by Brett Manero
This past August, I had the opportunity to travel to Normandy, France, for the eightieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War. The reasons for my trip were several: I had the time off, I was itching to take a big trip, I found some incredible prices (thank you, Iceland Air!), and because I have long wanted to visit the historic D-Day sights in Normandy. A proper travel article is coming soon.
And there was still another reason. The thought occurred to me- nearly all of the remaining veterans of the Second World War are gone, with the remaining ones being at least 100 years old at this point. In ten years, there may be only a few left. They are our historical witnesses into the most consequential conflicts in human history, one that shaped our present world in ways we too often take for granted.
This generation quite literally saved the world. There is no getting around that. The defeat of the Axis Powers was a must, and the Allies accomplished this through blood, sweat, and determination. Among the many battles of the War, the Normandy campaign is possibly the most famous because of how it began: with the epic “D-Day” invasion of June 6, 1944. It was the largest amphibious invasion in history, and likely will never be surpassed in its immensity. It required years of patience, careful calculations, cooperation and compromises between the Allied nations, and tremendous bravery in order to be a success. From “Blood Omaha” to Gold Beach to the villages where Allied airborne troops landed the night before, the invasion was a miracle. Had it failed, it may have taken another year for a new invasion to take place. But succeed it did, and Paris was liberated only two months later.
And that brings me to my final reason for this trip: so many of us Americans and citizens of many nations travel to Paris for the beauty, the cuisine, the opportunity to see the “city of lights” and Europe’s most celebrated city. How often do we give thanks for what the Allied troops accomplished in the summer of 1944? How often do we appreciate not having to take an oath of allegiance to the Fuhrer, or not having to identify our religious or political beliefs, when we arrive in France? We don’t have to, because those brave soldiers, sailors, and airmen made our world possible.
I spent a total of ten days in France, five of which were spent exploring Normandy. I filmed as much as I could while there. It will take a couple of months to put it all together into what I hope will be my first documentary project: “Normandy: 80 Years of Freedom.”
Film coming soon! In the meantime, enjoy the trailer.
And, lastly, I know that it’s been 81 years since the Normandy invasion, not 80. But, it’s been 80 years since the end of the Second World War, and hence the name for the title.