Times change, always will, however, they can be slowed down, altered, and, even moved forward.
June 6, D-Day, the invasion of Normandy, once was uppermost in the minds of many Americans and observers. That was in 1944, however, 79 years ago. Let that roll over the tongue. Seventy-nine years ago. To many young students, D-Day the Sixth of June has no meaning. Students of history as well as those who lived through the Day, understand it was significant and changed the course of, and likely the outcome of World War II in Europe.
Nearly 30 years ago a World War II veteran shook his head in disgust that society was losing both respect and understanding for D-Day, Sixth of June.
Germany had taken a stranglehold on the continent of Europe and the Allied forces had difficulty encroaching France and Germany to break the hold of the Nazi military. After a year of strategy and pondering, the Allied forces, led by General Dwight Eisenhower, planned the difficult task of going through the barricades, an up-hill task. The Allied forces, led by the United States, overcame the barricades, offered solid air cover, broke the Nazi hold in the French province of Normandy and changed the outcome of World War II.
Likely to a 20-year-old, young history student, the Normandy invasion offers less significance because it is not fresh in the minds as a current event. It is close to cluttered, ancient, history to some youngsters. We must understand the context. Nonetheless, the courage, daring, the resolve of many youngsters, made the difference in the War.
The challenges of landing from the sea turned the tide. The Nazi high command was slow to take seriously the Normandy invasion. We must find a way to retain the importance of the invasion on the shores of France as crucial to the Allied forces’ break-through and turning the tide of World War II. To organize the massive undertaking, build up the forces, and understand both typography and opposition strength, could have been overwhelming. Both the Allied leaders and the Allied ground forces proved willing and capable to take victory with a sense of certainty,
- Aurora University took a prominent portion of the news in early part of this month. More later, however, a new resident took office as president, Susana Rivera-Mills, PhD, the school’s 14th president. The 52-year-old became the first Latina to lead the school. She was born in El Salvador and was the first in her family to graduate from college. She arrived in the U.S. at the age of 12 after she and her family fled the country’s civil war. She had been provost at Ball State University since July 2018 when she took the job at Aurora University.
The National Science Foundation awarded Aurora University $1.4 million in funds to help address the nationwide shortage of high-quality teachers in science, technology, engineering, and math.
- Naperville’s Millennium Carillon in Moser Tower will be host to a 2023 Summer Recital Series Tuesday evenings, June 6 through August 15. Each Summer good music is on display. Performers will be from around the State, the Country and the world. The Recital Series will start at 7 p.m. at Rotary Hill.