Description of the event

Allied leaders use to discuss about attacking Germany directly, through an invasion in the heart of Europe, since 1940. Since the beginning, Winston Churchill encourages this operation, and Stalin too, since 1942, asks a strong intervention of Allied troops in Europe.
However, only in January 1943, during the conference in Casablanca (Morocco), Allied leaders talk expressly about unconditional surrender of Germany, Italy and Japan and programming an invasion of Europe; nevertheless they decide to carry out this operation in Sicily. This decision unavoidably delays the invasion of France. In August 1943, during the strategic conference in Quebec (Canada), Allies start officially their preparatories for attacking Northern France (called “Operation Overlord”), while the campaign in Italy is still giving good results.
An important step towards the D-Day is in Novembre-December 1943: in that moment Hitler, realizing the danger, calls back from Northern Africa the field-marshall Erwin Rommel, and entrustes him with the supreme command of troops defending France. Meanwhile the order is to esamine and strengthen the “Atlantic wall”, the difensive French line towards the Atlantic ocean built by the Germans three years earlier. Reports submitted by Rommel are immediatly discouraging. In spite of this, Hitler doesn’t realize the danger. In the same moment, on the other front, US general Dwight D. Eisenhower, Commander of Allied troops in the Mediterranean area, is appointed Commander in Chief of the expeditionary force in France. Meanwhile this force, composed most of all by American soldiers, is gathering and establishing in Great Britain.
In April 1944, hard bombings against Northern France begin, to hit and get unutilizable means and ways communication and to put out of use the German aviation present there. Allies succeded in this, as well as succeded in deceiving Hitler and his High Command, making them believe that the operation would have taken place in the Nord-Pas de Calais area and not in Normandy. On June 6th, 1944, at 5.30 a.m., when Allied battleships open fire against the Normandy coast preparing the landing, German defences are generally taken by surprise (though, due to bad weather conditions, the landing was postponed of one day).
Though Hitler’s strategic errors, and Allied decisive supremacy on the air, the advance in France is slow and laborious, even if the landing of soldiers and means was complete (even though at the cost of heavy losses). The city of Caen, one of the first targets, is reanched only six weeks after the landing, as well as Cherbourg, one of the main ports of Northern France (practically destroyed).
Even if holding out, the Nazis begin to flake: in the early days of July, Hitler takes Gerd von Rundstedt away from the command of German troops in Western Europe; on July 20th takes place the famous, failed, attempt on the Führer’s life. Miraculousely saved, HItler starts immediately his revenge, which doesn’t spare not even the hero Rommel (who hasn’t taken part in the attempt because wounded by the Allies a few days earlier). A further blow to German troops is given by American armoured divisions, leaded by George Patton; these, leaving from Bretagne, succeed in breaking through towards East. After a row of defeats, German troops are forced to leave Paris where, on August 25th, French, Polish and American troops are able to parade.