This is a special day in history. On this day 80 years ago, the beaches of Normandy, France were flowing red with blood as they were swarmed by 160,000 Allied troops carrying out what had been called Operation Overlord. 9,000 men became casualties as they jumped into the water and headed for the beach through torrential machine gun fire. However, they were victorious in securing 50 miles of beaches along the Normandy coast. That morning, they began a ground invasion of Nazi-held Europe. That invasion has been called D-Day. It was the first step of brutal fighting that led to the end of the Third Reich eleven months later.

This was the largest amphibious assault in history, but the offensive on Normandy almost didn’t transpire. There were a lot of requirements for the massive invasion to happen successfully. The weather had to cooperate. To get that many troops across the English Channel, they needed calm waters. They needed the moon to be visible and nearly full for the ships and planes to navigate during the early morning hours. They needed to hit the beaches as the tides were ebbing from low tide (which exposed anti-ship obstacles) to high tide (so they could keep their landing craft afloat). They needed little wind so the paratroopers would land on target. There were only nine days on the weather calendar that fit all of those criteria. In fact, the invasion was to happen on June 5, but was called off due to stormy seas and cloudy skies. Early on June 6, the weather broke and the operation commenced.

Of the 160,000 men who took part in D-Day, only a few remain. Those who are still alive were just teenagers when they stormed the beaches. They are now approaching 100 years old and this is likely the last time any of them will take part in the commemoration. After they are gone, will anyone remember the importance of this day any longer? I certainly hope so because D-Day stands like a bulwark against the waves of time that often fade our memories. I believe the day stands as a barrier against ignorance. D-Day reminds us that there is evil in the world that can overtake nations of people. It reminds us that when evil presents itself in the most hideous ways, there is a reason to push back and defeat it. That is exactly what those brave men did when they hit the beaches in Normandy 80 years ago today.

Why is that important? We live in a sound-bite society that believes what we hear without thinking much about it. Because of this, we are subject to being manipulated into thinking whatever is trending is true and we get right and wrong mixed up. We call what is evil right and give it a pass. D-Day reminds us not to do so. Evil is nothing to wink at. You cannot give it a little and hope for the best. Appeasing evil will not work, it will always want more of you. If you refuse, it will try to steal what you have and force you to conform. The men who stormed those beaches knew this. Evil is something to be defeated. That’s what they did. That’s why this day is important. Let’s not forget.