The Battle of Normandy in 1944, codenamed Operation Overlord, was the
invasion of Nazi-occupied Western Europe by the Allies. The Normandy
invasion began with overnight paratrooper and glider landings,
massive air and naval bombardments, and an early-morning amphibious
assault. It continued over more than two months, with campaigns to
establish, expand, and eventually break out of the Allied beachheads.
It concluded with the surrender of Paris and the fall of the Chambois
pocket. Normandy is, to this day, one of the best-known battles of
World War II. In common language, the expression "D-Day" is still
used to refer to June 6, the starting date of the invasion and the
opening day of the battle
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Normandy
Today's selected anniversaries:
331 BC Battle of Arbela: Despite being greatly outnumbered,
Alexander the Great and his Macedonian forces defeated
Darius III of Persia. Alexander was then crowned "King of
Asia" in a magnificent ceremony in Arbela (modern-day
Arbil, Iraq).
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gaugamela)
1891 In Stanford, California, Leland Stanford Junior University
officially opened. There were 559 students, and tuition was
free.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University)
1936 Generalissimo Francisco Franco became the head of the
Spanish State, ruling as a dictator till his death in 1975.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Franco)
1958 The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
began operations, replacing the National Advisory Committee
for Aeronautics (NACA).
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA)
1977 Brazilian football (soccer) star Edson Arantes do
Nascimento, better known as the "Black Pearl" or
Pel�, played his last game as a professional.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pel%E9)
Wikiquote of the day:
"Truth can never be told so as to be understood and not be
believed." ~ William Blake
(
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/William_Blake)