On June 6, 1944 at 6:30 am British Double Summer Time, the Allies launched the largest invasion in military history, breaching Hitler's Fortress Europe on the beaches of Normandy. Though a careful study of history would reveal socio-economic trends suggesting Germany would inevitably lose the war by this time, the cost of victory in Europe and the shape of the post World War II world were far from certain. Germany had lost the war by the summer of 1944, but the Allies still had to win it.
Without surprise, coordination, and above all, the sheer will of the American, British, and Canadian landing forces to hold and advance from five narrow beachheads into the teeth of Wehrmacht, Germany may have delayed the Allied advance on Berlin by months or years. The potential direct cost of this delay in incaluable. The costs of Soviet troops occupying all of Germany and beyond would surely still be felt to this day.
President Obama, French President Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown are marking the anniversary in several historic locations today. It's a shame that Queen Elizabeth, the only living Head of State who served in WWII, hasn't been invited. Her generation faced a challenge that drawfs even the military and economic problems we have before us today. The Queen's presence would have served as a reminder of Britain's resolve in the face of evil, and guided us as we continue to fight for freedom for all mankind.
No comments:
Post a Comment