06.30 hours 6th June 1944 and allied troops began landing on the flat, sandy Normandy beaches. Many were to die that day, mown down by machine gun fire from the German clifftop positions and pillboxes.
Many did not even set foot on dry land before they were hit or drowned in the cold waters.
I once heard a young Frenchman state derogatively that "The British and Americans invaded France" - I pointed out to him the difference between invasion and liberation but, it has to be said that the significance of this recent and dramatic event in the Second World War is rapidly being eroded. It was, for the allies, the beginning of the turning point in the war, if we had failed, it is highly likely that many of us would not be here today. Great Britain would be an island colony of slave workers producing food and goods for the Fatherland. There would be no immigrant populations, no NHS and, probably no religion other than the totalitarian Nazi ideology.
North America would, I guess, have withdrawn within its borders and the combined US and Canadian forces, kept the Nazis at bay. Who knows?
What is certain is the fact that we owe a very great debt to those young US, Canadian and other allied troops who gave their lives for a cause that many did not fully comprehend - 'For their tomorrow we gave our today' are words writ large over the many cemeteries of Normandy.
Many did not even set foot on dry land before they were hit or drowned in the cold waters.
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| American troops landing on D-Day |
North America would, I guess, have withdrawn within its borders and the combined US and Canadian forces, kept the Nazis at bay. Who knows?
What is certain is the fact that we owe a very great debt to those young US, Canadian and other allied troops who gave their lives for a cause that many did not fully comprehend - 'For their tomorrow we gave our today' are words writ large over the many cemeteries of Normandy.
More than ever I feel the need of having Thee close to me. At any moment I may find myself in battle. However rigorous the task that awaits me, may I fulfill my duty with courage. If death should overtake me on this field, grant that I die in the state of grace, forgive me all my sins, those I have forgotten and those I recall now: grant me the grace of perfect contrition.
Hmmmm, well I'm Polish, so what would happen now would depend on how far the Soviet Union got. Without the help of the allies it would have been even more bloody for them, but still a victory. Most likely I'd be under Russian rule right now. Somehow I can't imagine that as fun.
ReplyDeleteSince Hitler declared war on the Soviet Union prior to the US declaration of war, the world would be far better off if those two had been left to fight it out without US interference.
ReplyDeleteAnd the US would be far better off isolated.
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