http://www.history.com/photos/d-day On June 6, 1944, known as D-Day, the Allies invaded Normandy, France, in the largest amphibious assault in history. View photos from this historic military operation. en Copyright 2013, History.com Mon, 20 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT History.com 2013-05-20T04:00:00Z en Copyright 2013, History.com http://www.history.com/photos/d-day/photo1 The Battle of Normandy, which lasted from June 1944 to August 1944, led to the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi Germany's control. In the weeks leading up to the invasion, Allied troops gathered in southern England to load their transport ships and prepare for the mission. http://www.history.com/photos/d-day/photo1 http://www.history.com/photos/d-day/photo2 Codenamed Operation Overlord, the battle began on June 6, 1944, when some 156,000 Allied troops landed on beaches along a 50-mile stretch of the heavily fortified coast of Normandy, France. Photographed on June 5, American troops aboard their landing ship wait for the invasion to begin. http://www.history.com/photos/d-day/photo2 http://www.history.com/photos/d-day/photo3 The D-Day invasion, spread over five beaches, was one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history. The five Normandy beaches were codenamed Omaha, Utah, Gold, Juno and Sword. http://www.history.com/photos/d-day/photo3 http://www.history.com/photos/d-day/photo4 On June 5, 1944, more than 5,000 ships and landing craft carrying troops and supplies left England for the trip across the English Channel to France, while more than 11,000 aircraft were mobilized to provide air cover and support for the invasion. http://www.history.com/photos/d-day/photo4 http://www.history.com/photos/d-day/photo5 Allied troops packed tightly into an aquatic landing craft wait for their turn to face the Germans at Normandy. http://www.history.com/photos/d-day/photo5 http://www.history.com/photos/d-day/photo6 The American invasion at Omaha Beach met the strongest German resistance and was the costliest of the D-Day beach landings, resulting in more than 2,000 casualties. http://www.history.com/photos/d-day/photo6 http://www.history.com/photos/d-day/photo7 By day's end, approximately 156,000 Allied troops had successfully stormed Normandy's beaches. More than 4,000 Allied troops lost their lives in the D-Day invasion, with thousands more wounded or missing. http://www.history.com/photos/d-day/photo7 http://www.history.com/photos/d-day/photo8 By June 11, the beaches were fully secured and over 326,000 troops, more than 50,000 vehicles and some 100,000 tons of equipment had landed at Normandy. Not all of the fleet made it ashore, however, and the wrecked remains of Allied landing craft still linger off the coast of the invasion site. http://www.history.com/photos/d-day/photo8 http://www.history.com/photos/d-day/photo9 Although the D-Day invasion took place over 65 years ago, reminders of the war remain, such as the rusted tangle of barbed wire still topping the cliffs of Normandy. http://www.history.com/photos/d-day/photo9 http://www.history.com/photos/d-day/photo10 The Normandy American Cemetery, overlooking Omaha Beach and the English Channel, was established on June 8, 1944, as the first U.S. cemetery in Europe during World War II. It holds the graves of more than 9,300 U.S. servicemen who died in the D-Day invasion or subsequent missions. http://www.history.com/photos/d-day/photo10 http://www.history.com/photos/d-day/photo11 Two American World War II veterans pay their respects to their fallen brethren. Approximately 1 million visitors travel to the Normandy cemetery each year. http://www.history.com/photos/d-day/photo11