70th anniversary of D-Day

Here's a video, sponsored by Manche General council and made by regional TV.

I provide the full text in French and also the English translation.



Overlord, Utah beach, Cobra…

Comme le perpétuel clapotis des vagues, ces mots continuent de résonner dans nos têtes et, avec eux, la mémoire des combats, des destructions, des peines, des pleurs et des morts. Mais le débarquement allié sur nos plages normandes a aussi été un fantastique courant d’espérance débouchant sur une formidable envie de renaître.

Aujourd’hui, les plaies se sont cicatrisées, l’Europe, tiraillée, s’est reconstruite, avec ses promesses de paix durable. Le glissement des jours ne doit jamais nous faire oublier les sacrifices consentis, les outrages faits à l’encontre de la liberté et de la dignité humaine. L’oubli ou la banalisation serait condamner nos enfants à les revivre.

2014, 70 ans. Le temps du souvenir et de la mémoire va laisser place au temps de l’histoire. L’ensemble de la population de la Manche saura rappeler à nouveau son infinie gratitude. Il nous faut nous demander désormais ce que nous avons fait du sacrifice de ces soldats, de cette liberté et de cette démocratie que nous avons reçu en héritage. Il est nécessaire, pour les générations à venir et pour que ne s’éteigne pas notre esprit de sentinelle, que nos enfants s’imprègnent de nos musées qui sont l’incarnation de l’histoire, foulent le sable des plages du débarquement qui sont une garantie contre l’oubli, méditent sur nos cimetières car, là-bas, les silences ont aussi leur mot à dire.

Pour les soldats de 1944, il n’était pas question de se défiler. Soyons guidés par cette même lumière dans notre mission de passeurs de mémoire. On ne doit jamais guérir de son histoire. Ensemble, partageons-la, cultivons et transmettons la mémoire.



Overlord , Utah Beach , Cobra ...

As the perpetual lapping of the waves , these words still continue to ring in our heads , and with them the memory of the fighting, destructions , sorrows, tears and death. But the Allied landing on our beaches of Normandy was also a fantastic stream of hope leading to a tremendous desire of rebirth.

Today, the wounds have healed, Europe, torn, was rebuilt, with its promise of lasting peace. Sliding days may never bring us to forget the sacrifices made, the outrages against freedom and human dignity. Forgetting or trivialisation would condemn our children to relive this.

2014 70. Time of remembrance and memory will give place to the time of the history. The entire population of the Manche will again remind his infinite gratitude. We must now ask ourselves what we have done with the sacrifice of these soldiers, with freedom and democracy that we have inherited. It is necessary, for future generations and for that our sentinel spirit does not go out, that our children become impregnated with our museums which are the epitome of history, tread the sand of the landing beaches that are a guarantee against oblivion, meditate on our cemeteries because there , silences have also their word to say.

For the soldiers of 1944, there was no question of running away. May us be guided by the same light in our mission of smugglers of memory. One must never heal its history. Together, let’s share it, let’s cultivate and pass the memory.

Here's something funny made by Chaunu, illustrator for local newspaper Ouest-France. Original post here

Ouest-France published Wednesday, a special edition dedicated to the Illustrious of the Landing.

The "Illustrious" of the Landing. Charles de Gaulle, Robert Capa, Winston Churchill, rediscover 60 portraits of men and women who helped the D-Day. Texts editorial by Ouest-France are illustrated by Chaunu.


All these pictures are Credit: Emmanuel Chaunu




Charles de Gaule ( Whom shall i announce? France! )





General Philippe Leclerc

The French postal service just created a new stamp to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the landing in Normandy.
It will be in official use from June 10 and edited 1 200 000 copies.
Preview sales will take place on June 5 and June 6, in some postal offices in cities of Bayeux, Caen, Ouistreham and Sainte-Mère-Église.





Well, i don't know what you think about it but i find it really ugly, especially compared to those who had already been in service before and including the following examples.

Here is a TV special which airs on the History channel every year here in Canada around June 6th and again on November 11th. It is about the Canadians landing on Juno Beach on D-Day. It's fairly accurate as far as I know; The first part of it is like a normal movie, with voice-overs from the main characters; the last bit is the actual veterans telling their stories about the landings.

It's me or at 01:37 the supposed German soldiers in the bunker are using Garand rifles ?

June 5, 2014, Ranville, France.

Credit : Chris Jackson/Getty Images