Operation Overlord and D-Day
The international situation
As early as 1941, during the
relatively early stages of World War Two, the Soviet Leader,
Joseph Stalin had called for the enormous strain on his troops to
be eased. If the Allies (Britain, America, Canada and the Free
French) began an invasion of Europe in the west, this would
create a ‘Second Front’. It would split German forces and give them
no choice but to move soldiers in two directions. ![[5555] Visit of Winston Churchill](/images/5555_Churchill_tcm4-60742.jpg "[5555] Visit of Winston Churchill")
 Visit of
Winston Churchill to Southampton |
America had joined the war in 1941 after being bombed by the
Japanese at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, USA. They were also keen to
create a Second Front in Europe so that after the invasion they
could then turn their attention to the war with Japan.
At a conference in Tehran, Iran,
November 1943, Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin agreed a date for
the invasion. The date was set for 5th June 1944, although it was
eventually delayed to June 6th because of bad weather. 'Operation
Overlord', the official name for the invasion of Europe, was to
begin.
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