Turning Point: The Story of the D-Day Landings
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About this ebook
Michael Burgan
Michael Burgan has written more than 250 books for children and young adults. His specialty is history, with an emphasis on biography. A graduate of the University of Connecticut with a degree in history, Burgan is also a produced playwright and the editor of The Biographer’s Craft, the newsletter for Biographers International Organization. He first started writing for children as an editor at Weekly Reader before beginning his freelance career in 1994. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
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Turning Point - Michael Burgan
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Cover
Title Page
Foreword
1: WHEN WILL THE ATTACK COME?
2: ASSAULT FROM THE AIR
3: HITTING THE GROUND
4: THE BIG INVASION
5: 10,000 SHIPS
6: COMING ASHORE
7: ON THE BEACHES
8: IN THE VILLAGES
9: THE BATTLES CONTINUE
10: SURVEYING THE SCENE
11: SURROUNDED
12: DAY’S END
13: D-DAY PLUS ONE
Epilogue
Timeline
Glossary
Critical Thinking Using the Common Core
Internet Sites
Further Reading
Selected Bibliography
Index
About the Author
Copyright
Back Cover
FOREWORD
With the blast of naval guns and the roar of tanks and planes, Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. This surprise attack marked the start of World War II. Germany, under its dictator, Adolf Hitler, wanted to expand its control over large parts of Europe. As Hitler won more territory, he ordered the killing of millions of people he considered inferior to Germans. Jewish residents of Europe were his top target, but Hitler slaughtered Slavs, Gypsies, and others as well.
When the war began, the United States did not join the conflict. Many Americans still remembered the horrors of World War I. They did not want to take part in another war when the United States did not face a direct threat. But after Japan launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, the United States declared war on Japan. That nation and Germany, along with Italy, were allies, and Germany and Italy soon declared war on the United States. President Franklin D. Roosevelt believed Hitler posed a huge threat to democracy and world peace. FDR
welcomed the chance to fight Germany as well as Japan.
When the United States entered the war, Germany controlled a large part of Western Europe, including France. The main fighting on the continent was in the east. In June 1941, Germany had invaded the Soviet Union, which stretched from Europe across the northern part of Asia. The United States helped the Soviets by sending supplies, but Soviet leader Joseph Stalin wanted something more. He wanted the United States and Great Britain to open a second front by attacking the Germans in France. That would force Hitler to move troops there from the Eastern Front, where the Soviets battled the Germans.
British leader Winston Churchill wanted to attack the Germans in Europe, but he differed with U.S. leaders on where and when the major assault should come. Finally, the Allies agreed to build a huge military force in Great Britain, have it cross the English Channel in the spring of 1944, and fight the Germans in northwestern France. From there, the plan was to march eastward, pushing back the German military and destroying its ability to fight. The planned attack was called Operation Overlord. The day picked for the attack was called D-Day.
The USS Shaw was destroyed during the attack on Pearl Harbor, when raging fires reached the ship’s forward magazine.
1
WHEN WILL THE ATTACK COME?
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
June 4, 1944, Southwick, England
General Dwight D. Eisenhower woke early as usual. He and his military advisors met daily at 4:00 a.m. to go over the weather forecast for Normandy, the Allies’ target in Operation Overlord. Eisenhower knew that he had only a few days during which he could give the order to begin the Allied landing on the French coast. Only June 4 through 7 would provide the low tides and full moon his troops needed to begin safely coming ashore.
Eisenhower’s official title was supreme commander of Allied Expeditionary Forces. Among friends, he was called Ike. He came to London in June 1942 to lead the U.S. troops that would fight in North Africa and Europe. After Allied successes in Africa and Italy, he was chosen to command the Overlord invasion.