D Day: Why was the Normandy Landings important in ending World War 2?

The Normandy landings on June 6, 1944, saw 156,000 Allied troops invade France, marking a turning point in WWII by beginning the liberation of Europe from Nazi control

Code named 'Operation Neptune', it was the largest seaborne invasion, which led to the liberation of France and all of Europe from Hitler's Nazi Army

At 6:30 A.M., 156,000 British, Canadian, and American troops landed on five Normandy beaches

Airborne troops parachuted into Normandy to secure bridges and block exits, hindering Nazi reinforcements and facilitating the main beach landings

To ensure the success of D-Day, the Allies executed Operation Bodyguard, a military deception involving fake radio traffic, double agents

They also set up a phantom army led by General George Patton

Originally set for June 5, D-Day was postponed to June 6 due to bad weather. The timing was crucial, relying on moon phases, weather, and tide predictions

D-Day saw over 4,400 identified Allied deaths, with over 5,000 more unaccounted for. The operation's success was pivotal, marking a turning point in World War II

Today marks 80 years of D Day also known as the normandy landings on the beaches of Normandy in northern France