|
At first light on the 6th of June 1944, the Allies launched Operation Overlord, the largest combined land, air and sea operation ever. This invasion, designed to begin the liberation of Europe from Nazi oppression, would be forever known as D-Day. The assault was a tremendous gamble and the element of surprise was critical to success. Through a tangle of intrigue and deception, the Allies convinced Hitler that the real invasion would not occur at Normandy but instead would fall at the Pas de Calais, 150 miles from the true invasion site.
The preparation for the operation was intense and the assault phase of Operation Overlord was a tremendous victory for the Allies. They had broken the vaunted Atlantic wall and established a foothold on the continent. Soon afterwards they were celebrating the liberation of Paris. Between the two events were 80 days of war and its uncertainty. The story of these three phases, the build up, the assault and the breakout are the real story of D-Day, Operation Overlord.
This compelling story is retold using archival images, including rare color footage from the Library of Congress, coupled with the thoughts of the men and women who actually participated in these historic events. They tell the story of Operation Overlord as it occurred sixty years ago, when the world came together in conflict on the storm swept beaches of Normandy.
Disc 1
THE BUILD UP
The years leading up to 1944 had seen total domination of Europe by Nazi Germany. Despite the entry of America into WWII, strategic bombing, the invasions of North Africa and Itlay, Germany remained in control and was able to strength its coastal defenses, The Atlantic Wall, in preparation for the inevitable Allied invasion. Operation Overlord was the Allied plan to defeat those defenses and open a Western Front. The hard lessons learned at Anzio, Dieppe and Salerno were about to be brought into focus with the greatest invasion the world had ever seen. But how had the Allies come to this point? Who were the personalities and what compromises were made to forge this great alliance? These questions loomed as D-Day grew closer, as the Allies prepared to unleash their awesome assembled power against Hitler's Nazi Germany.
- France 1940
- Survival
- Total Effort
- Global War
- America's Arrival
- Baptism Or Fire
- Coming Of Age
- Overlord
- The Build Up
- Anzio
- The Atlantic Wall
- The Transportation Plan
- D Minue 20
- Exercise Plus Six
|
Disc 2
THE INVASION
Four years of Allied preparation were about to be tested on Hitler's Atlantic Wall. Infintely confident in his men, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander, had launched the invasion. The outcome was far from certain as the vast armada approached the darkened coast and the first paratroopers stepped out into the tracer filled sky over Normandy. The next few hours would determine the success or failure of Operation Overlord.
- Crossings
- Jump Into Darkness
- On Enemy Ground
- Over The Side
- First Things First
- Utah
- Bloodbath On Omaha
- A Few Brave Men
- The British Beaches
- A Day Of Confusion
EXTRA FEATURES:
- Landing Craft
Dwight D. Eisenhower said they won the war.
- A Present Day Tour of the D-Day Beaches and Twons
|
Disc 3
THE BREAKOUT
Operation Overlord had successfully breached Fortress Europe. Now the Allies had to expand their foothold. They needed ports and space to maneuver and build up stockpiles of supplies. The Allies had counted on speed and boldness in their attack. What they encountered was a resolute defense by the Germans in difficult terrain they had not prepared for. The grim battles in the hedgerows turned into a battle of attrition, one that the Germans could not win. Ultimately, the Allies broke out and the race for Paris was on.
- A Foothold On The Continent
- The Crucible Of Caen
- The Race To Normandy
- A Battle Of Attrition
- Hedgerow Hell
- The Destruction Of Army Group Center
- The Battle Of The Buildup
- The Cobra Strikes
- Patton's Third Army
- The Falaise-Argentan Pocket
- Operation Anvil
- The Race Across France
- The Liberation Of Paris
EXTRA FEATURES:
- Hitler's Wonder Waepons
V1 Rockets to the Me262 jet fighter.
- The Nation D-Day Museum
A tour of the museum with Hugh Ambrose.
|
|
