This was amphibious warfare on a scale that staggered the imagination. Nothing like it had ever been seen. At omaha beach, in the first assault, 30,000 american troops stormed ashore. British and Canadian Forces struck at three different beach sectors. At utah beach, 20,000 american troops were landed. By the end of the first day, our ashore totaled 120,000 men. With every passing hour, with each passing day, reinforcements streamed ashore to enlarge the beachhead with tanks, trucks, ammunition, and supplies. Hundreds of our attack bombers and fighters were now over europe, carrying payloads of destruction aimed at the Vital Centers of hitlers europe. Hitlers fortress europe. [planes flying] [explosions] flying forces in heavy formations cascaded 3500 tons of explosives, a ton every second, upon naziheld positions. Our mass bomber formations were given a canopy of air support. Together, they fought off enemy air attacks. [gunfire and explosions] as the roar of engines and the concussio
That all roads lead to rome. If that is true, the United States army had taken the longest and toughest road. Arriving on the fourth of june, 1944, two years and six months after pearl harbor americas entrance into the war. Two days after general mark pratss fifth army captured the eternal city, dwight d. Eisenhowers envision forces hit the normandie beaches in a massive am amphibious assault. Despite bitter german resistance, we built up an enormous beachhead and finally broke through. Our seventh army commanded by general Alexander Patch landed in Southern France and pushed northward along the roanne river valley. Ten days later, paris is liberated. The army clipped on. In the pacific. General macarthurs forces invaded the island in a giant amphibious lead that put them within 300 miles of the philippines. The general was making progress in berma with his mixed command of hand picked american infantrymen and british and chinese units. The tide of war was turning against the aggressor
The british advanced up the east coast in the face of equally bitter opposition. In the pacific, troops of the First Cavalry Division landed on the islands in the Admiralty Group to wipe out all japanese resistance and complete occupation of the entire group of islands. We landed large forces on the north coast of new guinea. General stillwell and his troops were fighting the japanese in bur burma. This was global warfare on a scale never known before. Less than three years before, hitler had made an address. Germany, italy and japan will wage common war on the United States to a victorious conclusion. In rome his fascist partner had declared italy and National Socialist germany ever closely linked participate from today on the side of heroic japan against the United States. A japanese militaryist joined the derisive chorus. Americans have radios, automobiles, big beefsteaks when a people has those things they dont want to fight. Americans wont sleep in hammocks or lie in trenches. The
Introduce our last speaker for the afternoon. He is the director of the Texas Military forces museum. And an adjunct professor of history at Austin Community college. He is an author and a contributor to essential civil war curriculum. His last work as a trilogy covering the civil war in virginia from gettysburg and includes meade and lee, which is due for publication next year. Lets give him a welcome. [applause] thank you. It is a real pleasure to be here. It is always fun to stand in a group of people that have the same passion. You dont get looked at as strangely when you talk to other people. I am going to break precedent today and have a powerpoint demonstration. I am doing that for several reasons. Pamplin spent a lot of money to put this system in. You will not have to get a new puppy at the end of my presentation. I became interested in the story of what happens in the Virginia Theater after the battle of gettysburg following a conversation i had with one of my favorite profes
General george meade and union forces from july to december 1863 as they followed confederates through virginia. This event was part of historical parks small battles, big result s symposium. Im very pleased to introduce our last speaker of the afternoon, Jeffrey William hunt, director of the military forces museum at camp maybury in austin, texas, and adjunct professor where he has taught since 1988. God bless you. Author of the last battle of the civil war and contributor to essential civil war curriculum and the gail library of daily life. American civil war. His last work is a trilogy from the final stage of the Gettysburg Campaign to the end of 1863 and includes meade and lee at mayan run due for publication next year. So lets give a welcome for jeffrey hunt. [ applause ] thank you. Its a real pleasure to be here. I appreciate jerrys invitation. Its always fun to stand in a group of people who have the same passion that you do. You dont get looked at as strangely as you do when yo