Omaha Beach
France
Gary Sheahan

The successful Allied landings at Normandy on 6 June 1944 marked the beginning of the end for the German occupation of France. When the artist watched the landings on Omaha Beach from one of the supporting warships, however, the issue was still very much in doubt. While landings on Utah Beach, the other American landing site, met early success, a combination of bad weather and heavy German defenses on Omaha Beach left the first assault waves seriously disorganized. Throughout the day forces continued to pour ashore, and by nightfall the Americans had secured a toehold on the enemy shore, a final step in turning the tide of the war in Europe.