THE AMERICANS ADVANCE BLINDLY.

[ARTILLERY FIRE]

[GUNFIRE]

UP AGAINST THE GERMANS,

\h\h\h\hDOZENS OF ALLIED SOLDIERS DIE TAKING BACK A MERE MEADOW...

[GUNFIRE]

...OR A SINGLE HEDGE.

[GUNFIRE]

[ARTILLERY FIRE]

\hMcManus: THE U.S. ARMY FINDS ITSELF IN NORMANDY

IN THE MIDDLE OF A BLOODBATH, \h\h\h\h\hABSOLUTE BLOODBATH.

\h\h\h\h\hDAY BY DAY, HEDGEROW BY HEDGEROW,

\h\hCHOKE POINT TOWN BY CHOKE POINT TOWN,

EVERY ONE OF THEM \hWHERE YOU FIGHT,

\h\hYOU’RE GOING TO SUFFER CASUALTIES.

FROM THE AVERAGE SOLDIER’S \h\h\h\h\h\hPOINT OF VIEW,

THIS JUST SEEMS TO BE A HOPELESS SITUATION.

\h\h\h\hYOU JUST KNOW THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE

KIND OF THE ROAD TO NOWHERE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN NORMANDY.

♪

Narrator: AS THE AMERICANS \h\h\h\h\h\hTRY TO NAVIGATE

THE NORMANDY HEDGEROWS,

THE BRITISH AND CANADIANS

ARE STILL ATTEMPTING

TO BREAK THE GERMAN STRONGHOLD

AROUND THE CITY OF CAEN.

\hTHE BRITISH GENERAL MONTGOMERY DECIDES TO CHANGE HIS OFFENSIVE.

HE LAUNCHES OPERATION CHARNWOOD.

ON JULY 7th, 467 ALLIED PLANES

\h\hDROP MORE THAN 2,500 TONS OF BOMBS

ON ENEMY-OCCUPIED AREAS \h\h\h\h\hAROUND CAEN.

[EXPLOSIONS]

\h\h\h\h\hAFTER HAVING BEEN HEAVILY BOMBED ON JUNE 6th,

THE CITY OF CAEN IS DECIMATED.

♪

♪

ON JULY 9th, THE BRITISH \h\hAND CANADIAN SOLDIERS

FINALLY ENTER THE CITY \h\h\h\hFROM THE NORTH.

♪

\h\h\hCook: AS THE CANADIANS AND BRITISH FOUGHT INTO CAEN,

\h\h\hTHROUGH THE RUBBLE, THEY SAW FRENCH CIVILIANS

WHO HAD SURVIVED THE BOMBING

BUT WHOSE FAMILY MEMBERS \h\h\h\hHAD BEEN KILLED.

THEY TALKED ABOUT HEARING \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE SCREAMS

OF THE FRENCH CIVILIANS \h\h\hWHO WERE TRAPPED.

\hNarrator: BUT FOR THE ALLIED COMMAND,

THE ANNIHILATION OF CAEN

\hAND THE THOUSANDS OF CIVILIANS KILLED

UNDER THE AMERICAN AND BRITISH BOMBS

WAS A NECESSARY EVIL--

\h\h\hTHE PRICE TO PAY IN WINNING THE BATTLE.

\h\hBeevor: IT’S ALWAYS HARD TALKING ABOUT ENDS AND MEANS

AND WHAT JUSTIFIES WHAT \h\h\h\h\h\hIN WARFARE.

\h\hA MORAL DECISION WOULD BE THAT THE KILLING OF CIVILIANS

IS, ALMOST BY DEFINITION, \h\h\h\h\h\hA WAR CRIME.

BUT YOU’RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE \h\h\h\hTO AVOID IT IN REALITY.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE PRIORITY WAS WE’VE GOT TO DEFEAT THE GERMANS

BECAUSE, IN A WAY, WE ACCEPT THAT NORMANDY IS GOING TO BE

REALLY THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB \hFOR THE WHOLE OF FRANCE.

\h\h\h\h\h\hIF WE CAN DESTROY THE GERMAN ARMY IN NORMANDY,

THEN THE REST OF FRANCE \h\h\h\hWILL BE SAVED.

Narrator: WHILE THE BRITISH \h\h\h\hAND CANADIAN TROOPS

GRADUALLY LIBERATE THE CITY OF CAEN,

\h\h\h\hTHE AMERICANS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE

\hAGAINST A STRONG GERMAN RESISTANCE

ON THEIR WAY TO SAINT-LÔ.

THOUSANDS OF ALLIED SOLDIERS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hARE TRAPPED

IN THE NORMANDY BOCAGE.

\h\hTHE INCESSANT RAIN AND MUD SLOW THEIR PROGRESS EVEN MORE.

TO ESCAPE THIS FATAL LABYRINTH, THEY TRY AN INGENIOUS STRATEGY.

McManus: WE’VE GOT TO CREATE \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hA NEW OPENING

THROUGH THE HEDGEROWS, BECAUSE THE MAIN ONE,

THE GERMANS HAVE COVERED,

AND THEY’RE GOING TO \h\h\hKILL EVERYBODY

WHO MOVES THROUGH THERE.

SO, THEY BEGIN TO WELD, \h\hIRONICALLY ENOUGH,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE REMNANTS OF GERMAN BEACH OBSTACLES,

THE METAL, ONTO THE FRONT \hOF TANKS WITH PRONGS...

...AND BEGIN TO USE \h\hTHE TANKS THEN

TO PUNCH A NEW OPENING THROUGH THE HEDGEROW.

♪

\hNarrator: WITH THESE SO-CALLED RHINO TANKS,

THE ALLIES TAKE THE GERMANS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hBY SURPRISE.

BUT FOR EVERY HEDGE CROSSED,

THEY REMAIN AT THE MERCY \hOF THE ENEMY SOLDIERS.

[GUNFIRE]

McManus: AS THE GERMANS HAVE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE DITCHES,

\h\h\h\hBEYOND THE HEDGEROW, A LOT OF PANZERFAUST GUNNERS.

IT’S A ONE-TIME, ONE-SHOT \hKIND OF ANTI-TANK WEAPON

THAT CAN BLOW UP YOUR TANK,

SO THE INFANTRYMEN HAVE TO MOVE \h\h\h\hVERY CLOSE TO THE TANK

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND BASICALLY WHAT THE MILITARY CALLS "CLEAN OUT"

THE GERMANS IN THE DITCHES.

THAT BASICALLY MEANS KILL THEM.

\h\h\h\h\hAND VERY CLOSE, FACE-TO-FACE QUITE OFTEN.

AND THEN THE TANKERS \h\h\h\hWILL LAY DOWN

\h\h\h\h\hWHAT’S CALLED WHITE PHOSPHOROUS FIRE,

\hAND WHITE PHOSPHORUS IS A TERRIBLE WEAPON.

\h\h\hIT’S BASICALLY A CHEMICAL THAT WILL JUST BURN THROUGH YOU

AS LONG AS IT HAS OXYGEN.

[BOOM]

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBeevor: IT WAS A VERY DIRTY BATTLE.

I MEAN, THE GERMANS THEMSELVES \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hDESCRIBED IT

AS A SCHMUTZIGER BUSCHKRIEG, \h\h\h\h\h\hA DIRTY BUSH WAR.

AND GENERAL COLLINS, WHO’D BEEN \h\h\hFIGHTING IN THE FAR EAST,

SAID THIS WAS WORSE \hTHAN THE JUNGLE.

[GUNFIRE]

♪

♪

Narrator: ON JULY 18th,

\h\h\hAFTER THREE WEEKS OF RELENTLESS FIGHTING

SINCE THE CAPTURING \h\h\hOF CHERBOURG,

THE ALLIED SOLDIERS FINALLY ENTER THE CITY OF SAINT-LÔ.

BUT UPON ARRIVAL, NOT MUCH REMAINS.

♪

THE SOLDIERS HAVE TO ADVANCE \h\h\h\h\h\hEXTREMELY SLOWLY

AS THE GERMANS HAVE MINED \h\h\h\hTHE ENTIRE CITY.

A FEW CIVILIANS EMERGE \h\hFROM THEIR SHELTERS

TO SEARCH THE RUBBLE FOR OBJECTS THAT MIGHT HAVE SURVIVED

THE ONSLAUGHT OF ALLIED BOMBS.

\hAFTER CHERBOURG, SAINT-LÔ IS THE SECOND GREAT VICTORY

FOR THE ALLIED COMMAND.

BUT THE STATE OF THE CITY,

WHICH IS LATER NICKNAMED "CAPITAL OF THE RUINS,"

EXEMPLIFIES THE HIGH PRICE \h\hOF LIBERATING NORMANDY.

♪

♪

AFTER A MONTH AND A HALF \h\h\h\h\h\hOF FIGHTING,

\h\hTHE TROOPS’ MORALE IS AT AN ALL-TIME LOW.

\hEVERY FOOT GAINED AGAINST THE GERMANS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hCOMES AT THE COST OF INTENSE AND MERCILESS COMBAT.

♪

McManus: THERE’S THE STRESS \h\h\h\h\h\hOF NOT KNOWING

WHEN THE NEXT GERMAN SHELL \h\h\h\hIS GOING TO COME IN

AND WHETHER IT’S GOING TO HIT \h\h\h\h\h\hNEAR YOU OR NOT.

\h\h\h\h\h\hCook: THEY SEE A VERY LIMITED BATTLEFIELD.

\h\h\h\h\hIT’S A BATTLEFIELD WHERE THEY LIVE AND THEY DIE

AND WHERE THEY FIGHT AND WHERE THEY KILL.

♪

♪

\h\hNarrator: FOR THE SOLDIERS, THE WARM WELCOME OF THE LOCALS

REMINDS THEM WHY THEY CAME HERE \h\h\h\h\hTO RISK THEIR LIVES.

♪

♪

♪

♪

A LITTLE ALCOHOL, CIGARETTES,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hSIMPLE GIFTS THAT LIFT THE MEN’S SPIRITS

BEFORE THE NEXT ADVANCEMENT,

THE NEXT MORTAR FIRE,

THE NEXT DEAD.

Cook: OVER TIME, MANY OF THEM REALIZE THAT THE ONLY WAY OUT

WAS TO BE KILLED OR WOUNDED,

EVEN AS REINFORCEMENTS \h\h\hCAME BEHIND THEM.

♪

THEIR WORLD BECAME VERY SMALL.

BATTLE STRESS BECAME A TREMENDOUS PROBLEM

IN THE FIGHTING IN NORMANDY, \hAND IN JULY AND IN AUGUST,

AS THE STRAIN CONTINUED,

BETWEEN ABOUT 20 AND 30 PERCENT \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF THE CASUALTIES

WERE COMBAT STRESS.

♪

Narrator: TO COMPENSATE \h\h\h\h\h\hFOR LOSSES,

REINFORCEMENTS LAND DAILY \hON THE NORMANDY BEACHES

\h\hAND ARE IMMEDIATELY SENT TO THE FRONT LINE.

AFTER A MONTH AND A HALF \h\hOF INTENSE FIGHTING,

THE MAIN CITIES OF NORMANDY

HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM THE HANDS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF THE GERMANS,

BUT THE BATTLE IS FAR FROM OVER.

♪

♪

TO PIERCE THE GERMAN DEFENSES

\h\h\hAND ACCELERATE THE TROOPS’ MOVEMENT,

\h\h\hTHE ALLIED COMMAND LAUNCHES OPERATION COBRA.

♪

♪

McManus: COBRA IS CONCEIVED \hAROUND THE IDEA OF, GOSH,

WE HAVE ALL THESE GREAT BOMBERS,

\hALL THIS AIRPOWER WE’VE BEEN USING TO PUMMEL GERMAN CITIES.

WHAT IF WE CARPET-BOMBED

A PART OF THE GERMAN LINES \h\h\h\hIN THESE HEDGEROWS

\h\h\h\hTO PUNCH A HOLE AND HAVE AN OPENING NOW

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR OUR ARMOR AND ALL OF OUR OTHER TROOPS

TO GET THROUGH HERE \h\h\hVERY QUICKLY?

IT MAKES A GREAT DEAL \hOF SENSE ON PAPER.

IT’S IN THE IMPLEMENTATION

\h\h\h\hTHAT IT CREATES SOME SERIOUS PROBLEMS.

WHY? BECAUSE THE BOMBERS \hARE NOT THAT ACCURATE.

YOU’RE ASKING THEM \h\hTO DO SOMETHING

THEY’RE NOT REALLY CAPABLE OF DOING,

WHICH IS TO BOMB CLOSE,

WITHIN ABOUT 1,000 \h\hTO 2,000 METERS

OF THEIR OWN GROUND TROOPS.

THEY’RE LUCKY TO HIT A TARGET \h\hWITHIN THREE MILES OR SO.

♪

♪

♪

[EXPLOSIONS]

♪

Narrator: FOR TWO DAYS, \h\hTHOUSANDS OF BOMBS

\h\hHIT THE FRONT LINE SOUTHEAST OF SAINT-LÔ.

♪

[EXPLOSIONS]

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hMcManus: OVER THE COURSE OF TWO DAYS,

JULY 24th AND 25th, 1944,

\h\h\hTHE HEAVY BOMBERS COME OVER FROM ENGLAND

\h\h\hAND THEY BOMB IN FRONT OF THE U.S. ASSAULT DIVISION.

THEY BOMB SHORT, AND THEY KILL \h\hSEVERAL HUNDRED AMERICANS.

THIS IS, I BELIEVE, THE GREATEST FRIENDLY FIRE INCIDENT

\h\h\hIN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.

BUT ALSO THE GOOD NEWS IS IT DOES TREMENDOUS DAMAGE,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF COURSE, TO THE PANZER LEHR DIVISION,

\h\h\hTHE GERMANS WHO WERE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THIS,

\h\h\hAND SO COBRA DOES WHAT IT’S DESIGNED FOR.

♪

Beevor: THE PANZER LEHR \h\h\h\h\h\h\hDIVISION,

OTHER GERMAN DIVISIONS,

WERE SO BADLY THROWN BY THE HEAVY BOMBING

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT THEY WERE IN A COMPLETELY DAZED STATE

WHEN THE AMERICANS GOT TO THEM.

\h\h\hWITHIN TWO DAYS, THE REAL BREAKTHROUGH HAD BEEN ACHIEVED.

Narrator: IN JUST A FEW DAYS,

THOUSANDS OF GERMANS ARE TAKEN PRISONER.

THE REICH FORCES HAVE SUFFERED ONE OF THEIR HEAVIEST DEFEATS

SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR.

DESPITE THE COLLATERAL DAMAGE,

THE MILITARY SUCCESS \hOF OPERATION COBRA

BRINGS THE BATTLE OF NORMANDY \h\h\h\h\h\hINTO A NEW PHASE.

♪

♪

ON JULY 28th,

\h\h\hTHE TOWN OF COUTANCES IS CAPTURED BY THE ALLIES.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE SAME DAY, A NEW COMMANDER ARRIVES--

GENERAL PATTON.

\h\h\hFAMOUS FOR HIS FEATS IN NORTH AFRICA AND SICILY,

PATTON HAS JUST TAKEN COMMAND \h\h\hOF THE THIRD U.S. ARMY.

HIS MISSION--MAKE A BREAKTHROUGH TO THE SOUTH OF NORMANDY.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBeevor: THE GERMANS FEARED PATTON

MORE THAN ANY OTHER \h\hALLIED GENERAL.

PATTON’S NEW JOB, WHICH HE WAS \h\h\hEXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT,

WAS THE PROSPECT OF TAKING OVER, HAVING HIS OWN ARMY,

\hONCE THE BREAKOUT CAME FROM NORMANDY.

♪

Narrator: IN JUST FOUR DAYS,

\h\h\h\hPATTON’S TROOPS WILL RETAKE THE CITIES

BETWEEN COUTANCES AND AVRANCHES

\h\h\hAND ADVANCE MORE THAN 50 KILOMETERS TO THE SOUTH

AT A PACE NOT YET SEEN \h\h\h\hIN THIS BATTLE.

♪

AS THEY PROGRESS,

THOUSANDS OF GERMAN SOLDIERS \h\h\h\h\hARE TAKEN CAPTIVE.

Beevor: THIS REALLY \hTOOK THE AMERICANS

ALL THE WAY THROUGH, DOWN PAST AVRANCHES,

\h\h\h\hAND OUT OF NORMANDY, EVEN INTO NORTHERN BRITTANY.

IT WAS A SPECTACULAR SMASHING OF THE GERMAN ARMIES IN NORMANDY.

\h\h\h\h\hTHIS WAS DEFINITELY THE START OF TAKING THE FIGHT

RIGHT THE WAY THROUGH \h\h\h\hINTO FRANCE.

♪

Narrator: ON JULY 31st, \hPATTON AND HIS TROOPS

RECLAIM THE PONTAUBAULT BRIDGE THAT CROSSES THE SÉLUNE RIVER.

\hTHEY GAIN DIRECT ACCESS TO THE WEST OF FRANCE AND TO BRITTANY.

♪

THE FOLLOWING DAY,

\hTHE AMERICANS ARRIVE AT MONT-SAINT-MICHEL,

COMPLETELY ABANDONED \h\h\h\hBY THE ENEMY.

♪

♪

PATTON’S BREAKTHROUGH \hIS A SERIOUS SETBACK

FOR THE GERMAN ARMY.

\hMcManus: THE GERMANS ARE IN AN EXISTENTIAL SITUATION

IN NORMANDY.

AND THE LOGICAL THING TO DO

WOULD BE TO SIMPLY \hRETREAT EASTWARD

\h\hAND GET OUT OF THERE AND FIGHT SOMEWHERE ELSE,

\h\h\hBUT WE’RE NOT TALKING ABOUT LOGIC

\hWHEN WE’RE TALKING ABOUT SOMEONE LIKE ADOLF HITLER.

Narrator: INSTEAD OF ORDERING \h\h\hHIS TROOPS TO RETREAT,

\h\hHITLER DECIDES TO COUNTER-ATTACK.

HIS PLAN--SEND HIS TANKS TO THE TOWN OF MORTAIN,

\h\h\h\hCLOSE TO WHERE SEVERAL AMERICAN UNITS HAVE JOINED UP.

THE GOAL IS TO CREATE A BREACH \h\hIN THE ALLIED CONFIGURATION

MEANT TO REACH AVRANCHES

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBY CUTTING THE AMERICAN ARMY IN TWO

AND REGAINING CONTROL \h\h\h\hOF THE AREA.

♪

RELUCTANTLY, THE GERMAN \hGENERALS ON THE GROUND

PREPARE THE COUNTEROFFENSIVE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBeevor: THEY HAD THESE FIRM ORDERS FROM HITLER,

\h\h\h\h\h\hEVEN THOUGH MOST OF THE COMMANDERS

OF THE GERMAN PANZER UNITS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWERE DUBIOUS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR OPERATION.

BUT THEY HAD NO OPTION, BUT THEY HAD TO GO AHEAD AND ATTACK.

Narrator: ON AUGUST 7th, 1944,

\h\h\h\hTHE GERMANS LAUNCH A COUNTERATTACK IN MORTAIN,

CODE NAME--OPERATION LÜTTICH.

♪

\h\h\hCOLUMNS OF PANZERS ATTACK THE 30th U.S. INFANTRY DIVISION

WITH FULL FORCE.

♪

\h\h\h\h\hTHE GIs RESIST THE POWERFUL GERMAN TANKS

\h\h\h\hAND MANAGE TO SLOW THE NAZI TROOPS’ PROGRESS,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hGIVING TIME FOR REINFORCEMENTS TO ARRIVE.

[GUNFIRE]

WITHIN A FEW DAYS, THE MASSIVE \h\h\h\hINFLUX OF ALLIED FORCES

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hPUSHES BACK THE GERMAN COUNTEROFFENSIVE.

HITLER’S OPERATION LÜTTICH \h\h\h\hIS A TOTAL FAILURE.

\h\hMcManus: THE GERMANS SUFFER AT LEAST 50 PERCENT CASUALTIES,

PARTICULARLY ALONG THE ROADS \h\h\h\hTHAT KIND OF ENVELOP

ON EITHER SIDE OF MORTAIN.

IT’S REALLY A DISASTER \h\h\hFOR THE GERMANS.

\h\h\hNarrator: BY MID-AUGUST, THE GERMAN FORCES ARE DEFEATED.

\h\h\hON AUGUST 15th, 1944, HITLER THROWS IN THE TOWEL

AND ORDERS HIS TROOPS \h\hTO FLEE NORMANDY.

ARRIVING FROM THE WEST,

THE AMERICANS ADVANCE

AT FULL SPEED TOWARDS ARGENTAN

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO JOIN FORCES WITH THE BRITISH AND CANADIANS.

VILLAGE AFTER VILLAGE, \h\h\h\h\h\hONE BY ONE,

THEY OCCUPY ENEMY POSITIONS.

THEY ANNIHILATE THE AREAS \h\hOF GERMAN RESISTANCE.

THE SMALL VILLAGE OF RÂNES,

TIRELESSLY HELD BY THE WEHRMACHT AND AN SS UNIT,

IS REDUCED TO RUBBLE.

♪

DOZENS OF CIVILIANS ARE KILLED.

BUT NOW IS THE TIME TO EXPEL

\h\h\h\hEVERY LAST STANDING GERMAN SOLDIER IN NORMANDY.

♪

[BOOM]

BRADLEY AND MONTGOMERY

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hCOORDINATE THE ALLIED TROOPS’ MOVEMENT.

IN THE WEST, THE AMERICANS

ADVANCE TOWARDS THE SEINE.

IN THE NORTH,

THE BRITISH AND CANADIANS

INCREASE THEIR PRESSURE

ON FALAISE.

IN THE SOUTH,

THE FRENCH ARMORED DIVISION

OF GENERAL LECLERC,

ALONG WITH THE AMERICANS, HEAD BACK UP TO ARGENTAN.

\h\h\hBETWEEN THE CITIES OF FALAISE AND CHAMBOIS,

A POCKET STARTS TO FORM,

TRAPPING NEARLY 100,000 \h\h\hGERMAN SOLDIERS.

IF THE ALLIES MANAGE TO CLOSE \h\hTHE GAP ON THE EAST SIDE,

\h\h\hTHEY WILL CUT OFF ANY CHANCE FOR ESCAPE.

\h\h\hBeevor: BRADLEY BOASTED TO VISITORS TO HEADQUARTERS,

\h\h\h"NEVER DOES A GENERAL GET AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE WE HAVE NOW

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO CLOSE THIS GAP AND BASICALLY TO SEAL THEM OFF."

Cook: THE BATTLE OF NORMANDY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hHAD BEEN FOUGHT

OVER HUNDREDS OF SQUARE MILES,

BUT IT SEEMED TO FUNNEL \h\hAT THE FALAISE GAP.

AND THIS ENORMOUS BATTLEFIELD \h\h\h\hOF HUNDREDS OF MILES

\h\h\h\h\h\hGETS FOCUSED DOWN TO A VERY SMALL DEADLY PLACE.

♪

[BOMBS WHISTLING]

\h\h\h\hNarrator: TO WEAKEN THE ENEMY’S FINAL DEFENSES,

\h\h\h\hTHE ALLIED AIR FORCES HAMMER THE GERMAN POSITIONS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hON THE GROUND, THE FIGHTING IS UNPRECEDENTED.

[ARTILLERY FIRE]

THE CANADIANS TAKE FALAISE

ON AUGUST 17th,

TRUN, THE 18th.

LITTLE BY LITTLE, THE VISE

TIGHTENS ON THE GERMANS.

THEY HAVE A CORRIDOR OF NO MORE

THAN SEVEN KILOMETERS WIDE

TO FLEE TO THE EAST.

♪

Beevor: THE MASSACRE INSIDE THE POCKET AT FALAISE WAS HORRIFIC.

THE FIGHTER BOMBERS \hKEPT ON COMING IN.

ALL OF THE GERMAN TRANSPORT HORSES,

DRAGGING FIELD HOSPITALS \h\hOR GUNS OR WHATEVER,

WERE JUST SIMPLY MACHINE-GUNNED \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THEIR TRACES.

THE SMELL, THE STENCH OF CORPSES FOR WEEKS AFTERWARDS

WAS SIMPLY APPALLING.

\hIT WAS A TURKEY SHOOT, AS THE AMERICANS WOULD HAVE CALLED IT.

Narrator: ON AUGUST 21st,

\hTHE FALAISE POCKET IS CLOSED ONCE AND FOR ALL IN CHAMBOIS.

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF GERMANS \h\h\h\h\hARE TAKEN PRISONER,

AND THOUSANDS LAY DEAD.

THE BATTLE WILL LATER BE KNOWN AS THE STALINGRAD OF NORMANDY.

McManus: YOU HAVE THOUSANDS \h\h\h\h\h\hOF DEAD BODIES,

\h\hANIMALS AND HUMANS, THAT ARE IN THAT AREA.

EISENHOWER WILL LATER \h\hWALK IT FAMOUSLY

AND SAY IT WAS POSSIBLE TO WALK

FROM ONE SIDE OF A FIELD \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO ANOTHER

\h\h\hWITHOUT EVER STEPPING ON ANYTHING BUT DEAD FLESH.

♪

Cook: I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING \h\h\hTO TRY TO IMAGINE TODAY,

\hTHAT FALAISE GAP FILLED WITH CORPSES

AND WOUNDED, SCREAMING MEN.

♪

\h\h\h\hAND THAT WAS THE PRICE OF VICTORY.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: IN THE CITY OF ARGENTAN,

\h\h\hLIBERATED THE DAY BEFORE BY THE 80th U.S. INFANTRY DIVISION,

CAMERAS IMMORTALIZE THE MEETING

\hBETWEEN THE SOLDIERS AND THE CITY’S MAYOR.

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RUBBLE,

\h\hSOME CIVILIANS FINALLY DARE TO EMERGE FROM THEIR SHELTERS.

♪

THE FALAISE-CHAMBOIS BATTLE \h\h\hWILL BE THE LAST ONE

\h\hIN THESE THREE MONTHS OF FIGHTING IN NORMANDY.

\h\h\hON THE ALLIED SIDE, 220,000 SOLDIERS WERE KILLED OR WOUNDED,

AND 20,000 CIVILIANS \h\h\h\hWERE KILLED.

\hON THE GERMAN SIDE, THE REICH ARMY LOST MORE THAN 200,000 MEN

AND ANOTHER 200,000 WERE TAKEN PRISONER.

♪

\h\hBeevor: ON AVERAGE, A BATTALION AND A HALF

WERE BEING GROUND DOWN \h\h\h\h\hOR DESTROYED

ROUGHLY EVERY SINGLE WEEK.

IN MANY CASES,

A DIVISION WOULD LAST NO LONGER \h\h\h\h\hTHAN, SAY, TWO WEEKS.

WELL, THIS GIVES ONE AN IDEA OF \hHOW MUCH NORMANDY CONTRIBUTED,

I THINK, TO THE OVERALL \h\h\h\hALLIED VICTORY,

JUST PURELY IN THE CASE \h\hOF THE DESTRUCTION

OF GERMAN FORMATIONS.

♪

Narrator: BY THE END OF AUGUST,

HORDES OF SOLDIERS AND VEHICLES \h\h\h\h\h\h\hLAND AT CHERBOURG

AND HEAD EAST TO ERADICATE THE REST OF THE NAZI ARMY.

♪

\h\h\hCook: EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT THE LANDINGS ON THE 6th OF JUNE.

VERY FEW PEOPLE COULD TELL YOU

WHAT HAPPENS IN JUNE AND JULY AND AUGUST

\h\h\h\h\hAND HOW THE BATTLE FOR NORMANDY ACTUALLY ENDED.

♪

AND I THINK TO THIS DAY,

\h\h\h\hWE ARE STILL DEALING WITH THOSE BATTLES, THAT WAR,

TRYING TO COME TO GRIPS WITH IT, TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF IT,

TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE RUINS \h\h\hOF NORMANDY 75 YEARS AGO.

♪

Narrator: AS FEW AS 50 CAMERAMEN

TIRELESSLY SHOT EACH DAY OF THIS HISTORIC BATTLE.

THEY LEFT BEHIND HUNDREDS \h\hOF HOURS OF FOOTAGE,

SOME OF WHICH ONLY SURFACED \h\h\h\h\h\hDECADES LATER.

♪

FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS,

THESE IMAGES WILL REMAIN \h\h\hTHE FINAL WITNESSES

OF NORMANDY’S 85 DAYS OF HELL.