On 6 June 1944 Allied forces – principally from Britain, Canada and the United States – landed on the beaches of Normandy. This vast seaborne invasion had been meticulously planned, but success was far from guaranteed: German forces were well prepared for the invasion, and much depended on the vagaries of the weather in the English Channel. The subsequent battle for Normandy would last until late August, when allied forces finally broke out towards Paris.
This event marks the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings and the beginning of the liberation of Europe from Nazi rule.
We will look at how this feat of arms was achieved, focusing on aspects such as intelligence operations and relations between the allied powers. We will also look at what liberation meant for the peoples of occupied Europe, who had experienced four years of Nazi rule, alongside both armed resistance and collaboration with the occupying forces.
Please note: this event will close to enrolments at 23:59 BST on 5 June 2024.