Unexpectedly, one of my favorite days on our trip was the one that we spent driving around to some of the main D-Day invasion sites. I've always had an interest in World War II, and Colby and I even took a WWII history class together in college, but out of all of the amazing things we had on our itinerary for our two weeks in Europe, I didn't think that the Normandy beaches would be so moving, beautiful, and enthralling. We visited the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach and agreed that it was the most beautiful military cemetery that we've had the honor of visiting. We explored Omaha Beach, Point du Hoc, Grandcamp Maisy--a recently uncovered German battery, Utah Beach, St. Mere Eglise--famous for the American paratrooper who was caught on the spire of the village church, and Gold Beach where the British military invaded and set up the mulberry harbors--remnants of which are still present and in remarkable condition.
One of the things that struck us as we made our way through France, Germany and Austria is just how present World War II is in so many ways--memorials in churches and village squares, Allied flags flying on narrow, winding streets, remnants of battlefields on the outlying acreage of a farmer's fields. I think in America, we tend to think of it as being such a long time ago--since then we've been involved in the Korean War, Vietnam, the Cold War, the Gulf Wars... World War II has a tendency to be remembered as a more quaint, romantic war featuring strapping GIs and plucky Rosie the Riveters. But walking through those battlefields, seeing the the scars that remain on buildings, the craters and bunkers that still sprinkle the beaches as children play in the surf, we were reminded of the horror of that war that we fought on a faraway soil, and the irrepressible beauty and strength of the countries and the people left standing to rebuild and memorialize.
Omaha Beach
Point du Hoc
Utah Beach
St. Mere Eglise
German Cemetery at La Cambe
Gold Beach
WWII fascinates me too, and this must have been amazing to see. Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Kristina | September 12, 2011 at 06:21 PM
wow, those pictures are amazing. normandy is on my must do list. WWII really intrigues me and as a social studies teacher i love being able to go to the places that i teach about. and i agree - being in europe you see the war so much more in everyday life still.
Posted by: erin - heart in ireland | September 12, 2011 at 07:17 PM
The photos really take me there. I bet it was amazing to visit these spots in person.
Posted by: Melissa B | September 12, 2011 at 07:20 PM
My focus with my history degree was in WWII. (Just to show you how much I love it...I got my second bachelor's in it because I love the topic so much. And, to this day, I've never even used that darn degree. Not once. Other than in Trivial Pursuit.)
Anyway, I loved it. I still do. I read books about it all the time. It's truly shaped so much of how our world works. Even to this day.
Posted by: Brittany | September 12, 2011 at 07:21 PM
wow, these really are beautiful and quite awe inspiring pictures. i can't even imagine what it was like to actually be there.
Posted by: katelin | September 13, 2011 at 12:32 AM