63 years ago today: D-Day

In the world we live in today, it just seems so incomprehensible - virtually the entire continent of Europe under the thumb of Adolf Hitler, a dictator so brutal, he makes Saddam Hussein seem like Beaver Cleaver. (Above, the blue represents Nazi-occupied territory in Europe)

Sixty-three years ago today, Operation Overlord set out to change all of that. Its success was anything but assured. That too is something that is tough to comprehend today - during the whole time while I was growing up, whenever World War II was discussed in any of my classes, study always centered around our victory against Germany and Japan, but back then, leaders at the highest levels of our military weren't at all sure the plan would be a success. So much so, that General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Supreme Commander Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe, had a draft of speech written he would read in case Overlord failed.

Hundreds of years from now, billions of people will be grateful the Allies did not fail.

Above, troops approach Omaha Beach, into a firestorm and bloodbath I will never be able to comprehend, no matter how many books I read or movies I see.

Troops take to the beach. Facing a hail of gunfire from waiting German troops, as well as bombardment from German 88s, Allied troops were lambs to the slaughter in many instances. Survivors have told stories of how troops drowned from all weight of the equipment they had to carry, some were murdered in boats before they ever got off the boat, and others were cut down on the beach, where there was no cover whatsoever. It's amazing that the troops were able to get a foothold on the beach at all.

The price of victory to get a foothold on Europe was heavy, for both sides. The Allies lost 29,000 during D-Day operations, while the Germans lost 23,019 (Wikipedia), but the true number of dead will never be known. One thing's for sure - the water turned red from the slaughter; all for the cause of freedom.

It has been said so many times, but it will never be a cliché - we owe the World War II generation a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid.