D-Day is a military term used to refer to the start of an operation. It was first used in World War I and has since been used in various military designations. The most famous D-Day was on June 6, 1944, when the Allies arrived in Normandy to liberate Europe from Nazi occupation. The term is avoided by the military since it has an emotional connotation for World War II veterans and survivors.
D-Day refers to two separate events that are related to each other. The earliest use of the word is to refer to any day an initiative is taken by the military. Most commonly, this alludes to fighter strikes, but can also signal the start of peaceful operations, invasion procedures, and takeover maneuvers. The term was first used during World War I on a written order to attack the St. Mihiel Salient on 7 September 1918.
While various interpretations give the first “D” in the name, the truth is that it represents nothing, even among military personnel. D-Day is one of several military designations that use letters of the alphabet. C-Day (or Candy Day) is the day distribution orders are given; E-Day refers to the start of any NATO exercise deployment; H-Hour is the exact time an operation starts; and V-Day marks Victory Day, or the day a military strike ends.
D-Day is also the more common name given to June 6, 1944, the day the Battle of Normandy began. This was the day the Allies arrived in Europe to help liberate the continent from Nazi occupation. The full name of the battle is “1944 D-Day Operation Overlord” as a reference to the largest seaborne invasion in military history. On this day, approximately 156,000 troops arrived in Normandy, France from England. After parachute drops and air and naval attacks, the troops arrived by water and captured Normandy, initiating a fight that would last over two months and culminate in the liberation of Paris at the end of August.
The term has such an emotional connotation for World War II veterans and survivors that the military has avoided using the term officially since 1944. While it can be used among military personnel, a different appellation is often used in open speeches and announcements public. For example, L-Day was used to refer to the invasion of Okinawa (March 1945) and A-Day to refer to the invasion of Leyte (October 1944).
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