80 years of ‘D-Day’: Ghosts of war haunt on anniversary of Normandy landings

Giants of the second World War Joins heads of state and other celebrities to celebrate this Thursday ‘D-Day’, the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings,

The offensive of the Allied forces, which began on June 6, 1944, led to the defeat of the Nazis and the end of the war.

The assault on the beaches began with Allied aircraft bombing the German defenses in Normandy, followed by bombing raids around 1,200 aircraft are carrying troops,

When dawn broke the allied forces began their attack bomb German coastal defenses, And soon thereafter ships began landing troops on five code-named beaches: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword.

At the end of the day, About 160,000 Allied troops had landed in Normandy, although there were Thousands of casualties,

Warring Europe

A dwindling number of World War II veterans have made pilgrimages back to France, while Russian invasion Massively Ukrainian expectations have been dashed That lives and cities in Europe are not destroyed again.

As veterans, now centenarians, reminisce about their fallen comrades buried in Normandy graves, Ukrainian President attends Volodymyr Zelensky At D-Day commemorations with world leaders, including the US President Joe Bidenwho essentially support their country’s fight against Russian aggression will merge the horrific past of World War II with the tense present Thursday.

since there are dead and wounded on both sides in Ukraine An estimated tens of thousands of people attended the commemoration Over 4,400 Allies were killed on D-Day and several thousand more people, including French citizens, who were later killed Battle of Normandy, They worry that the lessons of World War II are being lost.

“There are things worth fighting for”Walter Stitt, a World War II veteran who fought in tanks and will turn 100 in July, said while visiting Omaha Beach this week. “I wish there was some other way to do it than trying to kill each other, though.”

“We’ll learn that one of these days, but I won’t be there to see it.”He added.