Dday to Ve Day: Month by Month

On the evening of 5 June 1944, the people of Britain braced for news that would truly change the course of history. Ships and landing craft assembled in the Channel, paratroopers prepared for fl ight and troops readied for action. A brief announcement the following morning declared that D-Day had finally arrived. It would be the start of a long and arduous campaign to liberate Europe from the tyranny of Nazi occupation and defeat Hitler once and for all. D-Day to VE Day narrates the fi nal year of the Second World War in Europe, from the Normandy landings to the joyous celebrations of VE Day. It draws on the Imperial War Museum’s vast photography collection to chart and illustrate the Allies’ journey through war-torn Europe during those crucial months, moment by moment and day-by-day. Follow in the footsteps of the Allies in real time as they liberate Paris, fi ght through the dense Ardennes Forest during the Batt le of the Bulge and cross the mighty Rhine River, paving the way for the fi nal push towards Berlin. Along the way, you’ll discover the key strategic operations, batt les and crucial turning points that marked the Allies’ march towards ultimate victory over Nazi Germany.

Peter Johnston is Assistant Director of Narrative and Content at the Imperial War Museum.