HFOTD: 9 June 1942

On this day in 1942, a contingent of SS entered the town of Lidice. The executed all men of the town, as well as about 50 women. The rest of the women were transported to concentration camps and most of the children were sent to German families so they could be "Germanized". What was this town's crime? Directly, nothing. However, the Germans had intercepted a suspicious letter that was addressed to the Horak family in Lidice after Heydrich's death. In the end, they were really only retaliating against this small town because of Heydrich's death.

For more information 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.

HFOTD: 29 May 1798

On this day in history in 1798 nearly 500 United Irishmen are killed in a conflict against the British in County Kildare. This is one of the many battles the United Irishmen fought during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. The rebellion lasted from May until September. The United Irishmen who rebelled were influenced by the French and American revolutions, the latter having won against the British only a few short years before.

HFOTD: 28 May 1940

On this day in 1940,  the eighteen day war that the Germans fought with the Belgian army came to a close when the Belgians surrendered. The Battle of Belgium marked a milestone in the early stages of the war when both sides would engage in a tank battle. The little ground that the Allies had been able to secure in Europe was quickly broken and they, especially the British retreated. Belgium would play a large role towards the end of the war in December 1944 when the American and German armies would face off in the Ardennes, the outcome of the Battle of the Bulge would determine whether or not the Germans would regain their hypothetical footing. In the end the Americans were victorious and five months later the war in Europe would be over.

To view a German newsreel depicting the Battle of Belgium click here.

HFOTD: 27 May 1942

On this day in 1942, notorious Nazi, Reinhard Heydrich is assassinated in Prague. Seeing as he was one of those that helped plan and execute the Holocaust and was the leader of the Gestapo, the exiled Czechoslovakian government wanted him dead. The two would-be assassins were trained by British forces and were waiting for Heydrich in Prague when his open-top car passed by. Though he was mortally wounded, he would not die until June 2nd, and not from the wounds he sustained in the assassin, but from infection from conflicting ideas of his medical team.

For information on Heydrich click here, for the CIA report click here, or for a book on the assassination click here.