After at least a year and a half of reading Churchill’s memoirs from the World War II, I have now come to the end of the fifth book. It is the 5th of June 1944. This night, some 160.000 soldiers will cross the English Channel by sea and by air. Airborne soldiers will jump over various parts of Normandy, to clear the way for the main invasion at 0600 hours tomorrow morning.
The ships are already on their way. The airplanes are already on their runways, preparing for the takeoff. The largest invasion ever seen throughout the history of man is beginning. Over the next 60 days, over 1.900.000 allied soldiers will be transported into battle in northern France, to spell out the doom of Nazi Germany forever.
These are good times. The Russians are already standing at the Polish borders. Crimea is freed, Leningrad saved. Rome has just fallen to the allies, North Africa is since long secure. Japan has been beaten back step by step from its far-reaching grasp and is recoiling in its home islands. Now “Festung Europa”, Adolf Hitler’s prized possession, is ready to give way.
Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!
You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have
striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The
hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.
In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on
other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war
machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of
Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world [...]Good luck! And let us beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great
and noble undertaking.
Signed, Dwight D. Eisenhower.