As young soldiers they waded ashore in Normandy through gunfire to fight the Nazis. A dwindling number of World War II veterans were joined by a new generation of leaders on Thursday to honor the dead, the living and the fight for democracy in moving commemorations on and around those same beaches where they landed exactly 80 years ago on D-Day.
As young soldiers they waded ashore in Normandy through gunfire to fight the Nazis. A dwindling number of World War II veterans were joined by a new generation of leaders on Thursday to honor the dead, the living and the fight for democracy in moving commemorations on and around those same beaches where they landed exactly 80 years ago on D-Day. The war in Ukraine shadowed the ceremonies. Russia's full-scale invasion is a grim modern-day example of lives and cities that are again suffering through war. French President Emmanuel Macron awarded the Legion of Honor to 14 U.S. veterans and a British female veteran. Among the Americans was Edward Berthold who flew 35 combat missions in all as a pilot during World War II including one on D-Day.
President Joe Biden has marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day by pledging during a ceremony at the American cemetery in Normandy that "we will not walk away" from Ukraine. He's drawing a direct line from the fight to liberate Europe from Nazi domination to today's war against Russian aggression. Biden said Thursday that "to surrender to bullies, to bow down to dictators, is simply unthinkable" and that doing so "means we'd be forgetting what happened here on these hallowed beaches." The comments are a reminder that American commitments around the globe hang in the balance during this year's U.S. election. Many European leaders worry that transatlantic unity could fray or rupture if Donald Trump wins.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
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PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
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