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Tossing Pebbles in the Stream

This blog is my place to sit and toss pebbles into the stream. The stream of Life relentlessly passing before us. We can affect it little. For the most part I just watch it passing and follow the flow. Occasionally, I need to comment on its passing, tossing a pebble at it to enjoy the ripple affect upon Life's surface.

Thursday, June 06, 2013

D Day  June 6, 1944

On D Day every year I take the opportunity to read more about this critical battle of WWII, the Normandy Invasion.to liberate all of Europe. It was an expansion of an invasion bgun earlier in North Africa and Italy. It was the beginning of the end. We must always remember that this was possible because of the dreadful price the Soviet Union  paid in thoroughly defeating the German armies in the East.  I always find each year new things about the Normandy campaign and  am reminded of so many of the things I had previously read.

It is a day worth remembering. Canada made a significant contribution that day as it did in the whole war. We need to remember that Canada's contribution was way above what could have been reasonably expected in manpower, equipment in ships and aircraft, and in treasure. Here is a list of Canada's remarkable contributions to WWI.

I particularly appreciate an American site that praised Canada's contribution in the War.


Click on map to enlarge it.




This is a map of the Normandy Coast indicating the various countries troops and where they landed

.   The Canadians were responsible for landing at Juno Beach. On each side of them were British troops on  Sword Beach on the left and Gold Beach on the right. The Americans were landing at Omaha Beach and Utah Beach further westward.  Canada landed successfully, taking many casualties in the frontal attach on the German fortifications as was the case for all countries' troops.  Some things went right for the Canadians such as they got tanks landed which was not the case for the Americans. The British got delayed. As a result,  Canada on the first day managed to move the furthest inland, in fact, some troops had to retreat a little because of the lack of allied British troop support on each side.  The Americans had the most difficult time and took many casualties and almost failed to secure Omaha Beach. Many things went wrong for them that the troops on the ground had no control over. They also were faced with climbing a bluff overlooking the beach upon which the Germans were well dug in.  It was a day to remember of all those that participated and survived.

Below is a series of videos that are interesting in that so many aged veterans recall their experience of that day.





On this day, I am also glad that Canada took advantage of the peace to shrink it's military. It had become a major military force in the world as a result of it's efforts in WWII. It chose to not become a major militarized society as the Americans did.  We needed the peace divided and took.

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