History
On June 6 1944, known as D-Day, Allied troops stormed German defences on the beaches of Normandy (France) to open the way to Germany from the West. The task was formidable. The Germans had turned the coastline into a continuous fortress of guns, pillboxes, razor wire, mines and beach obstacles. Canadians were among the first into action and against terrible odds fought their way into Normandy from the Juno Beach landing area. The fighting continued throughout the summer of 1944. The living conditions were terrible and the enemy was ruthless. Even so, the troops pushed forward through northern France and then into Belgium and Holland, liberating people who had suffered four hard years of Nazi occupation.
Success on D-Day and in the battles that followed came at a price: there are more than 5,400 Canadian graves in Normandy. But their sacrifice was not in vain. The victories won there paved the way to victory on May 8, 1945.
Additional Resources
- Juno Beach - Historica Minute (Opens a New Window)
- Normandy Invasion (Opens a New Window)
- The Battle of Normandy (Opens a New Window)
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