World War II veterans joined heads of state and others Thursday for poignant ceremonies on the beaches of Normandy to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
The Allied invasion, which began on June 6, 1944, led to the defeat of the Nazis and the end of the war. The assault began with Allied aircraft bombing German defenses in Normandy , followed by around 1,200 aircraft that carried airborne troops. As dawn broke, Allied forces started bombing German coastal defenses and shortly after that vessels began putting troops ashore on five codenamed beaches: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.
The president praised the power of alliances and said Russia's advance will not stop with Ukraine if the world walks away. Biden said "Ukraine's neighbors will be threatened" and "all of Europe will be threatened." Zelenskyy said on X that he is going to attend important meetings aimed at strengthening his nation at war, and that he is honored to be participating in the D-Day commemoration with President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and others.
He told her she was one of the "heroes in the shadows" as he described how she was studying in Normandy in 1939 when her father, a Royal Navy admiral, called her back to London on the eve of World War II.
World War II Veterans D Day D Day 2024 D Day Anniversary D Day Date Normandy D Day Normandy When Was D Day D Day Ww22 Ww2 June 6 1944 Invasion Of Normandy 14917071