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| June 6th, 1944, was not just a day that will live on in the annuls of history... it was a day when the history of the world itself would change forever. The invasion of Normandy was not a battle with one single purpose, but rather a war within a war, a series of battles within battles that marked the coming to an end for a tyrannical war machine deadset on conquering the entire world. It did not change the life of any one single man or woman on this earth, but rather, every man and woman on this earth for the rest of human exsistence. And unlike many of the battles throughout history, it was one of the very few that could claim, in personification, that it had saved more lives than it had claimed. If it weren't for the bravery of the men and women who made the Normandy invasion possible, and the sacrifices of the soldiers who experienced it's battles first hand, particularly the ultimate sacrifice made by thousands of men that day, the world would be a very different place, and humanity would have a dreary mindset. Try to imagine a world filled with only white catholics, none of whom have opinions or the necessary freedoms to spur growth to such opinions? Imagine a world where we all answer to the call of one man's vision of what humanity should be defined as? And try to picture for just a moment how your life would be different, if indeed you'd be alive at all, had it not been for the courage these soldiers faced on this monumental day. Most of us living in modern society take for granted the freedoms we have at our disposal. The freedom to believe in any god you choose. The freedom to read books or watch television, or take pleasure from any other form of entertainment that you so desire. The freedom to speak your mind, the freedom to vote for people who will change your world, the freedom to argue with authority and support your |
| opinions with any of the countless methods at your disposal. Many of us, especially of the younger generations, feel that this nation owes us dearly, that we live in a world of empty promises and are defensless against the hardships our government forces on us. I implore those of you who feel this way to consider what life would be like had the Normandy Invasion gone awry. Picture how different your life would be if the Nazi party had risen to rule this earth with iron fists. The next time you question authority and ponder over the value of life in the United States, sit down with a WWII veteran of Normandy, a person who fought there for your freedoms, watched his friends die for your freedoms, killed men for you, and then see how your opinion would be so greatly different than it had been before you met with him. I assure you, the world will be more colourful after you've spoken with a man who has been to hell and back. The "D" in "D-Day" stands for "Day." It is a military time insignia they'd used quite frequently throughout the second World War and it is still in use by the Armed Forces today. But when "D- Day" and "June 6th" are used in the same sentence, that "D" takes on a whole new meaning. Suddenly, it stands for "Democracy," "Dedication"... "Dreams." In a sea of rememberances on this 60th anniversary of the most important military action in the history of this world, we at MRO feel that this is, at best, a shallow attempt at enlightening a select few, at teaching a younger generation of the importance of this special milestone in history. We hope that perhaps we |
| have in the very least enlightened and sparked the interest in a handful of the individuals who will one day read this article, and that those individuals will take the time to perform their own research into this event in an attempt to grasp the truest meaning and value of Operation Overlord. Hollywood has, on several occasions, attempted to re-create the events that unfolded in Normandy during the invasion. If you've read this article and feel that perhaps this is a subject you might be interested in learning more about, keep an eye out for "The Longest Day," which depicts most of the action that took place on D- Day rather vividly. Probably the "best" depiction of the beach landings can be found in the first 20 minutes of the Steven Spielberg epic "Saving Private Ryan." And for a fantastic representation of what the Airborne soldiers experienced during the invasion, rent or buy the critically acclaimed HBO mini-series "Band of Brothers," which Time Magazine and the New York Times both declaired was "the best television series or mini series ever." Perhaps these films and programs might further peek your interest in this event. We feel that it is something that people should take the time to know, understand, admire, and honour. -Matt Rock |
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