This day in history - Liberation of Caen

On June 6, 1944 thousands of Allied soldiers landed on the beaches of northern France. The Allied commanders had a line drawn on their map where they hoped the troops would be by nightfall of the first day. Inside that line was a town called Caen. In other words the commanders were hoping that Caen would be in Allied hands by midnight on June 6. It wasn't till this day July 9, over a month later, that Caen was taken by the Canadian and British soldiers. When the Allies first landed the German tanks in the area were held back but soon after they landed the German tanks and elite troops were placed between the Allies and Caen. First the Allies tried to go around and attack from the side and the back but that didn't work so eventually the Canadians and British troops attacked head on. By the time they actually took the town there was nothing left but piles of rubble because of the intense bombardment by artillery and by bombing from the air.

Here are some pictures:


The ruins of Caen after all the bombing and artillery fire.


















A machine gun post in the wreckage.

















A German tank.















An artillery gun.




















A Canadian tank.