Experience history's largest amphibious assault through the eyes of those who made history on that day, in the exact places where they fought This self-guided trip guide to a mile-long stretch of "Omaha Beach" in Normandy, takes you from the somber American military cemetery at St. Laurent, to the "Colleville Draw," past the American 1st Infantry Division monument, the German fortifications at Wiederstandsnest 62, then along the beach and back up to the cemetery. Along the way, American invasion plans are explained, as well as the failures in planning and execution; the German attempts to stop the invasion; the carnage on the beach, and then; the Allied breakout - using almost exclusively recorded descriptions of events by the men who made history at these places. They'll explain from their own perspective what happened and why. That includes Private Franz Gockel of the German Army who'll tell what it was like to face the greatest invasion force in history. The guide traces the route taken by the famous photographer Robert Capa and what happened in his vicinity; and finally we'll accompany Lt. John Spalding and his small band of brothers from Easy Company on their lonely fight to reach the top of the cliffs overlooking one of the most famous beaches in history. And that's exactly where our tour ends. Many others will be mentioned, as the reader goes past the places where they fought and some died. And since the events that took place along this route were representative of the whole Omaha Beach landing, it is possible to tell the story while keeping it strongly connected to its surroundings - what happened here explains very well how and why the battle was fought and why it ended with a secure beachhead and a solid allied foothold in Normandy. Dr. Yagil Henkin teaches military history at the Israeli army's Command and General Staff College. He regularly leads battlefield tours, both in Israel and in western Europe. Dr Henkin is also an avid hiker, and co-authored (with Jaacob Saar) guides to the Israel National Trail and other long-distance trails in Israel (http: //www.amazon.com/Israel-National-Trail-Jerusalem-Hike/dp/9659124945),