D-Day in Numbers: The facts behind Operation Overlord

Discover the numbers that defined D-Day and the future of Europe in 1944

 

D-Day, June 6, 1944: the day on which the Allies landed on the beaches of Normandy with the intention of reclaiming mainland Europe from German occupation. The significance of the operation has captured the collective imagination to become the defining moment of World War II and represents the ending to the struggles of the early 20th century. This book follows the course of the war in Europe from 1939 through to the D-Day landings and their aftermath, taking in the most poignant events and looking at each through the numbers involved. Each number signifies an important moment within a larger story as they are explained in the context of the surrounding events. With the vast amount of planning that went into the execution of such an ambitious operation, the numbers involved are staggering, surprising, and often inspiring. Separate chapters discuss the war in Europe up to D-Day, the planning and preparation of D-Day, the landings, the battles, and the aftermath. Discover the numbers that promised to change the balance of power in Europe, and indeed, the world,  as Deliverance Day, 1944 got underway.

Jacob F. Field is a historian and writer. He is the author of We Shall Fight on the Beaches, a contributor to 1001 Battles that Changed the Course of History and 1001 Historical Sites, and has published articles in journals including Economic History Review and Urban History.