D-Day at 70

I once sat in the living room of house in which I lived with two other roommates, discussing our grandfathers. "WW2 in HD" had just premiered, and it inspired a rare moment of household-wide reflection. We considered how much our they had achieved and how many stories they could tell, particularly as all of our grandfathers had served in some capacity or another between 1939 and 1945. That they had served, witnessed the terror of war, helped to shape history, to then continue achieving great things was particularly incredible to us. 

Between the three of us, our grandfathers had fought against the Germans, Italians and Japanese in the Pacific, in North Africa, and in the case of one of my grandfathers, in Vichy-controlled Syria, acting as a sleeper cell in case of German advances into the Levant. They had gone on to become a professor, a doctor, a founder of a nation, a business owner. They were community leaders, respected amongst their peers. They married, had children, and then grandchildren. 

The discussion we had about our grandfathers left us feeling profoundly sub-par. By the time they were 30, they had helped to determine  the course of western civilization, has established themselves in their careers, and were building families. In spite of how silly "the Greatest Generation" sounds, it seems so fitting for men that had so much determination, and who had shown so much courage.

It is that same sense of insignificance and inferiority that I feel today, the 70th anniversary of the D Day landings. The courage and determination exhibited by the men who were there is nothing short of astounding. 

The Second World War would last another 8 months in Europe, another year in the Pacific - there would be many more acts of courage to follow. Yet there is a symbolism attached to Operation Overlord that cannot be diminished. The images of Americans, Britons, and Canadians storming into France through German fire, in order to open another front in Europe and thus defeat Hitler, represent the bravery and resolve of allied soldiers in all theaters. 

Alongside the men of the allied forces were Poles, Czechs, Frenchmen, Belgians, Dutchmen, Australians, New Zealanders, Norwegians, and Greeks - soldiers from all over occupied Europe, who also participated in this day. 

I have been moved today by the many articles about the anniversary of D-Day. The Atlantic published pictures of Normandy then and now, which are fascinating. There have been tributes made all over the world of social media, which have been very powerful.

I have felt extremely saddened though, as I consider that this generation is continuing to fade away. Again, I can't help but think of my grandfathers, who both passed years ago. As their contemporaries become but a memory, we lose the connection we have to their unparalleled bravery. We will forever rely on footage of their battles and literary accounts of their bravery, but few of us still have the privilege of hearing them tell us how they felt or what they saw.

No one can put to words the importance of what they did, and we can scarcely come to terms with the immensity of the sacrifice made by the thousands who died on the beaches of France. But we owe it to ourselves to try, at least.