434 The Longest Day III

In this episode, we conclude the story of the American occupation of Saipan, while US commanders ponder the question of where to strike next.

When the Americans attacked Saipan, the Japanese saw a final opportunity to force that decisive battle they'd been yearning for. 

The initial Normandy invasions were moderately successful. Casualties were lighter than feared. But D-Day was not the end; it was only the beginning.

We conclude our look at the Normandy invasion by examining events at Sword, Juno, Gold, and especially Omaha Beaches.

In this episode we look at the Normandy amphibious landings generally, then focus on the US assault on Utah Beach.

The Normandy landings began at dawn on June 6, 1944, but the night before three Allied airborne divisions were dropped into Normandy to help prepare the way for the amphibious landings.

The German military was occupying many European countries, which put British and American bomber commanders in the awkward position of bombing nations that were supposedly their allies.

In this Christmas bonus episode, I answer listener questions.

In May 1944, Allied forces in Italy began an offensive that finally broke the Gustav Line. Soon Americans were marching into Rome. At the same time, Allied forces in Britain were making final preparations for the invasion of France.

In this episode, we look at some of the preparations both sides' militaries were making for the coming invasion of France, as well as the tricky problem the Allies faced in keeping Charles de Gaulle on board.