Throughout World War II, the Battle of Normandy, lasting from June 1944 to August 1944, ended in the Allies liberating Western Europe from Nazi Germany’s restraint. Codenamed Operation Overlord, the battle commenced on June 6, 1944, when approximately 156,000 American, British and Canadian soldiers dropped onto five beaches along a 50-mile range of the densely fortified coast of the Normandy region. The attack was one of the greatest amphibious military charges in history and demanded extensive preparation. Prior to D-Day, the Allies conducted a massive hoax operation intended to deceive the Germans about the planned invasion target. By August 1944, all of northern France had been freed, and the Allies had defeated Germany by the following spring.
