On 6 June 1944, British, US and Canadian forces invaded the coast of Normandy in northern France. The landings were the first stage of Operation Overlord – the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe – and aimed to bring an end to World War Two

Why did the United States invaded Normandy on D-Day?

In order to confuse the Germans, the Allies tried to make it look like they were going to attack north of Normandy at Pas de Calais. Although the D-Day invasion had been planned for months, it was almost cancelled due to bad weather. General Eisenhower finally agreed to attack despite the overcast skies.

Who stormed the beaches of Normandy?

On June 6, 1944, more than 156,000 American, British and Canadian troops stormed 50 miles of Normandy’s fiercely defended beaches in northern France in an operation that proved to be a critical turning point in World War II. Below are key facts on the planning and execution of the epic Allied invasion.