D-Day and operation OVERLORD are often regarded as one of the most important operation of all time. The stretch of beach along the Calvados coast is world famous for the part it played in turning around World War II on the 6th of June 1944, when British, Canadian and American troops broke through Nazi defenses. Normandy is indelibly marked by the momentous events of June 1944, and the ensuing months leading to the liberation of France and the rest of Europe. Visitors today can explore old army bunkers and other war relics along the five beaches: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. Museums and memorials throughout the region stand as forceful reminders of this decisive period during the Second World War, when Allied Forces gradually advanced from landing beaches through villages, towns and countryside to liberate the French people.