Seventy-five years ago, in the spring of 1944, a bull on a farmer's field charged a Sherman tank, one of a column of tanks that had appeared overnight. The farmer braced himself for the sight of one of his prized bovines cracking its skull against armor plating. The bull struck the tank at top speed, and with a lazy hiss of air, the Sherman deflated into a pile of olive-drab rubber sheeting. The bull had run into the First United States Army Group, which existed only on paper, in farmers' fields, and in the minds of the German Army. It was one of the most successful subterfuges ever practiced. When, on June 6, 1944, troops from the United States, Great Britain, and Canada, along with those from nine other allied nations, landed on the beaches at Normandy, France, the time and place caught the Germans by surprise, though they were aware that landings were imminent.
The lecture tells the story of D-Day, starting in early 1942, with the beginning discussions of planning and leadership, and of where and when. The story ends with the landings themselves and the courage of the men who landed, by sea and by air.
918.168.01 Homewood campus
Thursday, May 16, 6:45 to 8:45 p.m.
Cost: $30
JHU full-time faculty/staff are eligible for 80% remission; spouse for 50%. You will be unable to register online and receive a discount. Contact 410-516-8516 for more information.
