In early June 1944, 1.5 million Allied soldiers stand ready in southern England to embark on the largest amphibious assault in military history: Operation Overlord.
For tens of thousands of young U.S. soldiers, this war against the Nazis seems almost like an adventure. Very few, if at all, have any combat experience. The sixth day of June 1944 is “D-Day”, “Decision Day”. American troops land on the coast of Normandy to bring the Third Reich to its knees. Platoon after platoon go ashore without any cover. Only now does the horror awaiting them begin to dawn. From the dunes above them, the Germans open fire on the GIs from bunkers and foxholes. They have orders to keep their positions whatever the cost. The bloody carnage continues into the afternoon hours. Two to three thousand American soldiers are killed or injured on the “Omaha Beach” landing section alone.
But the successful landing in Normandy accelerates the downfall of the Third Reich. Eleven months later, the Germans are defeated. SPIEGEL TV filmmaker Michael Kloft meticulously records the sequence of events by means of original footage, photos and documents. He visited the original sites in Normandy and interviewed the last surviving witnesses. In an interview, the military historian Antony Beevor, author of “D-Day – The Battle for Normandy” reconstructs the “longest day” of the war
Available for French and Spanish Speaking territories only