June 6, 1944, has gone down in history under the now legendary name D-Day, the Allied landings on the beaches of Normandy. It was the most dramatic part of Operation Overlord, which marked the beginning of the liberation of German-occupied Western Europe.

A fleet of more than 6,900 ships was needed to bring the attacking forces of more than 156,000 men ashore at five beaches, which were given the code names (from west to east) Utah and Omaha (US), Gold (British), Juno (Canadian), and Sword (British). About 24,000 paratroopers were also deployed to secure strategic points and to prevent German attacks on the flanks of the landing forces.

Thanks to poor weather conditions and heavy resistance from German units, the operations were successful. By the evening of June 6, 1944, the Allies had gained a foothold on all five beaches. The German defenders did not know how to respond. D-Day was primarily an Anglo-American effort: British, American, and Canadian troops made up the majority, but no less than 17 Allied countries participated on the ground, at sea, and in the air. The landings of June 6, 1944, went down in history under the now legendary name D-Day.