Omaha Beach, where the invasion took place

Operation Overlord, also known as D-Day or the Battle of Normandy, is the name given to the Allied (US, UK, France, Poland, Canada) airborne and seaborne invasion of Nazi-controlled France in World War II at Omaha Beach, Colleville-sur-Mer in the Basse-Normandie region on June 6, 1944. This marked an incredible victory for the Allied forces, but unfortunately an incredible loss of life. There is now an American cemetery right near the beach commemorating the lives lost at D-Day. I had the opportunity of visiting the area in 2004, and I feel it’s a place everyone should visit while they are in France.


American Cemetery

Not only is the area beautiful, but it is an incredible feeling to be able to look at a place that was once the stage for a battle that changed the course of history. Steven Spielberg’s acclaimed film Saving Private Ryan starring Tom Hanks and Matt Damon takes place in part on D-Day and has scenes at the cemetery as well. To see more pictures from Basse-Normandie and read more about the region, read the Basse-Normandie article from the geography section. To get a detailed history of Operation Overlord, check out this page from The History Channel.

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