Alyssa Goodman
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Alyssa Goodman
1 Comment
Warships, bombers, rubble, refugees. That was the Normandy landscape of 1944, as Allied forces fought to wrest France from Nazi control.
Today, the region’s towns and beaches are startingly calm, as still-grateful residents prepare to welcome veterans commemorating 75 years since D-Day.
The Associated Press’ Thibault Camus revisited the beaches and damaged villages that symbolize the Allied struggle.
On Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944, layer upon layer of U.S., British and Canadian warships lined up along the Normandy shore. German anti-tank obstacles packed the broad beaches. Lethal aircraft dotted the sky.
Today, a grassy knoll blends gently into the wide beach, small waves lapping at the shore. Two tourists stand alone on the vast expanse.
This combination of photographs shows the scene along a section of Omaha Beach in June 1944, during Operation Overlord, the code name for the Allied invasion at the Normandy coast in France during World War II, and the same location on May 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
But D-Day was just Day One. The battle for Normandy took two and half more months, levelling near-entire towns, and gutting medieval monuments.
Putrefied corpses once scattered the streets of the town of Saint-Lo. Helmeted U.S. soldiers watched out from a makeshift trench, a mountain of crumbled stone behind them. Today, that rubble is the rebuilt Saint-Lo Church.
The Allies liberated one of France’s most striking monuments, the Mont-Saint-Michel peninsula monastery, from Nazi rule in the weeks after D-Day. It now sees 2 million tourists a year.
Much of the architectural damage to Normandy came not from Nazi occupation but from Allied bombings.
Soldiers placed a steel beam across a ditch in Pont-L’Eveque to walk past the 15th century St. Michel Church, its lonely arches leading to nowhere after their surrounding walls collapsed. Now neatly trimmed hedges line the polished stone walls of the restored monument.
In Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouet, the twin-towered St. Hilaire Church was among the only buildings left standing. The surrounding neighborhood has since revived, with tidy brick homes and an insurance office boasting a sign saying “English spoken.”
The bombings sent thousands of residents into hiding. After the Nazis were pushed out of La Haye-du-Puits in July 1944, residents cautiously walked home, pushing their belongings in wheelbarrows past the blown-out rose windows of the St. Jean Church. The church shows little hint of the damage today, and well-tended orange and yellow flowers grow along its facade.
Normandy has been buffeted by battles since Roman times, and soldiers marching through Sainte-Marie-du-Mont in 1944 saw a reminder of that troubled past: a monument to townsmen killed in World War I.
Today, the monument has been updated to honor those killed in the Second World War, which the town hopes will be its last.
This combination of photos shows an American soldier and a French civilian speaking on the causeway leading from the mainland of Brittany to the famous tourist resort of Mont-St-Michel in Normandy on Aug. 8, 1944, top, and below, a view of the same location on May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
This combination of photos shows ruins in the town of Valognes on Oct. 7, 1944, top, and below, a view of the same location on May 9, 2019. (Bert Brandt/ACME Pool via AP/Thibault Camus)
This combination of photos shows U.S. troops passing through the town of Sainte-Marie-du-Mont as they push forward in France, June 1944, top, and below, a view of the same locationon May 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Peter J. Carroll, Thibault Camus)
This combination of photos shows the flag-covered body of an officer identified only as "Major Aowie" resting amid the ruins of St. Croix Church as two of his men man a machine gun in a bomb crater in the foreground, in St. Lo, France, July 23, 1944, top, and below, a view of the same location on May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Harry Harris, Thibault Camus)
This combination of photos shows a British soldier walking in the streets of captured Argentan, in Normandy, France on Sept. 11, 1944, top, and below, a view of the same location on May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
This combination of photos shows British soldiers marching past the ruins of a church in the war-damaged town of Pont-L'Eveque, in the Normandy region of France, in August 1944, top, and below, a view of the same location on May 10, 2019. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
This combination of photographs shows British soldiers marching past the ruins of a church in the war-damaged town of Pont-L'Eveque, in the Normandy region of France, in August 1944, and the same location on May 10, 2019. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
This combination of photos shows the twin steeples of St. Hilaire Du Harcouet's church in Normandy, France, on Aug. 13, 1944, top, and below, a view of the same location on May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Text from the AP News story, AP PHOTOS: D-Day’s landscape in 1944 _ and today, by Thibault Camus.
Angela Charlton in Paris contributed to this story.
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As an expert and enthusiast deeply immersed in the historical landscape of World War II, particularly the events surrounding the Allied invasion at Normandy, I bring a wealth of knowledge to shed light on the concepts mentioned in the provided article by Thibault Camus.
The article discusses the transformation of the Normandy landscape from the intense battleground of 1944 to its present calm state, with towns and beaches preparing to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Thibault Camus, through his photographs, captures the stark contrast between the war-torn past and the serene present, showcasing how time and resilience have shaped the region.
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D-Day and Operation Overlord: The article highlights the significance of D-Day, which occurred on June 6, 1944, as part of Operation Overlord—the Allied invasion of Normandy. The invasion involved U.S., British, and Canadian forces landing on the beaches of Normandy to liberate France from Nazi control.
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Architectural Impact of World War II: The aftermath of the Normandy campaign is vividly portrayed, emphasizing the destruction caused by the war. While some towns were leveled and medieval monuments gutted, others were rebuilt, symbolizing the resilience of the local communities.
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Mont-Saint-Michel Peninsula Monastery: The article mentions the liberation of the Mont-Saint-Michel peninsula monastery by the Allies after D-Day. Today, it stands as a popular tourist destination, welcoming millions of visitors each year.
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Allied Bombings and Architectural Damage: An interesting aspect highlighted is that a significant portion of the architectural damage in Normandy came not from Nazi occupation but from Allied bombings. This underscores the complex nature of warfare and its unintended consequences on civilian infrastructure.
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Transformation of Towns: Specific towns like Saint-Lo and Pont-L'Eveque are featured, showcasing the contrast between their wartime rubble and the present-day restored monuments and neighborhoods. The article provides a glimpse into the transformative journey of these locales.
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Monuments and Memorials: The discussion extends to monuments that bear witness to the region's history, such as the one in Sainte-Marie-du-Mont that originally honored townsmen killed in World War I but has since been updated to include those killed in World War II.
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Long-Term Impact on Normandy: Normandy's history, dating back to Roman times, is acknowledged, with the article emphasizing the lasting impact of battles on the region. The visual documentation of the landscape serves as a testament to the enduring legacy of wartime events.
In summary, the article by Thibault Camus offers a poignant portrayal of the enduring impact of World War II on the Normandy landscape, capturing the transformation from a war-ravaged past to a tranquil present while honoring the sacrifices and resilience of those who lived through those tumultuous times.
