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Jj
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Jj
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Jj
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Tom brokaw: Normandy...
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For many, this was the end.
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Jj
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For many more,
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it was the beginning.
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But for all of us,
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everything changed here,
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in normandy, on these sands.
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The day they all embarked
to come here,
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they received a letter
from their supreme commander,
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general Dwight d. Eisenhower.
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It was June 5, 1944,
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general Dwight d. Eisenhower:
Soldiers, sailors and airmen
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of the allied
expeditionary force!
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You are about to embark
upon the great crusade,
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toward which we have striven
these many months.
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The eyes of the
world are upon you.
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The hopes and prayers
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of Liberty-loving people
everywhere march with you.
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In company with our brave allies
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and brothers-in-arms
on other fronts...
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You will bring
about the destruction
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of the German war machine,
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the elimination of Nazi tyranny
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over the oppressed peoples
of Europe,
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and security for ourselves
in a free world.
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Your task will not be
an easy one.
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Your enemy is well trained,
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well equipped
and battle-hardened.
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He will fight savagely.
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But this is the year 1944!
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Much has happened since
the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41.
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The united nations
have inflicted upon the Germans
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great defeats, in open battle,
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man-to-man.
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Our air offensive has seriously
reduced their strength
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in the air and their capacity
to wage war on the ground.
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Our home fronts have given us
an overwhelming superiority
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in weapons and munitions of war,
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and placed at our disposal
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great reserves
of trained fighting men.
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The tide has turned!
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The free men of the world are
marching together to victory!
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I have full confidence
in your courage,
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devotion to duty
and skill in battle.
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We will accept
nothing less than full victory!
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Good luck!
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And let us all beseech
the blessing of almighty god
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upon this great
and noble undertaking.
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Jj
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Woman:
"Liberty ship" is the name
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that president Roosevelt gave
to the nearly 3,000 cargo ships
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built in the United States
from 1941 until 1945.
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To ensure the supplying
of the allied forces,
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the pace of production Rose
to one per day.
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Braving all the dangers
of the north Atlantic,
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these ships transported
the means
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to bring Europe its Liberty.
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Brokaw:
There have always been wars,
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in one place or another,
on our planet.
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But during the 20th century,
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war extended
to the entire world twice
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in the space of 20 years.
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Having started in Europe,
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it is here, too,
that the second world war
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began to come to an end...
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In France, and to be precise,
in normandy.
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Jj
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Jj
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Jj
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It was here in normandy,
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that a new balance for the world
as we know it today was forged.
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But during the war,
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normandy was not as welcoming
as it is today...
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Because from 1940,
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France, like most of Europe,
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was occupied by German troops
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of the third reich,
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led by Adolf Hitler,
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with Italy as its ally,
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forming the axis.
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Only the United Kingdom
remained free
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after its victory
in the battle of britain.
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In June, Hitler broke
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his pact with Stalin
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and triggered
a massive offensive
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against the Soviet union,
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opening up
an enormous battlefront
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in the east of Europe.
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In December, after Japan's
surprise attack on Pearl harbor,
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the United States
entered the war
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along with the British
and the Russians
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against the axis forces.
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Despite Japan's infamy,
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Franklin Roosevelt agreed
with Winston Churchill
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to liberate "Europe first."
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Hitler knew this.
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To concentrate his best troops
on the eastern front,
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he had to protect
his western flank
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from a seaborne attack.
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In march,
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he ordered the building
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of a defensive system
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along 4,000 kilometers
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of coastline: The Atlantic wall.
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By that August,
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construction had only got
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as far as the foundations
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when the Canadian troops
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attempted a first
landing operation at dieppe.
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Robert boulanger:
August 18, 19 and 20, 1942.
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Dear mom and dad,
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there is enough moonlight
for me to continue my letter
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aboard our assault barge.
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If I should be
among the casualties,
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Jacques will let you know
what happened to me
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as we have promised
to do this for one another,
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in case one of us
does not return.
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I love you
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from the bottom of my heart,
Robert.
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Brokaw:
The landing was a disaster.
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Of the 6,000 soldiers present,
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more than half were wounded,
killed or taken prisoner.
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This led Hitler to believe
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his own propaganda,
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describing the Atlantic wall
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as an impenetrable barrier.
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The artillery batteries were
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the strongest elements
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of the Atlantic wall.
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Hidden back from the shoreline,
each bunker housed a Cannon
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that could destroy a ship
20 kilometers away.
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The exact position of the ships
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was given by the command post
overlooking the sea.
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Each battery was
a small fortress
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capable of devastating a fleet.
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After inspecting
the normandy beaches,
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general rommel oversaw
their reinforcement.
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He covered them
with millions of mines
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and all kinds of obstacles.
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Many were immersed at high tide
to destroy landing craft
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and stop a naval attack
at the beaches.
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Field marshal Von rundstedt
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had 58 divisions
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under his command
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oh the western front.
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39 of these,
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averaging 14,000 men each,
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were placed
under rommel"s orders.
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Well protected behind the wall,
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an army of engineers
developed new weapons
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that could tip the war
in favor of the axis.
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V1's, the first cruise missiles,
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and V2's,
the first rocket missiles,
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could be aimed at england.
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And once operational,
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the first jet aircraft
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would be able to surpass
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the fastest allied fighters.
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The Russians pushed the Germans
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back to their borders.
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The allies retook north Africa
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and surged into Southern Italy.
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The opening of a second front
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in western Europe
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would allow them
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to take the third reich
in a pincer attack.
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But first, they needed
to breach the Atlantic wall.
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That was the aim
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of operation overlord,
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commanded by
an American general:
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Woman: Two-and-a-half-ton truck.
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A real all-rounder,
this six-wheel drive truck
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was involved everywhere,
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for all uses during
the second world war.
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Of the 800,000 trucks made
in four years,
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more than 100,000 went
to the Soviet army.
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Brokaw: Since entering the war,
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the United States had developed
its military effort
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with an enormous
industrial capacity.
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The allies had won the
battle of the Atlantic and now,
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even england's numerous ports
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were not enough to accommodate
all the arriving ships.
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For the military forces
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of 12 different nations,
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the whole of england
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became a gigantic training camp.
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Man: Fire!
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While the largest military
gathering in history
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prepared to invade Europe,
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the allied commanders
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kept the date and the place
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of the landings a secret
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until the Eve of d-day.
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The location had to
combine different imperatives:
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Be near a large deep-water port
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and within the operational
radius of fighter planes
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taking off from england.
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It had to have flat,
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wide and deep beaches
to enable thousands of men
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and their equipment to land
and quickly move inland.
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The countryside had
to be suitable
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for the construction
of makeshift airfields.
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In the end, two French locations
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fit all the criteria best:
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The calais area
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and western normandy.
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By deciphering
the codes generated
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by the reich's coding
machine, enigma,
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the allies knew
that Hitler's generals
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were expecting a landing
around calais.
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This big port was on
the quickest route to Germany.
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Thus, it was the most
heavily protected section
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of the Atlantic wall.
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So the allied planners
chose normandy.
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Although further from england,
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it was also
more lightly defended.
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And if the Bridges
over the loire and the seine
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were destroyed,
it would be difficult
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for German reinforcements
to access.
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Jj
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To increase the element
of surprise,
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the allies launched
operation fortitude,
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an elaborate deception plan
to encourage the Germans
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to concentrate their troops
away from normandy.
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00:14:02,458 --> 00:14:04,244
Double agents
reported information
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00:14:04,292 --> 00:14:05,702
on the first U.S. army group
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amassing just across
from calais,
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commanded by the legendary
general patton.
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But these armies were fake.
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In addition,
clouds of metallic strips
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were dropped to deceive radars
spread along the coast
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and create the illusion
of a large-scale attack.
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At dawn on d-day,
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big clouds of this chaff
were dropped around calais.
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At the same time, the allies
did everything possible
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to get intelligence on normandy.
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00:14:34,333 --> 00:14:36,619
They collected millions
of postcards
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00:14:36,667 --> 00:14:38,498
and family photographs
of the coastline
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from before the war.
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00:14:40,500 --> 00:14:43,162
They took aerial photographs
and sent in commandos
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to collect sand samples
from the beaches.
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But it was the French resistance
249
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that supplied
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00:14:58,500 --> 00:15:00,115
invaluable detailed information
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00:15:00,167 --> 00:15:03,000
on the German troop
and defense positions.
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Exiled in London,
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00:15:12,458 --> 00:15:13,538
general de gaulle appealed
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00:15:13,583 --> 00:15:15,244
to French men and women at home
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to rise up
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00:15:16,667 --> 00:15:17,998
against the German occupation...
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And form the resistance,
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a real shadow army.
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Risking their lives,
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they carried out orders
sent from London.
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Every evening,
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in the greatest of secrecy,
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they listened to a special
British radio program.
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These ordinary French phrases
were actually coded messages.
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And this verse
from a French poem
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formed the first part
of the signal
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that violette and her companions
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00:15:58,083 --> 00:16:00,244
had been expecting
for four years.
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00:16:02,167 --> 00:16:05,204
The landing would take place
in five days' time.
270
00:16:07,042 --> 00:16:08,498
Never had an invasion
271
00:16:08,542 --> 00:16:11,079
been as well prepared
as that of normandy.
272
00:16:11,125 --> 00:16:12,535
General Montgomery,
273
00:16:12,583 --> 00:16:15,040
who had beaten rommel
in north Africa,
274
00:16:15,083 --> 00:16:16,948
designed the final plan.
275
00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:19,992
More than 130,000 men
276
00:16:20,042 --> 00:16:22,249
would land
on five code-named beaches:
277
00:16:22,292 --> 00:16:25,034
"Utah" and "Omaha"
for the Americans,
278
00:16:25,083 --> 00:16:27,199
"gold" and "sword"
for the British,
279
00:16:27,250 --> 00:16:28,990
and "juno" for the Canadians.
280
00:16:29,042 --> 00:16:30,452
These beaches stretched
281
00:16:30,500 --> 00:16:32,536
80 kilometers along the coast.
282
00:16:32,583 --> 00:16:35,074
For the Americans,
283
00:16:35,125 --> 00:16:36,990
objective number one
was cherbourg.
284
00:16:37,042 --> 00:16:38,452
Impossible to capture
from the sea,
285
00:16:38,500 --> 00:16:39,706
they needed to seize
286
00:16:39,750 --> 00:16:42,241
this important port
from the land.
287
00:16:48,667 --> 00:16:50,407
For the British and Canadians,
288
00:16:50,458 --> 00:16:52,574
objective number one was caen,
289
00:16:52,625 --> 00:16:55,458
to ensure an anchor
for the allies on the continent
290
00:16:55,500 --> 00:16:57,616
and open the route to Paris.
291
00:16:57,667 --> 00:17:01,489
The resistance had to carry out
sabotage operations
292
00:17:01,542 --> 00:17:04,579
to isolate normandy
and disturb communications
293
00:17:04,625 --> 00:17:06,957
between the German
command posts.
294
00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:10,618
The date of the assault
would also be determined
295
00:17:10,667 --> 00:17:13,409
by a combination
of favorable conditions.
296
00:17:13,458 --> 00:17:15,574
Right before the landing
on the beaches,
297
00:17:15,625 --> 00:17:18,037
paratroopers would need
the darkness of night
298
00:17:18,083 --> 00:17:20,244
to secure the flanks
of the assault zone.
299
00:17:20,292 --> 00:17:22,032
But the bombers
would need a full moon
300
00:17:22,083 --> 00:17:23,539
to find their targets.
301
00:17:23,583 --> 00:17:26,450
So that night,
the full moon had to rise,
302
00:17:26,500 --> 00:17:28,240
but late.
303
00:17:29,750 --> 00:17:31,615
The morning of the landings,
304
00:17:31,667 --> 00:17:34,079
a high tide would hide
the obstacles,
305
00:17:34,125 --> 00:17:37,197
but a low tide would extend
the distance to cross.
306
00:17:37,250 --> 00:17:41,038
So the tide had
to have started rising.
307
00:17:44,667 --> 00:17:47,158
In June 1944,
308
00:17:47,208 --> 00:17:49,449
the right conditions
for both tide and moon
309
00:17:49,500 --> 00:17:51,286
would only happen in normandy
310
00:17:51,333 --> 00:17:53,449
between the 5th and the 7th.
311
00:17:53,500 --> 00:17:57,243
A never-ending wait
in the rain began.
312
00:17:59,625 --> 00:18:03,322
Alfred birra: June 5, 1944,
313
00:18:03,375 --> 00:18:05,582
my darling Barbara,
314
00:18:05,625 --> 00:18:08,367
there aren't many men able
to sleep tonight.
315
00:18:08,417 --> 00:18:11,989
Most of us are
sitting around talking,
316
00:18:12,042 --> 00:18:16,240
generally doing what men do
when they're anxious,
317
00:18:16,292 --> 00:18:19,250
a little afraid
and not wanting to show it.
318
00:18:22,708 --> 00:18:25,199
Brokaw: "Okay, we'll go."
319
00:18:25,250 --> 00:18:27,536
With these words
at dawn on June 5,
320
00:18:27,583 --> 00:18:31,155
after a final weather report
promising marginal conditions,
321
00:18:31,208 --> 00:18:32,618
eisenhower launched the largest
322
00:18:32,667 --> 00:18:36,114
and most important
military operation ever.
323
00:18:36,167 --> 00:18:39,125
His letter was read
by tens of thousands of men
324
00:18:39,167 --> 00:18:41,032
embarking
on the European assault,
325
00:18:41,083 --> 00:18:43,540
and he went in person
to encourage some of them.
326
00:18:45,250 --> 00:18:46,990
In France that day,
327
00:18:47,042 --> 00:18:49,078
the German weather bureau
had not forecast
328
00:18:49,125 --> 00:18:51,207
a break in the channel storms.
329
00:18:51,250 --> 00:18:55,448
Reassured,
rommel left France for Germany.
330
00:18:55,500 --> 00:18:56,956
The next day, June 6,
331
00:18:57,000 --> 00:18:58,661
was his wife's birthday.
332
00:19:02,292 --> 00:19:05,125
In Southern england,
the greatest armada of all time
333
00:19:05,167 --> 00:19:08,079
finally set sail,
heading for normandy.
334
00:19:11,167 --> 00:19:13,123
More than 6,000 vessels
335
00:19:13,167 --> 00:19:15,408
gathered in the middle
of the channel.
336
00:19:15,458 --> 00:19:17,119
Except for
the easily-recognizable
337
00:19:17,167 --> 00:19:19,123
four-engine bombers,
338
00:19:19,167 --> 00:19:20,657
all allied aircraft were painted
339
00:19:20,708 --> 00:19:23,541
with white and black
invasion stripes
340
00:19:23,583 --> 00:19:25,323
that could be seen
from a great distance,
341
00:19:25,375 --> 00:19:27,536
and thus avoid friendly fire
from the ground.
342
00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:37,956
Jj
343
00:19:52,583 --> 00:19:54,539
Jj
344
00:20:04,458 --> 00:20:07,200
The landing would take place
the next day.
345
00:20:07,250 --> 00:20:10,447
June 6 would become...
346
00:20:10,500 --> 00:20:12,456
History.
347
00:20:16,208 --> 00:20:18,324
Woman: C-47 skytrain.
348
00:20:18,375 --> 00:20:20,536
This military version
of the DC-3
349
00:20:20,583 --> 00:20:22,323
was nicknamed "Dakota"
by the British.
350
00:20:22,375 --> 00:20:26,243
It was used for parachuting,
glider-towing, troop transport,
351
00:20:26,292 --> 00:20:29,614
casualty evacuation,
freight and postal delivery.
352
00:20:29,667 --> 00:20:31,453
With over 10,000 made,
353
00:20:31,500 --> 00:20:34,367
it is the most produced
transport plane in history.
354
00:20:40,333 --> 00:20:42,164
Brokaw:
The night before the landings,
355
00:20:42,208 --> 00:20:44,601
the resistance carried out more
than 1,000 sabotage operations
356
00:20:44,625 --> 00:20:49,699
to disrupt German communications
and isolate normandy.
357
00:20:49,750 --> 00:20:52,241
Meanwhile, in england,
358
00:20:52,292 --> 00:20:54,374
allied airborne troops
were embarking.
359
00:21:02,083 --> 00:21:03,664
Just after midnight,
360
00:21:03,708 --> 00:21:06,199
six gliders
carrying 30 men each,
361
00:21:06,250 --> 00:21:09,663
landed between the caen canal
and the orne river Bridges.
362
00:21:13,375 --> 00:21:17,539
They had been mined and it was
crucial to seize them intact.
363
00:21:20,167 --> 00:21:22,453
The forces arriving later
from the beaches
364
00:21:22,500 --> 00:21:26,413
would use them to quickly
reinforce the eastern flank.
365
00:21:26,458 --> 00:21:28,414
Taken by surprise,
366
00:21:28,458 --> 00:21:31,074
both Bridges were captured
and demined
367
00:21:31,125 --> 00:21:32,535
within a few minutes.
368
00:21:32,583 --> 00:21:34,448
An hour later, to the west,
369
00:21:34,500 --> 00:21:37,037
the arrival of two
American airborne divisions
370
00:21:37,083 --> 00:21:39,039
was much tougher.
371
00:21:49,250 --> 00:21:51,957
The 13,000 American paratroopers
372
00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:53,956
were dropped from their c-47s
373
00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:56,457
over a huge area
behind Utah beach,
374
00:21:56,500 --> 00:21:58,161
many far from their targets
375
00:21:58,208 --> 00:21:59,994
around sainte-mere-eglise
376
00:22:00,042 --> 00:22:01,623
and sainte-Marie-du-mont.
377
00:22:01,667 --> 00:22:06,286
The Germans had flooded much
of the area behind the beaches,
378
00:22:06,333 --> 00:22:09,621
and dozens of paratroopers
drowned on landing.
379
00:22:11,250 --> 00:22:13,616
Undetected by the Germans,
the armada,
380
00:22:13,667 --> 00:22:15,658
led by cruisers and battleships,
381
00:22:15,708 --> 00:22:17,164
dropped anchor about
382
00:22:17,208 --> 00:22:19,244
20 kilometers from the coast,
383
00:22:19,292 --> 00:22:22,614
most of them out of range
of German artillery batteries.
384
00:22:28,750 --> 00:22:30,581
Despite their famous “crickets,”
385
00:22:30,625 --> 00:22:32,661
which were intended
to help paratroopers
386
00:22:32,708 --> 00:22:34,708
find each other at night,
nearly half were missing.
387
00:22:36,250 --> 00:22:38,036
But sainte-mere-eglise was taken
388
00:22:38,083 --> 00:22:40,699
and thus, the Americans
controlled the cherbourg road.
389
00:22:40,750 --> 00:22:42,957
The position had to be held
390
00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:45,457
until reinforcements
could arrive from Utah beach.
391
00:22:47,083 --> 00:22:48,198
Soldiers were transferred
392
00:22:48,250 --> 00:22:50,161
from troop ships
to landing craft,
393
00:22:50,208 --> 00:22:52,244
each with 32 men.
394
00:22:53,625 --> 00:22:55,581
The longues-sur-mer
artillery battery
395
00:22:55,625 --> 00:22:58,697
was right in the middle
of the allied landing zone.
396
00:23:02,167 --> 00:23:05,000
At dawn on June 6,
397
00:23:05,042 --> 00:23:06,953
the horizon was hidden by fog.
398
00:23:17,125 --> 00:23:19,457
Oh, my god.
399
00:23:21,083 --> 00:23:23,244
Sie kommen.
400
00:23:33,750 --> 00:23:36,617
Brokaw: While the landing craft
approached the shore,
401
00:23:36,667 --> 00:23:39,500
allied ships blasted
the German coastal defenses.
402
00:23:39,542 --> 00:23:41,658
The firepower became apocalyptic
403
00:23:41,708 --> 00:23:45,280
when hundreds of bombers
took over from the fleet.
404
00:23:48,083 --> 00:23:50,495
Flying along the coastline,
405
00:23:50,542 --> 00:23:52,703
medium-size bombers dropped
their bombs
406
00:23:52,750 --> 00:23:54,536
oh Utah beach fortifications...
407
00:23:54,583 --> 00:23:56,244
Targeted strikes that destroyed
408
00:23:56,292 --> 00:23:58,248
most positions along the shore.
409
00:24:02,583 --> 00:24:05,040
At the same time,
over Omaha beach,
410
00:24:05,083 --> 00:24:07,415
heavy bombers attempted
a frontal attack.
411
00:24:07,458 --> 00:24:09,949
Lack of visibility
and fear of hitting
412
00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:12,161
their own landing craft
delayed their bombing
413
00:24:12,208 --> 00:24:13,539
for a few seconds.
414
00:24:15,750 --> 00:24:17,536
So, despite the bombing,
415
00:24:17,583 --> 00:24:21,451
the defenses of Omaha beach
remained intact.
416
00:24:21,500 --> 00:24:23,582
Strong currents pushed
417
00:24:23,625 --> 00:24:26,617
the first assault waves
nearly two kilometers south,
418
00:24:26,667 --> 00:24:28,157
fortunately for them.
419
00:24:28,208 --> 00:24:30,199
Here, the German defenses
were lighter.
420
00:24:30,250 --> 00:24:33,663
The follow-on convoys were
directed to the same location.
421
00:24:39,208 --> 00:24:42,120
Many of the amphibious tanks
leading the attack
422
00:24:42,167 --> 00:24:43,623
sank with their crew.
423
00:24:43,667 --> 00:24:46,454
Just behind,
the first waves of infantry
424
00:24:46,500 --> 00:24:48,456
were sent
into a ten-kilometer front
425
00:24:48,500 --> 00:24:50,456
without any protection.
426
00:24:58,667 --> 00:25:00,373
The battery at the top
427
00:25:00,417 --> 00:25:02,032
of pointe du hoc
428
00:25:02,083 --> 00:25:03,163
was still a threat
429
00:25:03,208 --> 00:25:04,539
to both Utah and Omaha beaches.
430
00:25:04,583 --> 00:25:07,325
After sustained bombing,
225 U.S. rangers
431
00:25:07,375 --> 00:25:10,287
stormed the eastern flank
of the cliff
432
00:25:10,333 --> 00:25:12,540
to neutralize those guns.
433
00:25:12,583 --> 00:25:14,164
The climb to the cliff top
434
00:25:14,208 --> 00:25:16,164
and the subsequent fighting
were murderous...
435
00:25:17,750 --> 00:25:20,537
But 20 minutes after
the start of the assault,
436
00:25:20,583 --> 00:25:22,073
the bunkers were captured.
437
00:25:28,500 --> 00:25:29,990
The brave rangers discovered
438
00:25:30,042 --> 00:25:32,499
the feared cannons were not
in the bunkers.
439
00:25:32,542 --> 00:25:34,703
Hidden a kilometer away,
440
00:25:34,750 --> 00:25:37,412
they would be found
and destroyed.
441
00:25:46,500 --> 00:25:47,580
In the British sector,
442
00:25:47,625 --> 00:25:49,161
the tide had begun to rise.
443
00:25:49,208 --> 00:25:51,369
At last, the assault began.
444
00:25:51,417 --> 00:25:54,659
Jackie landreaux: June 6, 1944.
445
00:25:54,708 --> 00:25:57,324
Papa went to look on the beach
and shouted,
446
00:25:57,375 --> 00:25:58,990
"english ships!
447
00:25:59,042 --> 00:26:00,157
The allies are coming!"
448
00:26:00,208 --> 00:26:02,290
Shells whistled
and burst over us.
449
00:26:02,333 --> 00:26:04,244
Our final hour had come.
450
00:26:04,292 --> 00:26:05,998
Suddenly,
the shots were further apart.
451
00:26:06,042 --> 00:26:08,143
We went outside, and papa went
to check on Mrs. dumont.
452
00:26:08,167 --> 00:26:09,953
He returned quickly.
453
00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:11,410
"She has a wounded englishman."
454
00:26:11,458 --> 00:26:12,994
We were to nurse him.
455
00:26:13,042 --> 00:26:14,248
He gave me four sweets,
456
00:26:14,292 --> 00:26:16,123
and I heard
my first english words.
457
00:26:16,167 --> 00:26:18,624
"Thank you."
458
00:26:22,500 --> 00:26:24,957
Brokaw:
Close to 25,000 British soldiers
459
00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:27,036
landed on a five-kilometer front
460
00:26:27,083 --> 00:26:30,120
to the east of the planned site.
461
00:26:30,167 --> 00:26:32,579
Their mission
was to capture bayeux,
462
00:26:32,625 --> 00:26:35,583
but first to take the high
ground overlooking arromanches.
463
00:26:48,375 --> 00:26:50,536
With French soldiers
from kieffer's commando leading,
464
00:26:50,583 --> 00:26:52,119
29,000 men landed
465
00:26:52,167 --> 00:26:53,452
at the set time.
466
00:27:00,583 --> 00:27:02,539
After crossing Pegasus bridge,
467
00:27:02,583 --> 00:27:05,450
they were set up
on both banks of the orne river.
468
00:27:05,500 --> 00:27:08,287
Then, joining up with
the Canadians of juno beach,
469
00:27:08,333 --> 00:27:11,120
they had to capture caen
before nightfall.
470
00:27:11,167 --> 00:27:14,364
In juno's western sector,
471
00:27:14,417 --> 00:27:17,375
seven amphibious tanks
out of 29 sank.
472
00:27:17,417 --> 00:27:19,032
But the Canadians,
473
00:27:19,083 --> 00:27:21,119
determined to take
their revenge for dieppe,
474
00:27:21,167 --> 00:27:23,283
overcame fierce
German resistance.
475
00:27:29,583 --> 00:27:31,198
Their mission:
476
00:27:31,250 --> 00:27:33,115
Join up with the British
from sword beach
477
00:27:33,167 --> 00:27:35,123
and capture the caen airfield.
478
00:27:35,167 --> 00:27:38,239
At the German headquarters,
confusion reigned.
479
00:27:41,125 --> 00:27:43,241
They were awaiting
Hitler's orders,
480
00:27:43,292 --> 00:27:44,657
yet the only order he had given
481
00:27:44,708 --> 00:27:47,666
was to not be awaken
before 9:00 A.M.
482
00:27:50,708 --> 00:27:53,120
Still trapped
between German crossfire
483
00:27:53,167 --> 00:27:54,577
and the rising tide,
484
00:27:54,625 --> 00:27:57,697
American troops
were being decimated.
485
00:27:57,750 --> 00:28:00,116
Then, eight destroyers
charged toward the beach
486
00:28:00,167 --> 00:28:01,452
at flank speed from the sea.
487
00:28:01,500 --> 00:28:02,615
They came in close
488
00:28:02,667 --> 00:28:04,578
to fire on the deadly cannons.
489
00:28:04,625 --> 00:28:07,116
The shots were spot on.
490
00:28:07,167 --> 00:28:08,498
Taking advantage
491
00:28:08,542 --> 00:28:10,248
of this unexpected support,
492
00:28:10,292 --> 00:28:11,372
small groups broke through
493
00:28:11,417 --> 00:28:13,703
the German defense lines.
494
00:28:13,750 --> 00:28:15,581
Aiming for
the orne river Bridges,
495
00:28:15,625 --> 00:28:17,581
heavy bombers dropped more
496
00:28:17,625 --> 00:28:20,367
than 150 tons of bombs on caen.
497
00:28:25,333 --> 00:28:27,198
Denise harel: We heard
aircraft hovering above.
498
00:28:27,250 --> 00:28:29,536
Boom! We hid in the bathroom.
499
00:28:29,583 --> 00:28:30,663
I was facing my cousin,
500
00:28:30,708 --> 00:28:32,448
who smiled at me one last time
501
00:28:32,500 --> 00:28:34,707
as a second bomb fell
on the house next-door.
502
00:28:34,750 --> 00:28:36,661
Everything collapsed.
503
00:28:36,708 --> 00:28:38,539
Therese and I were buried
under the rubble.
504
00:28:38,583 --> 00:28:40,665
We fell all the way
through the cellar
505
00:28:40,708 --> 00:28:43,620
and we had two floors
and the attic on top of us.
506
00:28:43,667 --> 00:28:45,999
Therese said nothing.
507
00:28:46,042 --> 00:28:50,206
She was next to me and her
right arm was around my waist.
508
00:28:50,250 --> 00:28:52,115
I was begging
to get me out of there
509
00:28:52,167 --> 00:28:53,167
as quickly as possible...
510
00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:56,101
And they brought me here,
511
00:28:56,125 --> 00:28:58,241
into the shelter.
512
00:29:01,042 --> 00:29:02,953
Brokaw: Now back in France,
513
00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:05,161
rommel learned that Hitler
had finally agreed
514
00:29:05,208 --> 00:29:07,620
to release some of
the reserve armored divisions.
515
00:29:07,667 --> 00:29:09,703
The 21st panzer division
516
00:29:09,750 --> 00:29:11,081
launched a counterattack
517
00:29:11,125 --> 00:29:12,490
and reached the coast,
518
00:29:12,542 --> 00:29:14,624
but outnumbered and surrounded,
519
00:29:14,667 --> 00:29:16,953
it withdrew
to the north of caen.
520
00:29:18,167 --> 00:29:19,122
Sainte-mere-eglise
521
00:29:19,167 --> 00:29:20,452
was how seized,
522
00:29:20,500 --> 00:29:21,956
the road to cherbourg
523
00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:23,956
was in the hands
of the U.S. army,
524
00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:25,143
and around sainte-Marie du mont,
525
00:29:25,167 --> 00:29:26,953
the bridgehead
was firmly secured
526
00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:28,615
behind Utah beach.
527
00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:39,116
Mission accomplished.
528
00:29:39,167 --> 00:29:41,249
Arromanches was liberated,
and the British reached
529
00:29:41,292 --> 00:29:44,250
the outskirts of bayeux,
miraculously spared.
530
00:29:48,208 --> 00:29:49,243
Of all the allied troops
531
00:29:49,292 --> 00:29:51,374
that landed at dawn,
532
00:29:51,417 --> 00:29:53,954
the Canadians pushed deepest
into the countryside,
533
00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:56,161
but they were stopped
north of caen.
534
00:29:57,375 --> 00:29:59,536
The troops landed on the beach,
535
00:29:59,583 --> 00:30:02,074
succeeded in joining
the airborne division.
536
00:30:02,125 --> 00:30:04,616
Near Pegasus bridge,
537
00:30:04,667 --> 00:30:06,157
the cafe gondree
538
00:30:06,208 --> 00:30:08,494
became the first
liberated house in France.
539
00:30:12,250 --> 00:30:14,206
The eastern flank was secured,
540
00:30:14,250 --> 00:30:16,457
but caen remained out of reach.
541
00:30:16,500 --> 00:30:19,037
As soon as the battles
were over on the beaches,
542
00:30:19,083 --> 00:30:21,244
reinforcements arrived
without waiting
543
00:30:21,292 --> 00:30:23,248
for a real port to be seized.
544
00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:26,581
At Omaha, the bridgehead
545
00:30:26,625 --> 00:30:28,581
was very thin.
546
00:30:28,625 --> 00:30:31,458
Soldiers and civilians
suffered heavy losses,
547
00:30:31,500 --> 00:30:33,411
but the landing was a success.
548
00:30:33,458 --> 00:30:35,619
By the evening of June 6,
549
00:30:35,667 --> 00:30:38,079
the allied forces
had opened up a large breach
550
00:30:38,125 --> 00:30:40,081
in the Atlantic wall.
551
00:30:55,250 --> 00:30:58,242
Melvin b. Farrell: June 6, 1944.
552
00:30:58,292 --> 00:31:00,123
It all seemed unreal.
553
00:31:00,167 --> 00:31:01,998
This section was
under intense fire
554
00:31:02,042 --> 00:31:04,328
from the pillboxes
we could see on the hill.
555
00:31:04,375 --> 00:31:08,243
Every fifth machine gun bullet
is a tracer, glowing red.
556
00:31:08,292 --> 00:31:10,499
They're so dense
and crisscrossed.
557
00:31:10,542 --> 00:31:13,204
You can't believe anyone
can get through it alive.
558
00:31:13,250 --> 00:31:16,367
I wonder if I'll ever be able
to forget all this.
559
00:31:18,208 --> 00:31:20,995
Brokaw: The "longest day"
was finally over,
560
00:31:21,042 --> 00:31:22,532
but in normandy,
561
00:31:22,583 --> 00:31:24,949
the "longest summer"
was just beginning.
562
00:31:27,333 --> 00:31:29,164
Woman: Bulldozer.
563
00:31:29,208 --> 00:31:31,290
This humble workhorse,
neglected by history,
564
00:31:31,333 --> 00:31:34,370
played a vital role in
the early hours of the landing,
565
00:31:34,417 --> 00:31:37,124
clearing obstacles
and leveling the beaches.
566
00:31:37,167 --> 00:31:40,455
Later, it cleared roads,
dug passages through hedges,
567
00:31:40,500 --> 00:31:42,115
plowed under the mine fields,
568
00:31:42,167 --> 00:31:45,534
and most importantly,
created makeshift runways.
569
00:31:51,292 --> 00:31:52,998
Brokaw: Now the allied forces
570
00:31:53,042 --> 00:31:55,533
had to fight Hitler's armies
on their own ground.
571
00:31:55,583 --> 00:31:58,074
A major port was essential,
572
00:31:58,125 --> 00:32:00,116
but cherbourg was not yet taken,
573
00:32:00,167 --> 00:32:03,534
and that's why the allies
brought two artificial ports
574
00:32:03,583 --> 00:32:07,121
over from england and
began setting them up on June 7:
575
00:32:07,167 --> 00:32:09,579
Mulberry a and mulberry b,
576
00:32:09,625 --> 00:32:12,367
also known as port Winston.
577
00:32:12,417 --> 00:32:15,659
The breakwaters were made
of 6,000-ton concrete blocks,
578
00:32:15,708 --> 00:32:17,448
built in england.
579
00:32:17,500 --> 00:32:20,242
These floating caissons
were towed across the channel.
580
00:32:20,292 --> 00:32:21,577
Once in normandy,
581
00:32:21,625 --> 00:32:23,661
their bottoms opened up
to allow water in,
582
00:32:23,708 --> 00:32:25,994
and they sank to the seabed.
583
00:32:28,125 --> 00:32:30,457
Having demarcated
the calm water area,
584
00:32:30,500 --> 00:32:32,456
the floating piers
were installed.
585
00:32:34,292 --> 00:32:35,247
The piers were built
586
00:32:35,292 --> 00:32:36,998
on a special sliding system
587
00:32:37,042 --> 00:32:38,157
that allowed them to float
588
00:32:38,208 --> 00:32:39,618
up and down with the tide.
589
00:32:39,667 --> 00:32:42,124
The harbor was large
and deep enough
590
00:32:42,167 --> 00:32:43,623
to accommodate
the biggest ships.
591
00:32:48,500 --> 00:32:50,582
Only ten days after d-day,
592
00:32:50,625 --> 00:32:52,286
each mulberry was able
593
00:32:52,333 --> 00:32:54,574
to disembark thousands
of equipped men,
594
00:32:54,625 --> 00:32:56,206
hundreds of vehicles
595
00:32:56,250 --> 00:32:58,957
and up to 7,000 tons
of supplies a day.
596
00:33:02,375 --> 00:33:06,118
Mulberry a was destroyed
by a violent storm on June 19.
597
00:33:08,167 --> 00:33:10,453
Desperate to reach
their top priority objective,
598
00:33:10,500 --> 00:33:12,161
the Americans,
led by general Collins,
599
00:33:12,208 --> 00:33:14,119
captured fortress cherbourg
600
00:33:14,167 --> 00:33:16,123
just 20 days after d-day.
601
00:33:17,708 --> 00:33:20,245
The cherbourg harbor,
badly damaged by the Germans,
602
00:33:20,292 --> 00:33:22,248
was once again
made functional by August,
603
00:33:22,292 --> 00:33:25,079
and for months, it was
the busiest port in the world.
604
00:33:25,125 --> 00:33:28,993
Fuel came via a pipeline
under the channel.
605
00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:34,457
The Germans tried to use
the railway lines,
606
00:33:34,500 --> 00:33:36,536
but allied aerial supremacy
was total.
607
00:33:45,625 --> 00:33:47,991
Jj
608
00:34:04,708 --> 00:34:06,664
Montgomery's main objective
609
00:34:06,708 --> 00:34:08,619
was finally captured on July 9,
610
00:34:08,667 --> 00:34:10,373
after several attempts,
611
00:34:10,417 --> 00:34:13,580
and with considerable
British and Canadian losses.
612
00:34:21,750 --> 00:34:25,117
Major Edward r. Hargreaves:
Sunday, 23rd of July.
613
00:34:25,167 --> 00:34:26,998
Many French civilians
have returned
614
00:34:29,042 --> 00:34:31,454
it is very touching to see
how they take care
615
00:34:31,500 --> 00:34:34,037
of the graves of our soldiers.
616
00:34:34,083 --> 00:34:36,574
It was often impossible
to bury them in the cemetery
617
00:34:36,625 --> 00:34:38,991
during the heat of the battle...
618
00:34:42,125 --> 00:34:45,367
And the men are often buried
where they fell.
619
00:34:49,500 --> 00:34:51,411
Brokaw: When preparing overlord,
620
00:34:51,458 --> 00:34:54,450
the allied commanders
had not taken into account
621
00:34:54,500 --> 00:34:57,207
the height and the thickness
of the normandy hedgerows.
622
00:34:57,250 --> 00:34:59,241
The Germans
knew this terrain well
623
00:34:59,292 --> 00:35:01,578
and used the hedgerows
to carry out ambushes
624
00:35:01,625 --> 00:35:05,413
and to set up stubborn defenses.
625
00:35:05,458 --> 00:35:07,198
The deadly
battle of the hedgerows
626
00:35:07,250 --> 00:35:09,115
lasted until late July.
627
00:35:09,167 --> 00:35:10,953
On the 19th, Saint-lo,
628
00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:12,615
or what was left of it,
629
00:35:12,667 --> 00:35:14,658
was liberated by the Americans.
630
00:35:14,708 --> 00:35:16,949
95% destroyed,
631
00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:19,457
it had become a martyr city.
632
00:35:22,500 --> 00:35:25,663
After the American
breakthrough on July 25,
633
00:35:25,708 --> 00:35:27,994
Hitler ordered
four armored divisions
634
00:35:28,042 --> 00:35:30,579
into a counterattack
west toward mortain
635
00:35:30,625 --> 00:35:33,241
in an attempt to split
the American advance.
636
00:35:34,667 --> 00:35:36,623
The tiger was
the most powerful German tank
637
00:35:36,667 --> 00:35:38,623
and the most feared.
638
00:35:50,083 --> 00:35:52,290
But the allied forces had become
639
00:35:52,333 --> 00:35:54,119
real "tank killers."
640
00:36:04,625 --> 00:36:07,116
The Germans had to fall back
to the east,
641
00:36:07,167 --> 00:36:09,203
giving the allies an opportunity
642
00:36:09,250 --> 00:36:12,162
to capture several
German divisions in a trap:
643
00:36:12,208 --> 00:36:14,164
The falaise pocket.
644
00:36:14,208 --> 00:36:17,120
Spearheaded by Polish
and Canadian divisions,
645
00:36:17,167 --> 00:36:18,327
the allied pincers eventually
646
00:36:18,375 --> 00:36:20,616
snapped shut on August 19.
647
00:36:28,292 --> 00:36:31,705
40,000 Germans had surrendered
by August 21.
648
00:36:31,750 --> 00:36:34,082
100 days after d-day,
649
00:36:34,125 --> 00:36:36,491
the battle of normandy
was finally over.
650
00:36:36,542 --> 00:36:39,158
The road to Paris was now open.
651
00:36:43,292 --> 00:36:44,953
Woman: The Jeep.
652
00:36:45,000 --> 00:36:47,616
Today, we might argue
about how the Jeep got its name,
653
00:36:47,667 --> 00:36:50,955
but everyone considers
this four-wheel drive vehicle
654
00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:52,706
a symbol of the liberation
of Europe.
655
00:36:52,750 --> 00:36:54,957
According to eisenhower,
656
00:36:55,000 --> 00:36:57,332
the bulldozer,
the two-and-a-half-ton truck,
657
00:36:57,375 --> 00:37:00,242
the c-47 skytrain and the Jeep
658
00:37:00,292 --> 00:37:02,248
are the keys to victory.
659
00:37:05,000 --> 00:37:06,365
Brokaw: The human cost
660
00:37:06,417 --> 00:37:09,079
of the battle of normandy
was enormous'
661
00:37:09,125 --> 00:37:12,242
more than 200,000
allied dead or wounded,
662
00:37:12,292 --> 00:37:14,954
and nearly 400,000 dead,
663
00:37:15,000 --> 00:37:17,116
wounded or captured
on the German side.
664
00:37:17,167 --> 00:37:21,115
The Norman civilian toll
was also very heavy:
665
00:37:21,167 --> 00:37:22,998
Up to 20,000 dead,
666
00:37:23,042 --> 00:37:25,203
mostly victims of the bombing
of their cities.
667
00:37:25,250 --> 00:37:27,491
But the course
of the second world war
668
00:37:27,542 --> 00:37:30,454
had definitively shifted
in favor of the allies.
669
00:37:38,292 --> 00:37:40,123
On August 25,
670
00:37:40,167 --> 00:37:41,647
general leclerc's
2nd armored division
671
00:37:42,708 --> 00:37:44,664
to liberate their city,
672
00:37:44,708 --> 00:37:45,948
and general de gaulle,
673
00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:47,331
leader of a free France,
674
00:37:47,375 --> 00:37:48,535
could march triumphantly
675
00:37:48,583 --> 00:37:50,539
down the champs-elysees.
676
00:37:50,583 --> 00:37:51,583
Throughout winter,
677
00:37:51,625 --> 00:37:53,331
the allied forces fought on
678
00:37:53,375 --> 00:37:56,082
in severe conditions
in Belgium and the Netherlands.
679
00:37:56,125 --> 00:37:59,663
It was not until may 1945
that they finally forced
680
00:37:59,708 --> 00:38:02,950
the third reich
into an unconditional surrender.
681
00:38:03,000 --> 00:38:06,538
And on September 2, 1945,
682
00:38:06,583 --> 00:38:08,448
with Japan's surrender,
683
00:38:08,500 --> 00:38:10,991
six years exactly
after its beginning,
684
00:38:11,042 --> 00:38:13,704
world war ll finally ended.
685
00:38:13,750 --> 00:38:17,618
It resulted in over
60 million victims worldwide,
686
00:38:17,667 --> 00:38:20,079
military and civilian.
687
00:38:20,125 --> 00:38:22,081
Jj
688
00:38:37,583 --> 00:38:39,539
Jj
689
00:38:47,583 --> 00:38:49,539
Jj
690
00:38:57,583 --> 00:39:00,450
Jj
691
00:39:16,250 --> 00:39:18,206
Jj
692
00:39:27,667 --> 00:39:29,623
Jj
693
00:39:38,708 --> 00:39:40,664
Jj
694
00:39:48,750 --> 00:39:51,207
Today, there still are wars,
695
00:39:51,250 --> 00:39:54,208
in one place or another
on our planet...
696
00:39:54,250 --> 00:39:56,616
But most of us live freely,
697
00:39:56,667 --> 00:39:58,953
in a relatively peaceful world.
698
00:39:59,708 --> 00:40:01,289
While the last withesses
699
00:40:01,333 --> 00:40:03,949
of the second world war
are departing forever,
700
00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:07,117
let us not forget what millions
of men and women
701
00:40:07,167 --> 00:40:09,658
had to suffer
in order to leave us
702
00:40:09,708 --> 00:40:11,664
a better world.
703
00:40:16,750 --> 00:40:18,581
Let us be grateful to those
704
00:40:18,625 --> 00:40:20,161
who gave everything,
705
00:40:20,208 --> 00:40:22,119
including their lives,
706
00:40:22,167 --> 00:40:24,123
for our Liberty.
707
00:40:26,583 --> 00:40:29,120
Jj
708
00:41:04,167 --> 00:41:06,123
Jj
709
00:41:34,167 --> 00:41:36,123
Jj
710
00:42:04,167 --> 00:42:06,123
Jj
711
00:42:34,167 --> 00:42:36,123
Jj
48645
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