<P><B>A pocket-sized, stunningly illustrated guide to one of the most famous military operations of all time—D-Day</B></P><P>June 6, 1944 is a day that is emblazoned in history; the first day of the Allied Operation Overlord—the mass invasion of Normandy. Planned for many months and executed swiftly, these landings saw more than 160,000 troops embark from specially designed crafts onto a 50-mile stretch of the Normandy coast. It was the largest amphibious operation of all time and involved 73,000 American troops, more than 61,000 British troops, and 21,400 Canadian troops, with more than 5,000 ships and landing crafts being deployed. As the troops set foot on the five designated beaches (Gold, Juno, Sword, Utah, and Omaha), they were met with resistance, and in some cases heavy machine-gun fire, with more than 12,000 casualties being sustained. This book is packed with stunning photographs and maps, making it the perfect introduction to this historic event.