Top 5 D-Day movies

So I put together a similar list for Memorial Day but here it is. The top 5 best D-Day movies. If there's one you think that should be on the list as well, feel free to comment!

1. BAND OF BROTHERS (2001)

This 10-part miniseries from Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks shows the journey of the 101st airborne, E(asy) Company. It depicts men at their best and worst, and the relationships that formed on the battlefield.

For a synopsis click here.

2. SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (1998)

Another great film from Steven Spielberg. A group of men set out to find Private Ryan, who's brothers had all been killed in the weeks leading up to as well as on D-Day.

For a synopsis click here.

3. THE LONGEST DAY (1962)

Based on the 1959 book with the same name. The story is told from both the Allied perspective as well as the Germans. A masterpiece for it's time.

For a synopsis click here.

4. THE DIRTY DOZEN (1967)

An army official is given twelve convicted murderers to train and ultimately lead into Normandy on D-Day in an attempt at a mass assassination of German officers.

For a synopsis click here.

5. IKE: COUNTDOWN TO D-DAY (2004)

Explores the days leading up to D-Day. Gives a look at the orchestration of an invasion, that had it not been successful, would have altered the course of the war in favor of the Germans.

For a synopsis click here.

HFOTD: 6 June 1944

On this day in history in 1944, the world woke up to discover that the Allied forces had invaded the beaches of Normandy, France in an attempt to push back the German forces and to take the first step in defeating them. The fighting took place on 5 separate beaches (Omaha, Utah, Gold, Juno, and Sword) that the Allies had split up.

For those BAND OF BROTHERS buffs, you know that the Airborne was dropped the night before the invasion to secure the beach. The invasion started at 0630 and though they would secure the beach by the end of the day, the battle of Normandy would last the full month of June as they slowly advanced towards Berlin.


For a U.S. Government newsreel on D-Day, click here.

For a brief German perspective on D-Day, click here.

For a summary of D-Day, click here.

For current news articles about the anniversary, click here, here, here, or here.

HFOTD: 5 June 1944

On this day in history in 1944 was the original date of the invasion of Normandy (D-Day), but due to bad weather it was postponed until the 6th. However, in preparation for the invasion, nearly 1,000 RAF planes dropped about 5,000 tons of bombs on German locations throughout the intended assault area (which included Omaha, Utah, Juno, Gold, and Sword beaches). While this was happening a good majority of the invasion force was sailing across the English Channel on their way to attack the beaches.