Thousands of Allied troops have begun landing on the beaches of Normandy in northern France at the start of a major offensive against the Germans.
Thousands of paratroops and glider-borne troops have also been dropped behind enemy lines and the Allies are already said to have penetrated several miles inland.
The Normandy landings were the beginning of Operation Overlord - or the invasion of German-occupied Europe.
Originally planned to take place on 1 May 1944, the operation was postponed a month to allow time to gather more troops and equipment. The timing was important to allow for the right weather, a full moon, and tidal conditions.
The landings were preceded by air attacks along the French coast.
About 1,300 RAF planes were involved in the first wave of assaults then 1,000 American bombers took up the attack dropping bombs on targets in northern France.
Winston Churchill - the British Prime Minister in 1944
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