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Normandy “Finally, the boat stopped, and the front ramp went down in neck deep water. German MG

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Normandy “Finally, the boat stopped, and the front ramp went down in neck deep water. German MG 42s were trained on the ramp opening, as Harold Baumgarten stepped forward to leave the craft. The water was bright red, from the blood of some of those who had been in front of.” Private Harold Baumgarten was one of thousands who participated in the Battle in Normandy. Normandy was an invasion of France against Germans that would have failed if America hadn’t helped out. Before America joined the war, Germany and Italy took over Poland, France, Romania, Greece, Finland, and Norway. America joined the war in 1941, and by 1942, they and the Brits were considering a major invasion in France across the English Channel. The following year, the …show more content…

There were over 2,000 casualties as U.S. forces faced heavy defense at “Omaha” Beach. However, at the end of the day, about 156,000 Allied soldiers had successfully stormed Normandy’s beaches. Some estimates say that at least 4,000 Allied troops lost their lives in the invasion, known as D-Day. On June 11, less than a week later, over 326,000 troops, more than 50,000 vehicles and 100,000 tons of equipment had landed at Normandy beaches. The Germans suffered from confusion and the absence of commander Rommel, who was on leave. At first, Hitler thought the invasion was a distraction from a coming attack north of the Seine River. He refused to call nearby divisions to the counterattack. He also didn’t want to send armored divisions to help defend. Furthermore, the Germans were hampered by Allied air and naval support, taking out bridges and protecting Allied troops. The following weeks, the Allies fought their way across the Normandy countryside in the face of German resistance. By the end of June, the Allies had seized the vital port of Cherbourg, landed about 850,000 men and 150,000 vehicles in Normandy. By the end of August 1944, the Allies had reached the Seine River. This effectively concludes the Battle of Normandy. On May 8, 1945, Germany surrendered making the day known as VE Day (Victory in Europe). In 4 months, Japan surrendered on

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