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Chapter 25 D-Day (Normandy Landings) World War II



6 June 1944, also known as D-Day is the day of the Allied Invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. The landing on the beach of Normandy was codenamed "Operation Neptune." The target 50-mile (80 km) stretch of the Normandy coast was divided into five sectors: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword Beach. Casualties were heaviest at Omaha, with its high cliffs. At Gold, Juno, and Sword, several fortified towns were cleared in house-to-house fighting, and two major gun emplacements at Gold were disabled using specialized tanks. Planning for the operation began in 1943. In the months leading up to the invasion, the Allies conducted a substantial military deception, codenamed Operation Bodyguard, to mislead the Germans as to the date and location of the main Allied landings. The weather on D-Day was far from ideal, but postponing would have meant a delay of at least two weeks, as the invasion planners had requirements for the phase of the moon, the tides, and the time of day that meant only a few days in each month were deemed suitable. German casualties on D-Day were around 1,000 men. Allied casualties were at least 10,000, with 4,414 confirmed dead. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This day was a day that effected the whole war and contributed to the Allied Victory on the Western Front

Works Cited: Text: //Wikipedia//. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 29 Feb. 2016. . Photo: //Wikipedia//. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 29 Feb. 2016. .