Dogs of War

I know I'm posting this a little early...


66 Years Ago, June 6th 12:30 AM Central Standard Time (6:30 AM GMT) the Normandy Invasion began. American, Canadian, British, and even some remaining Free French forces hit the beaches beginning the Great Crusade.

I offer a quote from General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Given just before this momentous event in human history began. The Normandy Invasion, and the breakout, would last until about mid July 1944. ~120,000 allied personnel would be casualties.


To those that took part in this invasion, living and dead, we all owe you for your efforts.

---

Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!

You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have
striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The
hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.
In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on
other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war
machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of
Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well
equipped and battle hardened. He will fight savagely.

But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of
1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats,
in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their
strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home
Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions
of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men.
The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to
Victory!

I have full confidence in your courage and devotion to duty and skill in
battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!

Good luck! And let us beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great
and noble undertaking.


Dwight D. Eisenhower

---

Incidentally, this last week has also been the 70th anniversary of the rescue of the British Expiditionay force from the beaches of Dunkirk in france.

over 300,000 professional solders of the British and French armies rescued from certain capture, ensuring Britian still had an army left to fight and almost certainly preventing the invasion of Britain.

It is notable for its contribution by civilian sailors and boatmen in a flotilla of "little ships" sailing from southern england to ferry troops from the beaches back to England and out to the large ships that could not close to the beaches.

All the while under constant air attack from german bombers

Meanwhile, in the defensive perimiter the first hints at the atrocities the SS would commit were unfolding as a group of British prisoners were herded into a barn and had hand grenades thrown in after them.

Dunkirk is probably one of three or four critical moments that stands out about the War in Europe which led to an Allied victory.

Thank god for the bravery and dedication of all those people that made that evacuation possible. It's amazing how Britain held out through those dark times.

The WWII generation is deserving of the title "greatest generation", they went through hardships that our generation(s) can't even comprehend.

They are deserving of our respect and unending gratitude. June 6th is a reminder of that.

(06-07-2010 11:53 AM)Willmark Wrote: [ -> ]The WWII generation is deserving of the title "greatest generation", they went through hardships that our generation(s) can't even comprehend.

They are deserving of our respect and unending gratitude. June 6th is a reminder of that.

Thanks for the post swiss.

I couldn't have said it better myself, Willmark

This is the time of year I think all our vets should be remembered.

On a side note: I was a little annoyed with the history channel yesterday. Iceroad truckers marathon...on D-day? Really? Really?

appalling isnt it...


@SWiss Absolutely right about Dunkirk being pivotal to the allied victory. Without getting the BEF back britain may well have capitulated, and certainly it would have made an invasion a certainty.

That the British Army still existed is down to that operation

Its more down to Hitler not attacking and capturing the enemy when he had the chance. It was one of the biggest blunders in the war. If he follows his generals advise Germany corners and captures the British army on the beaches and the war goes drastically different.

It is fortunate that he made that mistake.

While a common argument its not neccessarily true

German lines were stretched to breaking, thanks to the pace of their own advance and the British rear guard action had blunted the german advance (something very often forgoten about, most people tend to remember the rush to the beaches, but there were several units that fought some utterly heroic actions to stop the Germans.)

Added to that the French army was finally starting to swing into action and was actually proving very effective at combating the German invasion (about a fortnight too late for them)

All that says the German army HAD to stop their push on Dunkirk, the rear guard bought enough time, just, to get the BEF out of France.





Also, ever single blunder in the german war is attributed to Hitlers interference. I think there is a LOT of covering their own mistakes by a LOT of german generals personally.

Someone who doesn't get much respect for his part, so I thought I'd mention him - http://www.badassoftheweek.com/pujol.html

I think he's a reminder that you don't have to be rembered by history to have an impact on it, one of the most important things about life, and those that die to protect it.

(06-09-2010 08:24 AM)arkfatalis Wrote: [ -> ]Someone who doesn't get much respect for his part, so I thought I'd mention him - http://www.badassoftheweek.com/pujol.html

I think he's a reminder that you don't have to be rembered by history to have an impact on it, one of the most important things about life, and those that die to protect it.

quite right

we could have a thread of these

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noor_Inayat_Khan

the wiki entry for this one simply doesnt do her work justice, especially not when she was in Paris, without a doubt one of the real unusung heroes of the war, and one I think it is a crime that her tale isnt shouted from the rooftops.

Uryens is spot on. The Germans were racing through France and while true that victorious armies can overlok exhaustion, it's not always the case.

Also the fact that the sheer out balls of the RN and civilian fleet to make it happen.