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Early morning, the 6th of june, 1944. The German positions in Normandy are covered with a serene silence. The long expected assault of the Allies won't be due for sometime. The weather is too bad. No one in his right mind would dare to attack the impregnable Atlantic Wall in this weather! Generaal Rommel, the German commander in that area, has even gone to Germany for a short war simulation, together with most of his other senior officers.
At that moment, through the dense fog at sea, the sound of incoming airplanes is audible, though that itself isn't very alarming to the dug-in soldiers. But than the fog clears...
Thousands of airplanes approach the coastline, and frome the shore to the horizon the sea is covered with ships. Heavy naval artillery starts to pound the coast with fire and steel. The German guards stare at this magnificent scene with disbelief and bewilderment. Than they sound general alarm: the invasion has started!

Within 48 hours more than 100.000 man and 14.000 tanks and rolling material has been taken ashore. Ready for a fierce assault to Nazi-Germany. But the battle has only just begun...

The best museums:
Arromanches: War-museum, located on the harbour where the remnants of the artificial Mullberry-harbour are still visible;
Bayeux: Memorial-museum 1944 - The Battle of Normandy;
Benouville: 6th Airborne museum, next to the (only recently dismantled)Pegasus-bridge;
Caen: Remembrance-museum Bataille de Normandie;
Hermanville-sur-Mer: Sword-beach exhibition (maybe gone, tel: 31.97.28.17);
Longue-sur-Mer: heavy coastal artillery, great view on the beaches (free entrance);
Merville-Franceville: the Merville battery, which was attacked by British paratroopers on the night of the 5th of june;
Sainte-mère-Eglise: Airborne Museum across the famous church;
Sainte-mère-du-Mont: Utah Beach Landing Museum;
Vierville-sur-Mer: Omaha-beach exhibition (maybe gone, tel: 31.22.43.66).

Duplex Drive Sherman tank Omaha beach

Monuments/memorials:
Almost every little village in Normandy has its own memorials. The ones I think are the most interesting or impressive, are listed below:
Utah beach: Carentan, St-Mère-Eglise;
Omaha-beach: St. Laurent-sur-Mer, Isigny-sur-Mer, Pointe du Hoc;
Gold-beach: Liberation Memorial in Bayeux, Port-en-Bessin;
Juno-beach: Bernières, Courseulles, St. Aubin, Villons-les-Buissons; Sword-beach: Bénouville, Ouistreham.

Paratroopers in the midst of night and enemy territory US paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division

Military cemeteries:
Utah beach: Marigny (US), Orglandes (D);
Omaha-beach: Colleville St. Laurent (US), La Cambe (D);
Gold-beach: Bayeux, Chouain, Fontenay-le-Pesnel, Ryes, St-Manvieu, Secqueville-en-Bessin, Tilly-sur-Seulles (all British);
Juno-beach: Bény-sur-Mer (Can), Cambes-en-Plaine (GB);
Sword-beach: Banneville, Douvres, Hermanville, Ranville (all British).

Recommended books:
Ryan, Cornelius:The Longest Day;
Ambrose, Stephen: D-Day, June, 1944: The CLimatic Battle of World War 2

Click here to find the above mentioned books or other books about D-Day!
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		The official historical account of the landings at Omaha Beach

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