CASE FILE: D-Day
THE SCENE: The Beaches of Normandy
The Allied invasion of Nazi-controlled France looms larger in our collective consciousness than perhaps any other single battle in history. The logistics of D-Day — the largest amphibious operation ever staged — stagger the imagination: two years of planning, close to 7,000 ships, almost 160,000 soldiers and fighting men from three nations, backed by 17,000 paratroopers and an aerial umbrella of 3,000 planes.
In commemoration of the 60th anniversary of D-Day, SECRETS OF THE DEAD tells the story of how it all came together, and shows step by step how the Allies achieved victory on June 6, 1944. The film calls upon the testimony of veterans — the German soldiers who guarded the Normandy coastline, and the Americans, British, and Canadians who parachuted out of the sky, drove the tanks, and landed on Omaha, Gold, Juno, Sword, and Utah beaches. The film also includes spectacular dramatic reconstructions and incorporates arresting 16mm archive footage that brings the panic and terror of D-Day to the fore. All of these elements combine to create a definitive and dramatic account of what really happened on what would become known as The Longest Day.
