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What is D day?

"D day" is a military term used to designate the start of an operation. For planning purposes, all events are counted backward or forward from that date. For example, "D day minus two" would be a plan for what needs to happen two days before the beginning of the military operation. During World War II (1939–45) Allied forces planned and executed many D days, which were usually landings on enemy-held coasts. The most famous D Day of modern warfare, however, was June 6, 1944, the invasion of Normandy, France.

Further Information: Man, John. The Facts on File D-Day Atlas: The Definitive Account of the Allied Invasion of Normandy. New York: Facts on File, 1994; National D-Day Memorial Foundation. [Online] Available http://www.dday.org/, October 25, 2000; Normandy: The D-Day Links. [Online] Available

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