Ebook: D-Day, June 6, 1944: the climactic battle of World War II

D-Day is the epic story of men at the most demanding moment of their lives ... [The author] reveals how the original plans for the invasion had to be abandoned, and how enlisted men and junior officers acted on their own initiative when they realized that nothing was as they were told it would be.;Defenders -- Attackers -- Commanders -- Where and when? -- Utilizing assets -- Planning and preparing -- Training -- Marshaling and briefing -- Loading -- Decision to go -- Cracking the Atlantic wall, the Airborne into Normandy -- "Let's get those bastards", the Airborne night attack -- "Greatest show ever staged", the air bombardment -- Long, endless column of ships, the Naval crossing and bombardment -- "We'll start the war from right here". the 4th Division at Utah Beach -- "Nous restons ici", the Airborne in the Cotentin -- Visitors to hell, the 116th Regiment at Omaha -- Utter chaos reigned, the 16th Regiment at Omaha -- Traffic jam, tanks, artillery, and engineers at Omaha -- "I am a destroyer man", the Navy at Omaha Beach -- "Will you tell me how we did this?", the 2nd Ranger Battalion on D-Day morning -- Up the bluff at Vierville, the 116th Regiment and 5th Ranger Battalion -- Catastrophe contained, easy red sector, Omaha Beach -- Struggle for the high ground, Vierville, St.-Laurent, and Colleville -- "It was just fantastic", afternoon on Omaha Beach -- World holds its breath, D-Day on the home fronts -- "Fairly stuffed with gadgets", the British opening moves -- "Everything was well ordered", the 50th Division at Gold Beach -- Payback, the Canadians at Juno Beach -- "Unforgettable sight", the British at Sword Beach -- "My God, we've done it", the British Airborne on D-Day -- "When can their glory fade?", the end of the day -- Glossary -- Appendix: Veterans who contributed oral histories or written memoirs to the Eisenhower Center.