June 6: D-Day

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GTaudiophile

GTaudiophile

Lifer
Oct 24, 2000
29,767
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landing-in-france.gif


President Franklin D. Roosevelt - June 6, 1944
My Fellow Americans:

Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our Allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.

And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:

Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.

Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.

They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.

They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest -- until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war.

For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.

Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.

And for us at home -- fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas, whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them -- help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.

Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.

Give us strength, too -- strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.

And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.

And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. Let not the keeness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment -- let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.

With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace -- a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.

Thy will be done, Almighty God.

Amen.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt - June 6, 1944
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Triumph

Triumph

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
15,031
14
81
June 6, 1944 to May 8, 1945. Took less than a year for the US (with some help from Canada) to conquer what was probably the greatest military in history up to that point, and end the bloodiest conflict in history. Just to put things in perspective.
 
GTaudiophile

GTaudiophile

Lifer
Oct 24, 2000
29,767
33
81
Triumph said:
June 6, 1944 to May 8, 1945. Took less than a year for the US (with some help from Canada) to conquer what was probably the greatest military in history up to that point, and end the bloodiest conflict in history. Just to put things in perspective.
Click to expand...

Afghanistan...10 years...cough
 
Gibsons

Gibsons

Lifer
Aug 14, 2001
12,530
35
91
Triumph said:
June 6, 1944 to May 8, 1945. Took less than a year for the US (with some help from Canada) to conquer what was probably the greatest military in history up to that point, and end the bloodiest conflict in history. Just to put things in perspective.
Click to expand...

The brits and the russkies did a few things too.
 
terry107

terry107

Senior member
Dec 8, 2005
891
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I can't even begin to imagine what it must have been like for the soldiers that morning. God bless them all.
 
Rakewell

Rakewell

Platinum Member
Feb 2, 2005
2,418
1
76
Triumph said:
June 6, 1944 to May 8, 1945. Took less than a year for the US (with some help from Canada) to conquer what was probably the greatest military in history up to that point, and end the bloodiest conflict in history. Just to put things in perspective.
Click to expand...

Let's not forget the Brits, Soviets and the Free French
 
A

Ausm

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
25,213
14
81
My Ex's oldman was one of the first marines to land on Iwo Jima...RIP. Thanks to all who have served.

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Printer Bandit

Printer Bandit

Lifer
Mar 16, 2005
13,856
109
106
still not sure why so many had to die on the beach. couldn't they bring in air support and nuke the beach before the troops landed?
 
IndyColtsFan

IndyColtsFan

Lifer
Sep 22, 2007
33,655
688
126
Printer Bandit said:
still not sure why so many had to die on the beach. couldn't they bring in air support and nuke the beach before the troops landed?
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They didn't have smart bombs in the 40s, plus, the weather was bad and there was too much low-lying cloud cover for continuous bombing. They performed some bombing runs but they were pretty ineffective due to the cloud cover and the naval bombardment was somewhat effective.
 
sdifox

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
100,637
18,001
126
Triumph said:
June 6, 1944 to May 8, 1945. Took less than a year for the US (with some help from Canada) to conquer what was probably the greatest military in history up to that point, and end the bloodiest conflict in history. Just to put things in perspective.
Click to expand...

Lulz, most of the grinding was done by Russians.
 
NikolaeVarius

NikolaeVarius

Lifer
Oct 25, 2006
11,036
11
91
Triumph said:
June 6, 1944 to May 8, 1945. Took less than a year for the US (with some help from Canada) to conquer what was probably the greatest military in history up to that point, and end the bloodiest conflict in history. Just to put things in perspective.
Click to expand...

Can't believe you could ignore the fact that millions upon millions of Russians died to give the US ample time to gear up to go the war and also draw a bulk of manpower away from the western front.
 
Gibsons

Gibsons

Lifer
Aug 14, 2001
12,530
35
91
IndyColtsFan said:
They didn't have smart bombs in the 40s, plus, the weather was bad and there was too much low-lying cloud cover for continuous bombing. They performed some bombing runs but they were pretty ineffective due to the cloud cover and the naval bombardment was somewhat effective.
Click to expand...

In hindsight, naval and air bombardment could have been done more and better though. Allied planners were trying to maintain the element of surprise. The landing probably would have benefited from a much longer and more intense effort at reducing the defenses.

But again, that's hindsight.... they had no way of knowing how successful the deception efforts towards Calais was/how big of an interfering moron Hitler was.
 
Oyeve

Oyeve

Lifer
Oct 18, 1999
22,071
885
126
Printer Bandit said:
still not sure why so many had to die on the beach. couldn't they bring in air support and nuke the beach before the troops landed?
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I feel the same way. IMO I think the pres was muy macho and wanted a massive ground attack. There was some minor air support but carpet bombing would have saved so many lives.
 
NikolaeVarius

NikolaeVarius

Lifer
Oct 25, 2006
11,036
11
91
Oyeve said:
I feel the same way. IMO I think the pres was muy macho and wanted a massive ground attack. There was some minor air support but carpet bombing would have saved so many lives.
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1. Element of Surprise was required.
2. Weather was terrible and they had to make a decision fast to either land the troops or completely scrap the invasion.
3. Needed to time the shore landings with airborne landings.
4. Massive naval screens already saved tons of lives.
 
Gibsons

Gibsons

Lifer
Aug 14, 2001
12,530
35
91
Oyeve said:
I feel the same way. IMO I think the pres was muy macho and wanted a massive ground attack. There was some minor air support but carpet bombing would have saved so many lives.
Click to expand...

The pres? Roosevelt? He had almost nothing to do with the planning.
 
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