One of the most significant engagements of the Second World War was the Battle of Normandy (the first day of which is commonly called D-Day). Nearly three million soldiers were deployed for the invasion. Those deployed consisted primarily of American and British soldiers, however Canadian, French, Polish, Belgian and Czech (Jensen) forces were also represented. The battle was fought in an attempt to gain European ground and reduce the German potential to invade Russia (Lucas). The Battle of Normandy was significant as it was the turning point of World War II, suffered heavy casualties on both sides, and was the largest amphibious landing in history (Cohen). The events leading up to the Battle of Normandy are perhaps as important as the battle itself. The hold Hitler had across Europe had to be broken. The decision was made to invade Europe across the Channel between 15 and 25 May 1943, when Winston Churchill (British wartime leader and prime minister) met US President Theodore Roosevelt at the Trident Conference in Washington DC ( Newark 144). After this meeting, planning for the invasion immediately began, and May 1944 was originally chosen as the time for the attack. The US forces were then transported to Britain to begin intensive training (Newark 144). A campaign was created with the sole purpose of confusing German intelligence. This was called Operation Bodyguard and included the construction of fictitious installations and expeditions as well as disinformation (Newark 144-145). Preparing to cross the wall that Hitler had erected across the Atlantic was a huge obstacle for the invading forces to overcome. The wall extended for 2,600...... half of the paper......): 38-42. Academic research completed. Network. November 18, 2011.Jensen, Elizabeth. "Remembering D-Day: Part 1 - Allies Plan and Prepare for Invasion, page 4 of 5 - Associated content from Yahoo! -associatedcontent.com." Associated content from Yahoo! -associatedcontent.com. Np, May 21, 2007. Web. Nov. 12, 2011. “June 6, 1944: The Greatest Maritime Invasion Ever.” European (London, England). 3-9 June 1994: May. Section 8. Researcher of SIRS issues. Network. November 16, 2011Lucas, Susan. “Because we remember D-Day.” Welcome to Branch 122 of the Royal Canadian Legion. Np, nd Web. November 12, 2011. .Newark, Timothy. Turning the Tide of War: 50 Battles That Changed the Course of Modern History. London: Hamlyn, 2001. Print.