By Christopher Miskimon
From the time the invasion fleet arrived off the Normandy coast and the first pathfinders parachuted out of their aircraft inland, the press was formulating a narrative of the event which would inform the American view of the event up to the current day. The story which permeated the radios and newspapers for days after the landings focused on four ideas: the importance and scale of the invasion, the brilliance of the Allied leadership, an almost religious enshrinement of the events and the courage and superiority of American soldiers. The result turned June 6, 1944, into an enduring legend.
This book examines the process of news reporting during the D-Day invasion, including what information was and was not available to the press at the time and how they assigned significance to certain events. It reveals how the press can distort or fabricate facts to manipulate public perception. The book is well researched and contains many interesting anecdotes which add to its story, showing the myriad personalities involved in crafting the accepted D-Day narrative.
“Invasion On!” D-Day, the Press, and the Making of an American Narrative (Stephen M. Rusiecki, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis MD, 2024, 330 pp., notes, bibliography, index, $39.95, HC)
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