On the 6th of June 1944, a major event of 20th century history took place on the beaches of Normandy.
The allies invaded the coast by air and by sea to free the country from the German occupation. 160,000 men took part in the assault on "D-Day": the Americans suffered many casualties at Omaha and Utah - the code names given to the Norman beaches. The beaches of Vierville, Saint-Laurent and Colle-sur-Mer were regrouped and adopted the name of Omaha Beach as a tribute to the American soldiers. The British and the Canadians invaded Gold, Juno and Sword, the beaches to the East of Arromanches-les-Bains.

The battle of Normandy ended on the 21st of August 1944 giving the allies the possibility of entering Paris victoriously three days later.
The German invasion, the bombings of the allies and the confrontations of 1944 caused significant damage in Normandy. Consequently, the reconstruction efforts straight after the war were considerable and gave the region its present appearance.

The French poet Paul Eluard wrote a famous poem called "Liberté" (Freedom)in his 1942 collection "Poésie et Vérité". The Royal Air Force distributed this text massively in occupied France and made Paul Eluard into the archetype of the committed poet. The French people adopted this poem of freedom and love in times of total oppression.


The Regional Council of Lower-Normandy's website presents the D-Day preparations with the main sites of the battle of Normandy and the international war cemeteries.