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| D-Day: What happened during the landings of 1944? | D-Day: What happened during the landings of 1944? |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Commemorations for the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, also known as the Normandy landings, take place this week. | |
| The Queen, US President Donald Trump and other heads of state are all due to attend events in Portsmouth in the UK. | |
| So, what happened in June 1944 during World War Two? | |
| What was D-Day? | What was D-Day? |
| Troops from the UK, the US, Canada, and France attacked German forces on the coast of northern France, on 6 June 1944. | Troops from the UK, the US, Canada, and France attacked German forces on the coast of northern France, on 6 June 1944. |
| It was the largest military naval, air and land operation ever attempted and marked the start of the campaign to liberate Nazi-occupied north-west Europe. | It was the largest military naval, air and land operation ever attempted and marked the start of the campaign to liberate Nazi-occupied north-west Europe. |
| D-Day involved the simultaneous landing of tens of thousands of troops on five separate beaches in Normandy. | D-Day involved the simultaneous landing of tens of thousands of troops on five separate beaches in Normandy. |
| More than a year in the planning, D-Day was originally set to start on 5 June, judged to be the most likely date to combine calm seas, a full moon and low water at first light. However, storms meant it was delayed by 24 hours to 6 June. | More than a year in the planning, D-Day was originally set to start on 5 June, judged to be the most likely date to combine calm seas, a full moon and low water at first light. However, storms meant it was delayed by 24 hours to 6 June. |
| D-Day is a military term for the first day of an operation. | D-Day is a military term for the first day of an operation. |
| What happened on the day? | What happened on the day? |
| Airborne troops were dropped behind enemy lines in the early hours, while thousands of ships gathered off the Normandy coast for the main attack. | Airborne troops were dropped behind enemy lines in the early hours, while thousands of ships gathered off the Normandy coast for the main attack. |
| Though they were expecting an invasion, German military leaders believed the initial attacks were only a diversionary tactic. | Though they were expecting an invasion, German military leaders believed the initial attacks were only a diversionary tactic. |
| A deception plan in the weeks ahead of the attack had led them to expect the main invasion further along the coast. | A deception plan in the weeks ahead of the attack had led them to expect the main invasion further along the coast. |
| The surprise element helped British troops establish a foothold on a beach codenamed Gold. | The surprise element helped British troops establish a foothold on a beach codenamed Gold. |
| In addition, Canadian forces established themselves on another beach - Juno - and the British got on to Sword beach. | In addition, Canadian forces established themselves on another beach - Juno - and the British got on to Sword beach. |
| American soldiers also managed to land on the westernmost beach - Utah - without major casualties. | American soldiers also managed to land on the westernmost beach - Utah - without major casualties. |
| But at nearby Omaha beach, the US force suffered serious losses. The naval barrage and bombing raids on the German defences were ineffective and the Americans encountered a crack division of German troops. | But at nearby Omaha beach, the US force suffered serious losses. The naval barrage and bombing raids on the German defences were ineffective and the Americans encountered a crack division of German troops. |
| Shortly after midnight, three US and British airborne divisions, more than 23,000 men, took off to secure the flanks of the beaches. Myriad naval vessels and landing craft gathered at a location in the Channel dubbed "Piccadilly Circus". | Shortly after midnight, three US and British airborne divisions, more than 23,000 men, took off to secure the flanks of the beaches. Myriad naval vessels and landing craft gathered at a location in the Channel dubbed "Piccadilly Circus". |
| From 06:30, the first five assault divisions were delivered to their beaches under cover of a naval bombardment. | From 06:30, the first five assault divisions were delivered to their beaches under cover of a naval bombardment. |
| Throughout the day troops landed on the beaches. By midnight, the Allies had secured their beachheads and pushed further inland from Gold, Juno, Sword and Utah. | Throughout the day troops landed on the beaches. By midnight, the Allies had secured their beachheads and pushed further inland from Gold, Juno, Sword and Utah. |
| How many troops took part? | How many troops took part? |
| Up to 7,000 ships and landing craft were involved, delivering a total of 156,000 men and 10,000 vehicles to the five beaches along the carefully selected stretch of the Normandy coast. | Up to 7,000 ships and landing craft were involved, delivering a total of 156,000 men and 10,000 vehicles to the five beaches along the carefully selected stretch of the Normandy coast. |
| The landings would not have been possible without the support of massive air and naval forces, which were much stronger than the Germans'. | The landings would not have been possible without the support of massive air and naval forces, which were much stronger than the Germans'. |
| But on D-Day alone, as many as 4,400 troops died from the combined allied forces. Some 9,000 were wounded or missing. | But on D-Day alone, as many as 4,400 troops died from the combined allied forces. Some 9,000 were wounded or missing. |
| Total German casualties on the day are not known, but are estimated as being between 4,000 and 9,000 men. | Total German casualties on the day are not known, but are estimated as being between 4,000 and 9,000 men. |
| Thousands of French civilians also perished, mainly as a result of bombing raids carried out by allied forces. | Thousands of French civilians also perished, mainly as a result of bombing raids carried out by allied forces. |
| What happened after D-Day? | What happened after D-Day? |
| Although they had got a foothold in France by the end of D-Day, allied forces were for a while at risk of being pushed back into the sea. | Although they had got a foothold in France by the end of D-Day, allied forces were for a while at risk of being pushed back into the sea. |
| They had to keep building up their forces faster than the Germans could reinforce theirs. | They had to keep building up their forces faster than the Germans could reinforce theirs. |
| Progress through the narrow lanes and staunchly defended towns of Normandy was slow. | Progress through the narrow lanes and staunchly defended towns of Normandy was slow. |
| But now outnumbering their enemy and supported by their air superiority, they were able to overcome the considerable resistance - though at a heavy price. | But now outnumbering their enemy and supported by their air superiority, they were able to overcome the considerable resistance - though at a heavy price. |
| By the time they liberated Paris, in late August 1944, about 10% of the two million allied troops who had by then reached France were dead, wounded or missing. | By the time they liberated Paris, in late August 1944, about 10% of the two million allied troops who had by then reached France were dead, wounded or missing. |