D Day sites: The American Sector
On 6th June of 1944, the largest naval battle in history occurred in Normandy. With more than 155,000 soldiers, 14,000 war ships and thousands of airplanes, the Allies fought to liberalize France from the German occupation in the World War II.
What to see?
Best known as D-Day, it was what many consider the turning point of the war. Combating the German occupation, the Normandy region became a home base of sorts for the units of the Allies. The American units, which had a huge role in the battle, were established in what is now named “The American Sector”, composed of some beaches and villages.
Many consider Omaha beach the most important one. It is here that the Americans landed and faced their first battle in hopes of liberating Europe. The Americans also landed, due to some miscalculations, in the Utah Beach. These two beaches are close in proximity, and in both locations, you will find many memorials, bunkers, and war remnants.
Another important place was the small town “Sainte-Mère-Eglise”, located in the heart of the airborne operations, this village served as a key place that proved vital to stop the German reinforcements. Also widely know for being the location where the airbornes were launched from.
6 kilometers (approximately 4 miles) away from Omaha beach, you can find the “Pointe du Hoc”, a cliff used by the American forces as an attack point.
The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial is a large cemetery where more than 9000 fallen American soldiers are buried. It serves as a memorial from France to honour those who died for the liberty of the country.
How to experience?
The American sector of Normandy has many stories throughout history to tell. From ParisByM, we recommend to take a guided tour to not miss any detail of the largest naval battle in history. In addition, many parts of the Normandy regions has memorials, museums with real war machines and iconic places which were a key to the victory.
Feel free to discover how the Americans helped liberalizing Europe through the feelings: the horror of war, the strategy and the euphoria of the victory in 1945.
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