"D-Day" compellingly re-creates every key moment of the historic day when the defences of the Third Reich crumbled and Europe was liberated. Beginning with the first tentative plans to free Europe from Hitler's tyranny, Dan van der Vat traces the story of 'Operation Overlord' from the preparations through the actual invasion and beyond. This definitive illustrated history will include: hundreds of black and white photographs; contemporary colour photographs identify many buildings featured in famous photos of the battlefields of Normandy that are still standing today; paintings by contemporary war artists; specially commissioned three-dimensional maps illustrating all the complex moves in one of the most intricate battles ever staged; the unique stories of the men who landed on the beaches of Normandy on 6 June 1944 - many of which have never been published before; and the stories of German troops, French civilians, Australian fliers, and others.