This is an annual tradition at Battles and Book Reviews. This year is the 72nd anniversary of the Allied Landings at Normandy in France during WWII.
Just a reminder for everyone to stop today and take a moment to reflect on the events that happened 68 years ago today on the shores of Normandy in France. 
This is the day that the Allies opened up the long-awaited Second Front against Hitler’s Germany. The invasion took place along almost 50 miles of French coast using five named invasion beaches. From south to north the beaches were named Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. The first days objectives were not reached over most of the front and in many places it would take weeks to reach objectives that were supposed to have been taken in the first hours. Below you can hear some of the veterans themselves describe their experiences.
As an added bonus and to highlight the gravity of what was accomplished This year I have added a very interesting infographic about the landings that I found recently at History.com
Incidentally, If you made it all the way to the bottom of this post. This post was timed to publish at the exact moment that the first tanks of C and B Companies of the 743rd Cavalry came ashore on Dog Green and Dog White sectors of Omaha Beach.