The EU would not exist today without the sacrifice of so many from the Anglosphere

79 years ago today, thousands of British, Commonwealth, and US ‘migrants’ crossed the Channel

Montage © Facts4EU.Org 2023

Brexit Facts4EU.Org remembers, even if the EU Commission does not

Today in 1944, the liberation of Europe was launched from British beaches. Without the heroism (and sacrifice) of these troops, Europe would not have been freed and the idea of the EU would just be a pipe dream.

The EU Commission tends not to refer to this significant event very often, and given the parlous state of history teaching in our schools the Facts4EU team would like to pay tribute, in case we are not around for the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings next year.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

Just some of the basic numbers (not a full history)

On D-Day, the Allies landed around 156,000 troops in Normandy
In the British sector 83,115 troops were landed (61,715 of them British)
24,970 on Gold Beach, 21,400 on Juno Beach, 28,845 on Sword Beach
7,900 airborne troops also landed
In the US sector 23,250 were landed on Utah Beach, 34,250 on Omaha Beach
15,500 American airborne troops were also landed
Overall 11,590 aircraft supported the landings
Massive naval forces were involved, including 6,939 boats of all sizes
In the ensuing days almost one-third of a million troops were landed

This involved millions more – from the UK, the Commonwealth, and from the USA

In addition to the vanguard of those on the ground, in the air, and on the sea, millions more were involved in this liberation of Europe from the German Reich. From the manufacturing of armaments and military equipment to the care of those wounded and repatriated to the UK, the effort from men and women was immense and all-encompassing.

The effect of the Second World War on the United Kingdom was simply devastating. To give one example, rationing did not finally end in the UK until 1958, 13 years after the end of the war in Europe.

Maps – what we liberated and what the EU is today

It is worth looking at maps of Europe under the Third Reich in the 1940s and Europe under the EU Commission of today. Our caveat on the first map is that this was not created by us and arguments can be made regarding the formal extent of the German empire and then its effective control of other territories. This applies to Vichy France, for example.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

MAP 1 – Europe under the Third Reich in 1942

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Attribution: Goran tek-en.

MAP 2 – Europe under the European Union

Observations

Few veterans of the D-Day landings remain and fewer still are able to make the journey to Normandy for the commemorations. Nevertheless we salute them all, and remember those who have left us.

These days in Brussels the liberation of Europe does not appear to be something the EU Commission wishes to draw attention to. Following Brexit, the UK has been treated as an enemy and the US as a trade warrior.

The simple fact is that without the Anglosphere in 1944 the EU would not exist as it does today. Some might argue that despite the defeat of Nazi Germany, that reconstituted country has held a dominant position in the EU for decades and this is true. However for many years countries in Europe have been sovereign. This is now changing rapidly.

In addition to thanking the United Kingdom for its pivotal role in liberating Europe at enormous cost, the EU Commission might also want to remember more recent events, such as the bringing down of the Soviet Union.

Without the UK’s and the US’s resolute response to the Kremlin over so many years, (bitterly opposed by CND in the UK and huge numbers of ‘peace’ protestors in Germany), the EU would be a great deal smaller today.

We must get reports like this out there

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[ Sources: Numerous military sources ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Tues 06 June 2023

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Reader Comments 11

1. Old Albion , Tuesday, June 06, 2023, 06:39:

It can seem like a massive human waste 79 years on. Those men freed Europe from violent occupation. It is now the UK that is being surreptitiously invaded.

2. Have You Wondered , Tuesday, June 06, 2023, 06:50:

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Have You Wondered if the situation is ironic?
.
1) France cannot patrol about 50 miles of border against unarmed irregular immigrants (for 7 years at a cost to the UK of £192 million) What hope has France of providing a creditable EU defence force?
2) The UK cannot defend 50 miles of coastline.
3) The unarmed irregular immigrants achieving what Hitler could not?
.

3. Andy , Tuesday, June 06, 2023, 06:51:

About a week ago I had business not too far from where I live and walked past a Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery. It is quite small, but there was the familiar Cross of Sacrifice beautiful against the Mediterranean sky. Walking along the lines of grave stones, all immaculately kept, one was struck by how many bore no name, merely the inscription 'A Solider of the Second World War: Known unto God'.
These very beautiful cemeteries are probably the saddest places on earth. It seems that it is the lot of the Anglo-sphere to have to constantly save the Europeans from themselves.

4. No Surrender , Tuesday, June 06, 2023, 07:02:

We are so much superior to the Europeans.

5. Have You Wondered , Tuesday, June 06, 2023, 07:40:

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79 years on - Could this be the start of the EU collapse and another European War? Would the EU have been better remaining as a trading bloc, rather than political and military ambitions?
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DRIVING THE DAY: EU PRO-RUSSIAN PARTIES SURGE AHEAD OF ELECTIONS
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What it means for Europe: European officials warn that wins by pro-Russian parties in Austria and Slovakia would hand Russian President Vladimir Putin a powerful tool to disrupt the EU’s sanctions on Russia and its efforts to assist Ukraine. “It would be a disaster,” a senior Commission official told my colleague Matthew Karnitschnig."
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Search: eu newsletter brussels playbook pro russian parties surge eurobarometer anger at france
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Could this be an EU 'Achilles Heel' or a 'Trojan Horse'?
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With so many fundamental disputes - Poland being found guilty on Monday by the CJEU of breaking judicial ideals, the EU (breaking treaties) by trying to stop Hungary and Poland taking the roatating presidencies, Immigration - corruption .......
(again: Search: eu newsletter brussels playbook pro russian parties surge eurobarometer anger at france )
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79 years on - with the EU fragmentation and corruption - could Austria and Slovakia be an EU 'Achilles Heel' or a 'Trojan Horse' to the EU?
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6. Have You Wondered , Tuesday, June 06, 2023, 07:54:

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3. Andy
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Indeed. Bayeaux, Tyne Cot - oh - to many to list. There are so many UK and Commonwealth grave sites, spread like confetti right across Europe (and beyond) to remind the Europeans what we (and other nations) sacrificed. Take a look at Commonwealth war graves commission website.
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Each stone a personal tradegy for the victim and wider family given protecting Europe. At this moment in European politics - I just feel irony.
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Chapeau - hats off to them all.
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7. Major Graham Lear , Tuesday, June 06, 2023, 10:01:

My father was one of the soldiers who went ashore on this day 79 years ago and it took him years to open up to what he had to endure. Whenever I or my brother asked him about his war experiences he would clam up and as young boys, we could not understand why. Years later in 1982 understood, as I myself had to go through something similar and do what he had to do.
He was at the back of his landing craft and it was that fact that saved his life, What he remembered as the craft made its way onto Sword Beach was bells ringing except they were not bells they were machine gun bullets hitting the craft.
He actualy wet himself because he knew that as soon as the craft door went down his craft would become the killing ground as the Germans took their time and zeroed their guns to the front of the craft. That is what happened.
He remembers the doors clanging down and his friends at the front who he had trained with being hit and slumping down dead or wounded, He remembers the shouting the screams of officers telling them to get out, he remembers being pushed towards the opening and having to climb over the bodies of his mates.
Then he remembers a small, miracle as the machine gun that is targeting his craft stops firing, then he is out and his training kicks in and he is wading ashore rifle held high. he remembers stepping on the beach and falling exhausted only for his sergeant to grab him and kick him to his feet then pull him along to cover where they both fall exhausted, Then they are up after a small respite and begin to find Germa targets, He remembers the Germans falling back after a while and they slowly begin to move off the beach, he is wet cold hungry and scared. He remembers sharing a ditch with a dead German all night because he got separated from his mates and jumped into the ditch when it was dark. He survived and came home wounded five months before the war in Europe ended while in Germany. This is just one of many stories of that day in June.

8. Northern Muppet , Tuesday, June 06, 2023, 15:35:

MGL - a very touching and brutal story. Your father's trauma and sacrifice will never be forgotten or taken for granted!
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We should NEVER forget that things could have been incredibly different if it were not for such bravery.
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Noting separately that it's probably a good job that sparky has kept his gob shut today!

9. ste , Tuesday, June 06, 2023, 18:25:

the National Socialists of Germany were initially know as " nat -so's ", that was then changes to Na Zis, it is worry that the current national socialists ( mostly racist against jewish people too ) want us to be run by unelected, unaccountable leaders immune from prosecution, and these 'people' have the cheek to call anyone who believes in free speech and democracy as right wing !

10. Viva La UK , Wednesday, June 07, 2023, 09:03:

I could never understand why EFTA was not enough for us in the UK. We now have an unelected, entrenched Dictatorship, who plan to raise an EU Army which they will control. Would you bet that such an army would not unlawfully invade UK if they wanted it, because I wouldn't?

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