Juno Beach

Juno Beach. , Fortress Europe , During the Second World War, the Allies knew they would have to defeat Germany in Western Europe to win the war but a way into France was needed. The coastline from Denmark to the south of France was fortified with German land mines, barbed wire, heavy artillery batteries, anti-tank walls and the German army. Many months of planning began in order to launch the largest seaborne invasion in history. , The Decoy , A massive fake army was placed in northern England, complete with inflatable dummy tanks and trucks to fool German air reconnaissance. This was to suggest that the invasion would come at the narrowest point of the English Channel, around the Pas De Calais. When the Allies launched on the morning of June 6th, the bulk of the German panzer (tank) forces were stationed in northern France. , Normandy Landings , On D-Day, the campaign's opening day, German defenders woke to 156,000 American, British and Canadian troops landing on five beaches code-named Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword, along a 100-kilometre stretch of French coastline in Normandy. More than 450 Canadians had parachuted inland before dawn to engage the enemy. During the assault, Royal Canadian Air Force squadrons patrolled the skies and attacked enemy targets onshore, while 10,000 sailors onboard 110 ships of the Royal Canadian Navy supported the campaign. , Young, Ordinary Boys , More than 14,000 young volunteer soldiers from across Canada stormed Juno Beach, and fought their way into the towns of Bernières, Courseulles and St. Aubin. They then advanced inland, farther than any other allied force, and secured a critical bridgehead for the allied invasion. The victory was a turning point in World War II and led to the liberation of Europe and the defeat of Nazi Germany.