D-Day in the News

To borrow the excellent description from Laughing Wolf: This post is part of Blackfive, the Paratrooper of Love's D-Day Blogburst Armada.

This year we have arrived at the 60th anniversary of D-Day June 6, 1944. A pivotal date in World History - the Invasion of the European continent in an effort to crush Hitler and his totalitarian Axis. There will be many bloggers covering all aspects of this day in history. Most of them with direct military experience and all of them with a tremendous interest in how this momentous event was accomplished.

I am going to concentrate on how D-Day was covered by the Newspapers of the day.

In 1944 there were 2 main sources for wide distribution of news - Radio and Newspapers. Yes, there were newsreels at the theaters, but with the technology of the time, they showed pictures of news making events that were at least several days to several weeks old.

Newspapers were in their heyday though. They brought the details to the people. Details the radio announcers were unable to present, details that shaped how the population at large viewed the war effort. They had tremendous influence and a heavy responsibility.

Everyone in the free world knew the invasion was just a matter of time. Even now, thinking back on the days leading up to D-Day, you can almost feel the tension and fear. The invasion was going to be huge, it was going to be very, very bloody. It was the only way to defeat Hitler.

A few rough statistics of the Invasion:

Official title: Operation Overlord
Date: June 6, 1944
Supreme Commander: U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower
Number of personnel in the Invasion: 195,000
Number of ships in the crossing of the English Channel: 5,000
Number of bombers on bombing missions: 10 bomb groups of B-17 bombers
Total tonnage of bombs dropped: 5,000 tons
Number of paratroopers carried in Gliders towed by C-47 Transport Planes: 23,000
Number of flights (bombers and paratroopers): 14,000
Total Number of planes shot down: 127
Number of Sherman Tanks lost: 40 out of 83
Number of bulldozers lost (to be used in clearing the beaches): 17 out of 20
Total Allied casualties in the Invasion: 10,300

With the massive size of this campaign and the expected very high death toll - how did the newspapers cover the invasion? What I am going to present will simply be the major and minor headlines from newspapers of the day. Even small newspapers presented a tremendous amount of information and maps that I am not displaying here. However, I think you will get a good idea of the information being conveyed, simply by reading the headlines.

According to American Treasures from the Library of Congress:

General Dwight D. Eisenhower did not announce the Allied landings on the coast of France until 3:30 a.m on June 6, 1944. As the last edition of the day, this 6:00 a.m. extra edition of The New York Times carried the most complete D-Day coverage of any morning newspaper world-wide, replete with text and detailed maps of the Normandy. In addition to Raymond Daniel's lead story, the front page includes NBC's Wright Bryan's coverage from a U.S. Ninth Air Force plane, providing one of the first eyewitness accounts of the airborne invasion.

The New York Times headline:

ALLIED ARMIES LAND IN FRANCE
IN THE HAVRE-CHERBOURG AREA;
GREAT INVASION IS UNDERWAY

But the times was certainly not the only paper carrying news of the great Invasion:

The Wheeling News Register:

CONTINENT
INVADED
ALLIES LAND IN FRANCE
-- Montgomery Leads Big Army Against Vaunted West Wall
-- Text of Order By Eisenhower

The Fort Worth Press:

EUROPE
INVADED
-- Invaders Swarm Ashore Between Cherbourg and Le Havre Under 11,000 Airplane Cover

Stars and Stripes:

FRANCE INVADED
Beach Defenses Pierced 10 Miles
-- Eisenhower's Order of the Day Spurs Troops
-- Losses Said Lower Than Anticipated

The Detroit Free Press:

INVASION!
-- Allies Cross the Tiber Chase Routed Foe
-- Rome Hails Liberators in Wild Joy

Minneapolis Daily Times: Extra!:

ALLIES INVADE FRANCE OVER
100-MILE BEACHHEAD AREA
-- Launch Offensive Inland In Wake of Navy, Air Assault
-- Allies Drive Routed Nazis North in Italy
-- Minneapolis Takes Invasion News Gravely

Pittsburgh Sun Telegraph:

INVASION

OUR TROOPS LAND
IN NORTH FRANCE

Los Angeles Examiner:

INVADERS SMASHING
AHEAD TOWARD PARIS!
-- Threat of Channel Gale Worries Allies
-- US Calm on Invasion , Turns to Peace Prayer

Los Angeles Times:

INVASION!
-- Allied Landings Begun in France, Eisenhower Says

Point Pleasant Register: Extra!:

PRAYERS OF WORLD ARE WITH ALLIED FORCES LANDING IN FRANCE
PERSING CONFIDENT OF VICTORY FOR OUR MEN

An Excerpt from the Point Pleasant Register about the Home Front Reaction:

CHURCH BELLS TOLL IN CITY TODAY This morning at about 4:10 when this writer received news of the invasion and started for the office, first telephones sounded, then lights lit the homes, whistles blew, and Church bells rang. the Church bells beckoned all to the open church doors where many knelt in prayer.

There was not much excitement in the streets until the merchants opened their places of business. In the early hours of the morning shadows were cast from the street lamps and now and then a figure appeared and disappeared toward the church. Then back to their homes again to keep their ears to the radio from which news has not stopped since the start of the invasion.

The people have expected it for sometime but when it really comes its a shock to everyone. At six-thirty someone came to the Register Office and said. "My Goodness is the Invasion on?" and some yelled "It certainly is." The Speaker, "Why if I'd known that I'd have gone up to the church." The reply he received was simply "The Church is still Open."

There you have a look at how the news was presented to the public on D-Day. To those waiting at home it was not a day for rejoicing, it was a day for prayer, hope, fear, and contemplation.

Imagine the difference if the headlines read...
THOUSANDS DIE ON BEACHES OF FRANCE.

Comments

[Laughing Wolf]

Well, I stole the basic chassis from Joe Katzman of Winds of Change, and supercharged it. Just wanted to be honest about who I stole it from. :)

[Drill Sergeant Rob]

Great job. The most telling is your final sentence... I'm sure today's media would come up with something more damning and pessimistic than that though lol.

[Drill Sergeant Rob]

DOH!

Note to self: Never never never never double click the POST button.

[Teresa]

Thanks Drill Sgt. *G* and I fixed the extra comment - can't tell you how often I've added extra comments or pings.