World War II in 1944: The History of the War's Penultimate Year

With Allied forces firmly established in Italy, the British and Americans began to plot a much more massive invasion to liberate Western Europe from the Nazis. In December 1943, President Roosevelt appointed General Dwight Eisenhower Supreme Allied Commander for the upcoming invasion, with General Montgomery as the top British commander coordinating with Eisenhower.

During the first half of 1944, the Americans and British began a massive buildup of men and resources in England, while the ...