D-Day

The dramatic story of Pointe du Hoc, the backdrop to Biden's D-Day anniversary speech

9:11am June 07, 2024

by Rachel Treisman

Over 200 U.S. Army Rangers scaled the cliffs of Pointe du Hoc on D-Day to destroy German long-range guns stationed at the top. Less than half remained standing after two days of fighting.

TOPSHOT-FRANCE-HISTORY-WWII-D-DAY-ANNIVERSARY

Reflections on war past and present permeate D-Day's 80th anniversary

9:05am June 06, 2024

by Eleanor Beardsley

Reenactors and world leaders converge this week for World War II commemorations in Normandy, where Ukraine looms large.

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Politics & Government

To mark D-Day, Biden will deliver a defense of democracy that hits on campaign themes

4:06pm June 05, 2024

by Tamara Keith

President Biden's trip to Normandy will commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day. But there's also a political subtext to the journey.

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Why the science of tides was crucial for D-Day

3:01am June 05, 2024

June 6, 1944 the Allied Forces stormed the beaches of Normandy and took the Nazis by surprise in the largest sea-to-land invasion in history. This would be remembered as D-Day and would ultimately lead to the end of World War II in Europe. However, this planned attack wouldn't have been possible without deep knowledge of ocean tides! We get into the whole story, including why tides sit at the intersection of astronomy and marine ecology — and why understanding tides are key to a greener future.

Want to hear us cover more science history? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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World News

As their time runs short, D-Day veterans try to keep their memories alive for others

5:30am June 04, 2024

by The Associated Press

With even the youngest of those men and women who were involved in the invasion nearing their 100th birthdays and their ranks dwindling rapidly, they feel a special imperative to tell their stories.

U.S Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley salutes during a D-Day anniversary ceremony at the American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France on Tuesday.

The U.S.' top general reflects on the changing face of war, 79 years after D-Day

2:37pm June 06, 2023

by Rachel Treisman

Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, marked the D-Day anniversary in Normandy this week. He spoke to NPR about the modernization of warfare and what AI might mean for the future.

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Cpl. Waverly B. Woodson Jr. was an Army medic in an African American battalion who helped save scores of lives at Normandy on D-Day. On Tuesday, U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation to posthumously award him a Medal of Honor.

Senators Push For Medal Of Honor For Late Black Medic Who Saved Lives At Normandy

5:19pm September 09, 2020

by Eleanor Beardsley

Cpl. Waverly Woodson Jr., a member of an African American battalion, treated scores of soldiers wounded on D-Day but was passed over for the medal. Lawmakers and relatives have tried to change that.

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D-Day veteran C-47 Placid Lassie sits on the flight line at England's Imperial War Museum Duxford.

'Ready! Go!': I Jumped Out Of A Vintage WWII Plane For D-Day

4:50pm June 06, 2019

by Luke Sharrett

Photographer Luke Sharrett marked the invasion's 75th anniversary by parachuting out of a plane in Normandy. This was his way of honoring World War II veterans.

President Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron greet a U.S. veteran during the D-Day commemoration at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer, France.

D-Day 75th Anniversary: Trump, Macron And Other Leaders Mark A Historic Day

1:47pm June 06, 2019

by Bill Chappell

"They won back this ground for civilization," President Trump said of the Allied troops who took part in the massive D-Day invasion in 1944.

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U.S. World War II D-Day veteran Tom Rice, from Coronado, Calif., parachutes in a tandem jump into a field in Carentan, Normandy, France, on Wednesday. Approximately 200 parachutists participated in the event, replicating a jump made by U.S. soldiers on Ju

D-Day Vets In Their 90s Parachute Into Normandy 75 Years Later, This Time To Cheers

7:11pm June 05, 2019

by Vanessa Romo

Three nonagenarians were among 200 parachutists marking the anniversary of the allied invasion of Europe, June 6, 1944. They leaped into the same fields once occupied by Nazi forces.