75th Anniversary of D-Day
75th Anniversary of D-Day
On June 6, 1944, Allied forces launched the greatest amphibious invasion the world has ever seen. The historic D-day invasion of Normandy, France, was a turning point in World War II, but it was just the initial assault in a massive operation that liberated Western Europe from the grip of Nazi Germany, on May 7, 1945.
Today, D-day is remembered by many as the beginning of the end of World War II, but in the predawn hours of that pivotal day, success was not assured. After years of fighting and strategic planning, the stakes were enormous for the supreme command of the Allied Expeditionary Force and the more than 160,000 soldiers, sailors, and airmen who crossed the English Channel that day.
This collection of documents reveals the dogged determination and endurance of the Allied forces that made D-day the triumph we celebrate today.
On display in the East Rotunda Gallery through July 2, 2019. Made possible in part by the National Archives Foundation through the generous support of The Boeing Company.
Past Featured Records
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The Emancipation Proclamation and Juneteenth
Milestones in the long struggle for American freedom
Emancipation Proclamation
President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, as the nation approached the third year of the Civil War. Lincoln’s proclamation, which declared “that all persons held as slaves” within the rebellious states “are, and... Read more
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Harvey Milk Writes to the President
Friday, May 31, 2024 – Monday, June 17, 2024
East Rotunda GalleryHuman Rights at the Ballot Box
In 1978, Californians voted on Proposition 6, which would have banned gay men and lesbians from teaching or otherwise being employed by California school districts. The initiative sponsored by... Read more -
Memorial Day: Honoring the Fallen
Thursday, May 16, 2024 – Wednesday, June 12, 2024
East Rotunda GalleryMemorial Day recognizes and honors the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the Armed Forces. The first national observance of Memorial Day occurred on May 30, 1868, at Arlington National Cemetery. General John... Read more
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The Purple Heart Battalion
Tuesday, April 16, 2024 – Wednesday, May 15, 2024
East Rotunda GalleryThe 442nd Regimental Combat Team
None of us thought we were coming home alive. —Lawson Sakai
Following Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the Roosevelt administration required people of Japanese descent living on the... Read more
Frances Perkins: Champion of Workers’ Rights
Thursday, February 29, 2024 – Monday, April 15, 2024
East Rotunda Gallery“I came to Washington to work for God, FDR, and the millions of forgotten plain common workingmen.” —Frances Perkins
Chances are you benefit from the legacy of Frances Perkins,... Read more
