Neither the Kings and Queens present, nor the political leadersnot even the hollywood movie stars were at the center of the June 6 ceremonies to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Day D in Normandy. Were the veterans. About 200 made the trip to the beaches where most of them had landed in 1944, launching the campaign that freed France and ultimately defeated the Hitler’s Germany. “I did it for you!” read the motto on the stage screen that presented the ceremony in Omaha Beach.
Most of the veterans arrived in wheelchairs, their decorations (and a few tears) glinting in the spring sun. Were Americans, British and Canadians, and many spoke with disarming humility of the day they went underwater under a hail of Nazi fire. “We did what we had to do,” said more than one. “We are all eternally indebted to them.“, declared the King Charles of Great Britainwho attended a separate event at the British Normandy Memorial with view to Gold Beach, where he spoke partially in French. For its part, Emmanuel Macronhe french presidentsaid simply: “No one in France, in Normandy, can forget his sacrifice.”
Unimaginable sacrifice and heroism were the reason for the entire day. So was the fight for freedom and democracy, as well as French gratitude to the Allied forces. The towns along the winding streets of Normandy leading to the beaches were decorated with bunting with American and allied flags. A house near Ver-sur-Mer was decorated with the words “Thank you,” made from French tricolor flags..
However, it was the presence of Volodymyr Zelenskyhe ukrainian presidentwhich heightened the symbolism of the commemoration. The sight of a wheelchair-bound World War II veteran hugging a leader whose country is currently fighting expansionist aggression had echoes of wars past and present. Joe Biden of USA made the link in Colleville-sur-Mer American Cemetery the same day. “The forces of freedom are stronger than the forces of conquest,” he said. “We will not turn our backs on Ukraine”.
Throughout the events, there was a persistent sense not only of the incalculable value of American aid, but also of its fragility. The United States came to the rescue Europe in 1944 and is doing it once again in Ukraine; but it may not always have the backing of Europe. The presence of Biden, who may eventually come to be considered one of the last American Atlanticists, was yet another reminder that such support cannot be taken for granted. He expressed it himself in a thinly veiled comment directed at Republican isolationists, stating that the Day D constitutes “a lesson that I hope we Americans will never forget.”
Between the European leaders present at Normandyincluding the German Olaf Scholz, Macron has been the one who has warned most loudly about the threat to democracy. In a recent speech he stated that “Europe can die”. He drove the point home to the beach Omaha. “We are all children of the landing“, declared the French president, on a stage placed in front of the sands where thousands of soldiers had died. “June 6 is a day without end.” In an interview with French television after the ceremony, Macron said it will supply Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets to Ukraine and will train its pilots in France; She did not specify how many.
However, behind the moving public theater and elegantly choreographed tribute to Allied unity, lurk continuing disagreements over how to prepare Europe to fend for itself and how to confront the authoritarian war of aggression of the Russia in Ukraine. Macron receives Zelensky for bilateral talks in Paris June 7th. The next day, Biden He will make his first state visit to the French capital.
Even between the French and Americans there are differences on how to handle the war. They do not agree with the rules governing the use of missiles supplied to Ukraineas well as with the idea that has been raised Macron to potentially put boots on NATO on the ground there somehow. Both the United States and Germany They discard it. But at least for one day on the beaches of Normandy, those disagreements were put aside.. Vladimir Putin bets that the West’s commitment to Ukraine will falter; Macron’s final words conveyed the message that it will not be like this. “We are here,” he said as he faced Zelensky and other allied leaders, “and we will not weaken.”
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