On June 6th, 1944, 150,000 Allied soldiers landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight the German army on the beaches of Normandy. A joint endeavor of American, British, Canadian and French troops, General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” More than 5,000 ships and 11,000 aircraft supported the invasion to liberate Europe from Nazi occupation, and by the day’s end, the Allies successfully gained a foothold in France. The cost of D-Day was high, and we join together to commemorate the sacrifices made during the largest amphibious operation the world has ever seen.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
THURSDAY, JUNE 5th
5:00-5:45PM Reception (OSU Faculty Club Grand Lounge)
5:45-7:00PM Address: Williamson Murray, “The Eve of D-Day: Possibilities and Roads Not Taken”
FRIDAY, JUNE 6th
7:30-8:00AM Complimentary Coffee Service
8:00-9:15AM Peter Hahn, “Setting the International Stage for Invasion: The Diplomatic Underpinnings of the Grand Alliance” (Hagerty Hall 180)
9:45-11:00AM Peter Mansoor, “The Longest Day: The Allied Invasion of Normandy” (Hagerty Hall 180)
11:00AM-1:30PM Lunch and World War II Library Display, $30.00/person (Thompson Library)
1:30-2:45PM Russell Hart, “Invasion They Are Coming! Legends of the German Defense of Normandy Seventy Years On” (Hagerty Hall 180)
3:30-5:00PM Veteran Panel moderated by Greg Lashutka (The Ohio Union)
5:00-6:00PM Closing Reception* (The Ohio Union)
*Works produced by the conference speakers will be available for sale and signing during this event.
To download a paper registration form, click HERE.
Would you like to be a sponsor for this event and purchase seats at a private donor dinner after the opening reception and keynote address Thursday evening? Click HERE!
PARKING:
Public parking is available at the Ohio Union Parking Garage and additional limited disability parking is available directly south of Hagerty Hall on Hagerty Drive. If you have additional questions about parking on campus, please feel free to visit CampusParc's website or contact them at: 614-688-0000.
Want to give to OSU in other ways? Select any of the below funds to donate now!
The Sean M. Judge Memorial Scholarship in Military History
The Ohio State Military History Discretionary Fund
For other OSU funds, visit OSU Giving today!