Article by George Mc Quade, MAYO Communications
“The Americans on D-Day” is a compact and concise examination of the United States’ part in the June 6, 1945, Allied invasion of Normandy.
Considering the enormity of the actual D-Day undertaking it might sound hopeless to present a comprehensive account in a documentary with a running time of 44 minutes, but producer-director Richard Lanni has come up with a well organized documentary that provides a clear outline of the events of D-Day, punctuated along the way with a somewhat more detailed account of specific moments in the battle that turned the tide of World War II in Europe.
The film benefits immensely from the presence of Ellwood von Seibold as host-narrator-tour guide. Donning authentic military uniform and accessories – down to the “pineapple” style hand grenade hanging from his utility webbing – von Seibold shares a wealth of knowledge on the subject, presenting it with an elegance that provides an effective counterpoint to the brutality that is, after all, at the center of the D-Day story.
“The Americans on D-Day” strikes a tone appropriate to the nature of D-Day, offering a matter-of-fact account that acknowledges the powerful emotional component of its subject matter while stopping short of romanticizing or idealizing an event that was as bloody and brutal as it was essential to the Allies’ success in Europe.
The production deftly blends archival footage and stills with contemporary footage. Early on, we see black-and-white images of U.S. forces, including Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower – as we hear audio of Ike’s sendoff to the D-Day forces.
“You are about to embark upon a great crusade,” he tells them. “The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you. You will bring about the destruction of the German war machine.
“We will accept nothing less than full victory”
The film then goes on to function as a battlefield tour, offering close-ups of German fortifications along the beaches of Normandy, arms – including the MG-42, a heavy machine gun that could fired upwards of 1,200 rounds per minute – and bridges and structures that played key roles in the Allie invasion.
Interviews with both U.S. and German veterans of the operation provide further personal insight into the significance of D-Day and its human toll.
Many of the images presented in “The Americans on D-Day” will be familiar to those who have seen the feature film “Saving Private Ryan,” the TV miniseries “Band of Brothers,” or any number of other filmed projects that touch on D-Day.
The DVD package has extras including the film’s trailer, a making-of feature, a segment on weapons training, another on uniforms and a collection of stills.
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Editors note: If you would like a copy of Americans of D-Day to review at your publication or media news website contact: George@maycommunications.com.
About the Author
George McQuade, V.P., MAYO Communications International, is a national award-winning entertainment and corporate communications multimedia expert, and is often quoted on nationally on trends, campaigns and breaking stories. McQuade has been behind and in front of the camera/microphone for more than 15 years, 10 in the LA Market
Image D-Day Memorial – Bedford, Virginia by john.murden
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D-Day
On the basis of 1,400 oral histories from the men who were there, bestselling author and World War II historian Stephen E. Ambrose reveals for the first time anywhere that the intricate plan for the invasion of France in June 1944 had to be abandoned before the first shot was fired. The true story of D-Day, as Ambrose relates it, is about the citizen soldiers – junior officers and enlisted men – taking the initiative to act on their own to break through Hitler’s Atlantic Wall when they realised that nothing was as they had been told it would be. D-DAY is the brilliant, no holds barred, telling of the battles of Omaha and Utah beaches. Ambrose relives the epic victory of democracy on the most important day of the twentieth century.Published to mark the 50th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy, Stephen E. Ambrose’s D-Day: June 6, 1944 relies on over 1,400 interviews with veterans, as well as prodigious research in military archives on both sides of the Atlantic. He provides a co
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1 responses to 65th Anniversary – The Americans On D-Day Comes Alive On Battle Tour Film
Picks up where “The Longest Day” left off,
Ambrose has truly contributed to the world’s knowledge by his work. This book was my introduction to the works of Steven Ambrose, but I have since read almost all of his books still in print. Having read scores of histories of The Second World War, including Cornelius Ryan’s classic account of D-Day, I can honestly say that Ambrose’s “D-Day” told me quite a bit that I didn’t know. And, Dr. Ambrose is a gripping writer; his books are impossible to put down. While all his works are highly readable, this book is perhaps his best to this point, though Citizen Soldiers and Band of Brothers are also outstanding.
The real significance of “D-Day” is that it tells us just how brutal the assault at Omaha really was for the men of that generation. No account prior to this has been willing to expose the slaughter of the first waves of assault troops on Omaha. D-Day also tell us the personal stories of some of the average citizen soldiers placed into the horrible crucible of combat. Many times histories focus on strategies, officers, and overall accomplishments. This book gives us a compelling view of the rank and file who did the work of winning the war. Those who survived, and those who didn’t, confronted and ultimately conquered what should have been an insurmountable fixed defense; they did their duty in a way that should make us all proud and grateful. Most veterans interviewed by Dr. Ambrose were quite modest about their accomplishments, but their quiet heroics—doing that which human beings find so hard to do—literally saved the world from a terrible tyranny—make no mistake about that! This book offers a compelling account of the price that was paid by average men (our fathers, uncles, and grandfathers), for the freedom we now take for granted.
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