NORMANDY - France 2014 - page 457

My recommended plan of attack: Start your visit with the Jour J movie that sets the
stage, then tour the WWII sections and finish with the second movie (Espérance) .
Self-Guided Tour: Begin by watching Jour J (D-Day) , a powerful 15-minute
film that shows the build-up to D-Day itself (runs every 30 minutes from 10:00 to 18:00,
pick up schedule as you enter, works in any language). Although snippets come from the
movie The Longest Day and German army training films, some footage is of actual battle.
On the opposite side of the entry hall from the theater, find Début de la Visite signs
and begin your museum tour with a downward-spiral stroll, tracing (almost psychoanalyz-
ing) the path Europe followed from the end of World War I to the rise of fascism to World
War II.
ThelowerlevelgivesathoroughlookathowWorldWarIIwasfought—fromGener-
al Charles de Gaulle's London radio broadcasts to Hitler's early missiles to wartime fash-
ion to the D-Day landings. Videos, maps, and countless displays relate the war's many
side stories, including the Battle of Britain, the French Resistance, Vichy France, German
deathcamps,andtheBattleofStalingrad.Tobemorecomprehensive,themuseumhasad-
dedexhibitsaboutthewarinthePacificaswell.Remembertoreadtheinformationpanels
in each section, and then be selective about how much detail you want after that. Several
powerful exhibits summarize the terrible human costs of World War II (Russia alone saw
21 million of its people die during the war; the US lost 300,000).
AseparateexhibitcoversjustD-DayandtheBattleofNormandy—enteronthemain
level next to the movie theater. Military buffs who expect a huge wing devoted to June 6,
1944, may be disappointed, but there are plenty of other museums in Normandy to satiate
their interest (such as the excellent Utah Beach Landing Museum—see here ) .
After exploring the WWII sections, try to see the second movie
(Espérance—“Hope”), a thrilling sweep through the pains and triumphs of the 20th cen-
tury (hourly, 20 minutes, good in all languages, shown in the main entry hall).
The Cold War wing sets the scene for this era with audio testimonies and photos of
EuropeancitiesdestroyedduringWorldWarII.Itcontinueswithahelpfuloverviewofthe
bipolar world that followed the war, with fascinating insights into the psychological battle
waged by the Soviet Union and the US for the hearts and minds of their people until the
fall of communism. The wing culminates with a major display recounting the division of
Berlin and its unification after the fall of the Wall.
An exhibit labeled Taches d'Opinion highlights the role of political cartoonists in
expressing dissatisfaction with a range of government policies, from military to environ-
mental to human rights issues.
New in 2014 is the restoration of the German General Wilhelm Richter's command
bunker next to the museum. As you tour the underground passages, you'll see exhibits on