Was it necessary to invade the European continent to defeat Nazi Germany, or could the continual aerial bombing of towns and factories alone have done the job? Or was the invasion really mounted to forestall a Soviet victory and communist takeover of Europe? Some historians still debate the question.

D-Day

Code named Operation Overlord, the D-Day Invasion occurred on June 6, 1944, as elements of five Allied infantry and three Allied airborne divisions assaulted the Normandy coast of Nazi-occupied France during World War II. Under the overall command of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the landings on Gold, Juno, Sword, Utah, and Omaha beaches succeeded in establishing a foothold on the continent. Following an arduous campaign in Normandy and savage fighting across the German frontier, troops of the Western Allies met the Soviet Red Army, advancing from the East, and Nazi Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945.

As military games continue to grow in scope and detail, does their portrayal of history also improve? A look at this question and Brothers in Arms 3.

D-Day

Game Features: Do Games Mislead Us About History?

by James Hart

Originally part of Ralph Baer’s “Shooting Gallery” expansion, Dogfight was released for the Magnavox Odyssey in 1972. There were no scores per se, and certainly no characters, missions, or upgrades. Read more

D-Day

Touring the Battle of the Bulge

By Kevin M. Hymel

The Battle of the Bulge lasted an entire month, and was fought over almost the entire Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and half of Belgium, yet finding all of the battlefields and historic sights is a bit more difficult than locating the D-day beaches. Read more

D-Day

‘Goosebumps’: Flint Whitlock Visits the D-Day Invasion Landings

By Flint Whitlock

I feel deeply honored to have been chosen by the Smithsonian Institution to lead D-Day trips to England and France (one took place in May; the other two were scheduled to take place in September and October). Read more

Roy Morris Jr. recalls his father's experiences at the Battle of the Bulge and the Ardennes forest.

D-Day

Looking Back on the Battle of the Bulge

by Roy Morris Jr.

In the Ardennes region of eastern Belgium, Adolf Hitler rolled the dice for the last time in World War II. Read more

U.S. landing craft churn through the rough waters of the English Channel toward the coast of Normandy. The morning haze and the smoke ofå battle blow across the beaches, while some soldiers have already disembarked and wade the last few feet to shore.

D-Day

“We’ll Start the War from Here”

By Roy Morris Jr.

Peering through the predawn darkness at the slowly emerging shoreline 300 yards away, the little man with the famous name prepared once again to set foot in France as a soldier of the liberation. Read more