Five Beaches

Historical Context: On June 6, 1944 , the Allied forces crossed the English Channel to begin the liberation of Western Europe. D-Day, also known as Operation Overlord, was the largest amphibious invasion in history. 156,000 troops participated in the Normandy beach landings.

By August 1944, all of northern France had been liberated, and in spring of 1945 the Allies had defeated the Germans. Historians often refer to D-Day as the beginning of the end of World War II.