Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1941
The Allies (Britain, the Soviet Union, and others) peck away at the fringes of “fortress
Europe.” The Soviets repel Hitler's invasion at Moscow, while the Brits (with American aid)
battle German U-boats for control of the seas. On December 7, Japan bombs the US naval
base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The US enters the war against Japan and its ally, Germany.
1942
Three crucial battles—at Stalingrad, El-Alamein, and Guadalcanal—weaken the German
forces and their ally Japan. The victorious tank battle at El-Alamein in the deserts of North
Africa soon gives the Allies a jumping-off point (Tunis) for the first assault on the Continent.
1943
More than 150,000 Americans and Brits, under the command of George Patton and Bernard
“Monty” Montgomery, land in Sicily and begin working their way north through Italy. Mean-
while, Germany has to fend off tenacious Soviets on their eastern front.
1944
On June 6, 1944, the Allies launch “Operation Overlord,” better known as D-Day. The Allies
amass three million soldiers and six million tons of
matériel
in England in preparation for the
biggest fleet-led invasion in history—across the English Channel to France, then eastward to-
ward Berlin. The Germans, hunkered down in northern France, know an invasion is imminent,
but the Allies keep the details top secret. On the night of June 5, 150,000 soldiers board ships
and planes, not knowing where they are headed until they're under way. Each one carries a
note from General Dwight D. Eisenhower: “The tide has turned. The free men of the world are
marching together to victory.”
At 6:30 on June 6, 1944, Americans spill out of troop transports into the cold waters off a
beach in Normandy, code-named Omaha. The weather is bad, seas are rough, and the prep
bombing has failed. The soldiers, many seeing their first action, are dazed, confused, and
weighed down by heavy packs. Nazi machine guns pin them against the sea. Slowly, they
crawl up the beach on their stomachs. More than a thousand die. They hold on until the next
wave of transports arrives.
Americans also see action at Utah Beach, while the British and Canadian troops storm Sword,
Juno, and Gold. All day long, Allied confusion does battle with German indecision—the
Nazis never really counterattack, thinking D-Day is just a ruse, not the main invasion. By
day's end, the Allies take several beaches along the Normandy coast and begin building artifi-
cial harbors, providing a tiny port-of-entry for the reconquest of Europe. The stage is set for a
quick and easy end to the war. Right.
1945
Having liberated Paris (August 26, 1944), the Allies' march on Berlin from the west bogs
down, hit by poor supply lines, bad weather, and the surprising German counterpunch at the
Battle of the Bulge. Finally, in the spring, the Americans and Brits cross the Rhine, Soviet sol-
diers close in on Berlin, Hitler shoots himself, and—after nearly six long years of
war—Europe is free.
Helpful Hints
Normandy Pass:
IfyouplantovisitseveralD-Daysites,youcansaveafeweurosbybuy-
ing the Normandy Pass (€1 added to the full-price admission at your first site). You'll
