“What price shall we pay for freedom?”

As the sun began to set on D-Day, June 6, 1944, this question had been answered by more than 9,000 soldiers who either died or were wounded as a result of the Allied invasion on the beaches of Normandy. Their bravery and sacrifice provided the break the Allied forces needed to destroy the choke-hold the Nazis previously gained over Europe by allowing more than 100,000 additional troops to make it safely onshore and begin the task of securing coastal French villages. The sheer number of troops sent onshore by the Allied forces during the invasion of Normandy led to the success.