Today: D-Day 76th Anniv, June 6, 1944: Powerful Tribute, Vets In Normandy, FDR's Prayer, Period Film

[appalachiablue]

Last edited Sat Jun 6, 2020, 11:52 AM - Edit history (2)

- (3 mins). June 6, 1944, Allied D-Day Invasion to liberate France and Europe from Nazi Fascism and anti-democratic tyranny. Honor the sacrifice of the men and women who endeavored to preserve democracy.

On June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline, to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which, “we will accept nothing less than full victory.”

More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end, the Allies gained a foot-hold in Continental Europe. The cost in lives on D-Day was high. More than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded, but their sacrifice allowed more than 100,000 Soldiers to begin the slow, hard slog across Europe, to defeat Adolf Hitler’s crack troops. https://www.army.mil/d-day/



- American troops head toward landing at Omaha Beach, June 6, 1944.


- FDR and D-Day, "A Mighty Endeavor," FDR Library.



As dawn broke on June 6, 1944, German soldiers defending the French coast at Normandy beheld an awe-inspiring sight—the largest amphibious invasion force in history massed in the waters of the English Channel. The long-awaited invasion of northwest Europe was underway.

The giant invasion had taken years to organize. Hundreds of thousands of men and millions of tons of weapons and equipment were transported across the Atlantic Ocean to Britain in advance of the operation. The invasion force consisted chiefly of Americans, Britons, and Canadians. But troops of the Free French and many other nations also participated.

The invasion was the culmination of Franklin Roosevelt’s Grand Strategy, especially his decision to pursue a “Germany First” policy and his insistence—in the face of Churchill’s preference for a peripheral strategy—that the operation go forward in 1944. Normandy invasion established a solid “Second Front” in Europe. Its success left Hitler’s armies trapped in a vise, fighting the Red Army in the East and an expanding Anglo-American-Canadian force in the West.

During the tense early hours of the invasion, FDR monitored reports from the front. That evening, he delivered a statement to the American people. It took the form of a prayer, which he read on national radio.



- Hu Riley of Mercer Island, Washington struggles on Omaha Beach, June 6, 1944.


** Franklin D. Roosevelt's D-Day Prayer **

On the night of June 6, 1944, President Roosevelt went on national radio to address the nation for the first time about the Normandy invasion. His speech took the form of a prayer.
The date and timing of the Normandy invasion had been top secret. During a national radio broadcast on June 5 about the Allied liberation of Rome, President Roosevelt made no mention of the Normandy operation, already underway at that time.

When he spoke to the country on June 6, the President felt the need to explain his earlier silence. Shortly before he went on the air, he added several handwritten lines to the opening of his speech that addressed that point. They read: "Last night, when I spoke to you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far."

** TEXT of Radio Address - Prayer on D-Day, June 6, 1944:

"My fellow Americans: Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.

And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer: Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.

Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith... Read more at link below.

-> LISTEN to FDR's Prayer on the radio, June 6, 1944.
_________________




** Eleanor Roosevelt's 'My Day Column' for June 6, 1944:

Eleanor Roosevelt’s My Day column ran six days a week from 1936 to 1962. Nationally syndicated, her columns discussed important issues, activities and interests, and reached millions of Americans every day. Below is the full text of the column drafted by Eleanor Roosevelt on the day of the Normandy invasion:

[My Day draft] "WASHINGTON, Tuesday—So at last we have come to D-Day, or rather, the news of it reached us over the radio in the early hours of the morning on June the 6th. The first people I saw seemed very much excited. Curiously enough, I have no sense of excitement whatsoever. It seems as though we have been waiting for this day for weeks, and dreading it, and now all emotion is drained away. More...

Read More, FDR Library, https://www.fdrlibrary.org/d-day

[Basic LA]

1. Thank you!

Absorbing & powerful post !

[appalachiablue]

2. YW, If ever there was a time to remember & heed that

critical operation to liberate Europe and crush fascism, it's now!