Chapter 20 Summary

This chapter begins with a dramatic retelling of "D-Day," June 6, 1944. Eisenhower had postponed the invasion a few times because of bad weather. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers, loaded down with sixty-eight pounds of equipment, hit the beaches at Normandy. Meanwhile, Americans at home went to their places of worship to pray for the soldiers. Roosevelt's speech was a prayer in itself.

Over sixty-six hundred Americans died the first day of the invasion, but this was fewer than expected. In fact, the whole invasion went much better than the allied generals had hoped. The Germans responded more weakly than predicted. Three weeks later, one million men had been put ashore to fight in Europe, along with 171,500 vehicles and 566,000 tons of supplies.

On June 33, 1944, the President signed the GI Bill into law. This gave returning soldiers many benefits, including an allowance until they found employment...