Operation OVERLORD andME

Presented by Don Luidens

Holland Professional Club

September 12, 2014

Friendlyques-on:

•  Whyshouldanan--wardudelikemehavesuchafascina-onwithWorldWarIIingeneralandwithD-Dayinpar-cular?

DALDisserta-onnexttoJosephus!

I:ScaleofOpera-onOverlord

•  Myfascina-onwiththesheerscaleofOpera&onOverlordwhichsubsumed

•  Opera&onNeptune,thenavalsupport;•  Opera&onTransporta&on,theaircover;•  Opera&onFor&tude,thecovertmanipula-onofmisinforma-onwhichcenteredonCalaisandNorway)

StevenAmbrose

•  175,000troops

•  50,000vehicles

•  5,333ships

•  11,000airplanes

FromStephenAmbrose’sD-Day

•  “Itwasasiftheci-esofGreenBay,Racine,andKenosha,Wisconsinwerepickedupandmoved–everyman,womanandchild,everyautomobileandtruck–totheeastsideofLakeMichigan,inonenight.”(1995:p.25)

UTAH

Opera&onFor&tude:PhaseI

DovertoCalais

“FirstUSArmyGroup”(FUSAG)

Opera&onFor&tude:PhaseII

Norwayasco-target

175,000menonD-Day;2millionmorethroughNormandy

II:CrusadeagainstFascism

EisenhowerAddressesTroops

•  hdp://www.history.com/speeches/eisenhower-broadcasts-d-day-invasion-order#eisenhower-broadcasts-d-day-invasion-order

III:HeroesAbound

12:01AMJune6,1944Bri-shParatroopersHitPegasusBridge

PegasusBridge

82ndand101stHitSt.MereEglise&St.MarieDuMont

St.MereEglisetodaywithmemorial

OmahaCrescentBeaches

Look-outand88-MortarBunkersoverlookingOmahaBeach

OmahaBeachD-Day

OmahaBeachonD-DayPlusOne

FloodedFields,Hedgerows,Ar-lleryAwait

IV:TheLegacyofWWII/D-Day

•  ColonialWorldontheEveofWorldWarII

PostWorldWarIIMap

USHegemony

ModernCommediadell’Arte

BaileyBridgesandAfricanAmericanTroops

WhatElse?

9,000HeroesLieinColevilleCemetery