Bringing History to Life Magazine

23 July 2022

History’s biggest military operation It was just before 23.00 on 5th June, 1944. The elite paratroopers synchronised their watches as they nervously awaited take-off. In a few hours, they would plunge into German- occupied Normandy – the first wave of the biggest military operation in history. They had to capture key targets and weaken German defences inland so that tomorrow’s assault on the beaches could go ahead as planned. Months of training had passed. Now, at last, the Allies would fight back. This was D-Day.