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D-Day: Retracing History from England to France

8 days from $7,595

Retrace the heroic journey of Allied soldiers who stormed Normandy’s beaches at dawn on June 6, 1944, and turned the tide of World War II. Follow the footsteps of Churchill and Eisenhower in London and Portsmouth, and delve into the top-secret work of Alan Turing and the codebreakers at Bletchley Park. Then cross the English Channel to Normandy to explore sites that tell the story of D-Day, from Pointe du Hoc and Omaha Beach to the Normandy American Cemetery.

Land Journeys
Special Interest

or Call 855-330-1542

Highlights

  • ​London: Learn about the behind-the-scenes preparations necessary to stage the largest amphibian landing in history. In London, visit Winston Churchill’s underground Cabinet War Rooms and step aboard the HMS Belfast, the most significant surviving Royal Navy warship of World War II.
  • Bletchley House and Portsmouth: Trace the intriguing story of Alan Turing and the Enigma codebreakers on a tour of Bletchley House. In Portsmouth, hear the personal stories behind the epic landings at the The D-Day Story museum before sailing across the English Channel.
  • Normandy’s World War II Sites: Stand atop the dramatic bluffs of Pointe du Hoc and visit the village of Sainte-Mère-Église, where paratroopers dropped from the sky in a hail of gunfire. Walk along Utah and Omaha beaches with an expert historian for a closer look at how the historic landings and air invasion unfolded. Stop at Arromanches, where prefabricated concrete harbors known as Mulberries still dot the shore. During four days in Normandy, tour a range of local and world-renowned museums that offer a deeper understanding of the Battle for Normandy.
  • Note: Map reflects May 31 (Group B - 2026 & 2027) and September 2026 departures. May 31 (Group A - 2026 & 2027) and September and October 2027 departures will overnight in Bayeux.

This was a wonderful tour. Our guides brought D-Day alive for us, giving us a taste of what those men faced in 1944. My only regret is that the tour was not longer. 

— Kevin M.

Itinerary

To see itinerary, please click on an option below.

Day 1 — Depart the U.S.

Depart the U.S. on individual flights for London.

Day 2 — London

Arrive in London and transfer to your hotel. Gather as a group in the early afternoon for a guided visit to Winston Churchill’s Cabinet War Rooms and the adjoining Museum. It is from this underground “safe place” that Churchill directed the British war effort and where today one can still see maps, telephones and bunks preserved since 1945. This evening, enjoy a private reception and dinner. (R,D)

Day 3 — London/Bletchley Park

Travel to Bletchley Park and discover the real story behind the Enigma code breakers, credited with shortening the war by successfully deciphering the encryption used by the Wehrmacht to safeguard its messages. Enjoy an explanation of the decoder, as seen in The Imitation Game.

After lunch at leisure, visit the HMS Belfast, part of the Imperial War Museum. (B)

Day 4 — London / Portsmouth / Normandy

This morning, travel south to Portsmouth. Enjoy a pre-opening visit to The Golden Lion Pub, which was converted into an officer’s mess during World War II. Surrounded by photographs and memorabilia, stand in the very same spot where Eisenhower would enjoy a pint. Explore the charming Southwick Village on your own, then embark on a tour of the D-Day Story. Board the last surviving Landing Craft Tank from the invasion, examine the Overlord Embroidery – a stunning handcrafted depiction of the D-Day events that stretches some 270 feet – and see a replica of the map General Eisenhower used to plot Allied positions. This museum aims to focus on the personal stories of those who landed on the beaches of Normandy.

This afternoon, cross the English Channel by ferry and arrive in Normandy in the late evening. (B,L,D)

Day 5 — Sainte Mère-Église / Utah Beach / La Cambe

Explore the village of Sainte-Mère-Église, where the 82nd and 101st Airborne Division paratroopers dropped from the sky in a hail of gunfire on the night of June 5. View the church steeple upon which one unlucky paratrooper was entangled for hours, and visit the village’s remarkable museum.

Continue to Utah Beach, the site of one of the two American amphibious landings in the early hours of D-Day. Stop for lunch at Le Roosevelt, a restaurant built around a former German bunker just steps from the historic beach. This afternoon, pay a visit to the German war cemetery at La Cambe. (B,L,D)

Day 6 — Pointe Du Hoc / Arromanches / Bayeux

One of the most dramatic sites along the Normandy coastline is Pointe du Hoc, where U.S. Rangers used hooks and ropes to scale cliffs some 100 feet high in order to destroy key German gun positions. Walk along cliff-top pathways still cratered by mortar blasts, and venture into the concrete bunkers from which German forces unleashed a barrage of artillery fire.

Travel to Arromanches, one of the few remnants of the prefabricated concrete harbors (i.e. mulberries) that assisted in landing Allied supplies, and visit the Arromanches Landing Museum. After a lunch at leisure, travel to Bayeux, where you will have time to explore the town before a guided visit to the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Bayeux. Then visit the Pegasus Memorial Bridge and Museum—dedicated to the men of the 6th British Airborne Division. Explore this museum on a guided tour, the exhibits recounting the battle for this strategic location in 1944. (B)

Day 7 — Colleville-sur-Mer / Omaha Beach

This morning, visit the Overlord Museum, then walk along Omaha Beach, site of the bloodiest fighting of the invasion day. At the Omaha Beach Memorial, lay flowers in honor of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. After a picnic lunch, commemorate the D-Day anniversary* at the American Military Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer to honor those who sacrificed so much. All ceremonies are subject to confirmation and details will be announced closer to the event. This evening, celebrate your journey with a farewell reception and dinner. (B,L,R,D)

*While the September and October departures will not coincide with the anniversary commemoration, they do include a visit to the cemetery.

Day 8 — Depart Paris

Depart as a group from Normandy to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris for individual flights home or onward. (B)

Included meals are denoted as follows: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Reception (R), Dinner (D)

Dates & Prices

Click on the departure date to see pricing. Click the for more information.

Dates

Group

Availability

Price

May 31 - Jun 7, 2026
A
Departed
from $7,995

Expert: Mitch Yockelson

Hotels: Marylebone Hotel & Hôtel d’Argouges

Occupancy Double Single
Price $7,995 $9,345

May 31 - Jun 7, 2026
B
Departed
from $7,995

Hotels: Kensington Hotel & Thalazur Ouistreham

Occupancy Double Single
Price $7,995 $9,345

Sep 28 - Oct 5, 2026
 
Call to Join Waitlist
from $7,595

Expert: Mitch Yockelson

Hotels: Leonardo Royal Hotel London St. Paul's & Thalazur Ouistreham

Occupancy Double Single
Price $7,595 $8,845

Oct 10 - 17, 2026
 
Available
from $7,595

Expert: Steve Mrozek

Hotels: The Bloomsbury Hotel & Hotel d'Argouges

Occupancy Double Single
Price $7,595 $8,845

Prices are based on rates of exchange, airfare & fuel (where applicable), tariffs, taxes, and other costs as of the tour publication date. We reserve the right to correct errors and to increase program prices to cover increased costs, tariffs, and taxes received after prices are published and to reflect currency fluctuations.

Experts

Departures: May 31 - Jun 7, 2026  |  Sep 28 - Oct 5, 2026  |  May 31 - Jun 7, 2027  |  Sep 25 - Oct 2, 2027

Mitch Yockelson

Military Historian

Mitch Yockelson is an Archives Specialist with the National Archives and Records Administration.  Additionally, Mitch is a professor of military history at Norwich University and …

Mitch Yockelson is an Archives Specialist with the National Archives and Records Administration.  Additionally, Mitch is a professor of military history at Norwich University and the author of many books, articles and reviews. His latest book, The Paratrooper Generals: Matthew Ridgway, Maxwell Taylor, and the American Airborne from D-Day through the Normandy Campaign was published by Stackpole in 2020.

Mitch regularly leads battlefield tours and frequently lectures on military history, including Smithsonian Resident Associates. He has been featured on 60 Minutes, PBS and C-SPAN, as well as the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, and Washington Post.

Mitch lives in Annapolis, Maryland. 

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Departures: May 31 - Jun 7, 2026  |  May 31 - Jun 7, 2027

Chris Ketcherside

Military Historian

Chris Ketcherside is a professor at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, where he has had the opportunity to turn his lifelong passion for …

Chris Ketcherside is a professor at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, where he has had the opportunity to turn his lifelong passion for military history into his profession.  Among his publications, he has co-authored a book on the U.S. Rangers in World War II. He attained his PhD at Saint Louis University, focusing on U.S. military history and civil relations.  

Chris previously served in the Marine Corps, where he became a practiced expert in amphibious operations and conducted several battlefield staff rides.

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Departure: Oct 10 - 17, 2026

Steve Mrozek

Military Historian

The former National Historian of the 82nd Airborne Division Association for over twenty years, Steve Mrozek had the rare opportunity to interview many of 82nd’s …

The former National Historian of the 82nd Airborne Division Association for over twenty years, Steve Mrozek had the rare opportunity to interview many of 82nd’s WWII veterans. Steve is the author and contributor of several books related to airborne warfare and has had an extensive historical museum career.  As a paratrooper himself with over 100 parachute jumps to his credit, he retired from a 26-year career in the Army, which included a tour with the 82nd Airborne in Afghanistan. Steve brings a special insight into the soldier's experience and began leading battlefield tours to tell the stories of those who fought there.

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Tour Details

Accommodations

The Kensington Hotel (Group B May 2026 & 2027 and October 2027 departures)
London, England

Located in a former Regency mansion, the elegant hotel in London’s Kensington neighborhood combines classic British hospitality with an irrepressible sense of fun. 144 comfortable and contemporary rooms are flooded in natural light and offer air conditioning, flat-screen televisions, Wi-Fi, tea and coffeemaking equipment, and luxury toiletry products. Other onsite amenities include a cozy drawing room, sleek cocktail bar, spa and fitness facilities, and Town House Restaurant, which serves a modern British mix of creative and seasonal dishes.

Marylebone Hotel (Group A May 2026 & 2027 and September 2027 departures)
London, England

Nestled between fashion boutiques and quiet residential areas in the posh, central London neighborhood of Marylebone, this recently refurbished (2020) 4-star hotel exudes cozy modern chic. Though spacious, the 257-room Marylebone Hotel retains a boutique, homey ambiance. The smart and sophisticated guest rooms offset neutral tones with striking custom furnishings and mahogany wardrobes, creating a fresh, clean aesthetic. Each room is outfitted with luxury bedding, Italian marble bathrooms, and Malin & Goetz toiletries. Other amenities include a swimming pool, gym, sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi and dance studio.

Leonardo Royal Hotel London St. Paul's (September 2026 departure)
London, England

Located steps from the iconic St. Paul’s Cathedral in London’s vibrant business district, this hotel’s grand entrance, stunning rooftop views, and stylish interiors strike the perfect balance of history and modernity. Elegantly decorated rooms offer complimentary Wi-Fi along with flat-screen televisions, air conditioning, designer toiletry products, and luxury bedding. A dramatic glass atrium houses three bars and restaurants, while other onsite amenities include a spa and health club with an indoor pool, sauna, and gym.

The Bloomsbury Hotel (October 2026 departure)
London, England

The Bloomsbury Hotel is perfectly located on a quiet street in the heart of literary London, a short distance from the theatre and shopping districts. Rooms evoke a sense of period charm blended with contemporary chic and feature comfortable beds, sumptuous armchairs to relax in and Italian marble bathrooms with heated floors. Located in the hotel, the Landseer Restaurant and Bar offers high quality British cuisine throughout the day, and also offer a delightful afternoon tea daily. Complimentary Wi-Fi is provided throughout the hotel.

Thalazur Ouistreham – Hôtel and Spa (Group B May 2026 & 2027 and September 2026 departures)
Normandy, France

Overlooking the sea, Thalazur Ouistreham – Hôtel and Spa is a sophisticated 4-star hotel that combines beachfront luxury and modern amenities. Centrally located near Caen and close to Ouistreham city center, the hotel features sweeping views of the ocean with free access to the full-service spa. The spa offers a thalassotherapy center, 2 saltwater swimming pools, fitness center, hot tub, sauna, and a hammam. Bedrooms are modern and spacious and include flat-screen TVs and complimentary Wi-Fi. Guests can dine in the dining room overlooking the beach and sea, or out on the terrace. 

Hôtel d'Argouges (Group A May 2026 & 2027, September 2027, and October 2026 & 2027 departures)
Bayeux, France

Historic Hôtel d’Argouges is housed in an elegant 18th-century townhouse, set back from the main road and surrounded by lush lawns and tranquil gardens. In the main house, guests will admire a lovely, classic atmosphere: high ceilings, parquet floors, Normandy antiques, and ornate fireplaces. The guest rooms are spread out over three buildings, featuring traditional designs, exposed wood beams and comfortable furnishings, with restorative views of the peaceful landscapes. Located in the city center of Bayeux, guests are perfectly situated for exploration of both Normandy and historic Bayeux, with numerous shops, restaurants and bars only moments away from the hotel. 

Activity Description

Expectations:  Eight-day Special Interest tour featuring two regions and two hotel stays. Full-day excursions outside London and from the hotel located in Ouistreham or Bayeux. Some extensive walking tours of villages and cities, museums, and outdoor military sites; some extensive standing during outdoor tours and ceremonies.

Excursions can be over uneven terrain (e.g. groomed trails/hilly walkways, cobblestones, stairs without handrails, the absence of elevators); some longer walks to get to city centers where coaches are prohibited. Due to the nature of this tour, there is little free time except for the evenings. Travelers will cross the English Channel by an afternoon ferry ride from Portsmouth to Ouistreham or Bayeux.

Appropriate for: Travelers who are physically fit and comfortable with long days of touring (both walking tours and coach time).

Reading List

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Highly Recommended

Six Armies in Normandy: From D-Day to the Liberation of Paris; June 6 - Aug. 5, 1944; Revised
By: Keegan, John
The Longest Day: The Classic Epic of D-Day
By: Cornelius Ryan
The classic account of the Allied invasion of Normandy.The Longest Day is Cornelius Ryan's unsurpassed account of D-Day, a book that endures as a masterpiece of military history. In this compelling tale of courage and heroism, glory and tragedy, Ryan painstakingly recreates the fateful hours that preceded and followed the massive invasion of Normandy to retell the story of an epic battle that would turn the tide against world fascism and free Europe from the grip of Nazi Germany. This book, first published in 1959, is a must for anyone who loves history, as well as for anyone who wants to better understand how free nations prevailed at a time when darkness enshrouded the earth.
DK London (Travel Guide)
By: DK Travel
Michelin Green Guide Normandy: (Travel Guide)
By: Michelin

Also Recommended

Memoirs of the Second World War
By: Winston S. Churchill
The quintessential account of the Second World War as seen by Winston Churchill, its greatest leader As Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1940 to 1945, Winston Churchill was not only the most powerful player in World War II but also the free world's most eloquent voice of defiance in the face of Nazi tyranny. Churchill's epic accounts of those times, remarkable for their grand sweep and incisive firsthand observations, are distilled here in a single essential volume. Memoirs of the Second World War is a vital and illuminating work that retains the drama, eyewitness details, and magisterial prose of his classic six-volume history and offers an invaluable view of pivotal events of the twentieth century.
Codebreakers: The Inside Story of Bletchley Park
By: Oxford University Press USA
Familiar to anyone versed in the history of World War II or interested in the study of modern intelligence work, Bletchley Park was arguably the most successful intelligence operation in world history, the top secret workplace of the remarkable people who cracked Germany's vaunted Enigma Code. Almost to the end of the war, the Germans had firm faith in the Enigma ciphering machine, but in fact the codebreakers were deciphering nearly 4,000 German transmissions daily by 1942, reaping a wealth of information on such important matters as the effort to resupply Rommel's army in North Africa and the effect of Allied attempts to mislead the Germans about the location of D-Day landings. Indeed, Winston Churchill hailed the work of Bletchley Park as the "secret weapon" that won the war. Only now, nearly half a century since the end of the Second World War, have any of the men and women in this group come forward to tell this remarkable story in their own words--a story that an oath of secrecy long prevented them from revealing. In Codebreakers, F.H. Hinsley and Alan Stripp have gathered together twenty-seven first-hand accounts of one of the most amazing feats in intelligence history. These engaging memoirs, each written by a different member of the codebreakers team, recount the long hours working in total secrecy and the feelings of camaraderie, tension, excitement, and frustration as these men and women, both British and American, did some of the most important work of the war. These talented people share not only their technical knowledge of cryptography and military logistics, but also poignant personal recollections as well. Walter Eytan, one of a handful of Jews at Betchley Park, recalls intercepting a message from a German vessel which reported that it carried Jews "en route for Piraeus zur Endlosung (for the final solution)." Eytan writes "I had never heard this expression before, but instinctively, I knew what it must mean, and I have never forgotten that moment." Vivienne Alford tells of her chilling memory of hearing that the atomic bomb had been dropped on Hiroshima, and the stillness that came over her and her co-workers in Naval Section VI. And William Millward confides that he is still haunted by the work he did in Hut 3 nearly fifty years ago. "I sometimes wonder, especially during the night, how many sailors I drowned." Few readers will finish this book without feeling that the codebreakers were essential to the outcome of the war--and thereby of major importance in helping to shape the world we live in today.
Citizens of London: The Americans Who Stood with Britain in Its Darkest, Finest Hour
By: Lynne Olson
The acclaimed author of Troublesome Young Men reveals the behind-the-scenes story of how the United States forged its wartime alliance with Britain, told from the perspective of three key American players in London: Edward R. Murrow, the handsome, chain-smoking head of CBS News in Europe; Averell Harriman, the hard-driving millionaire who ran FDR’s Lend-Lease program in London; and John Gilbert Winant, the shy, idealistic U.S. ambassador to Britain. Each man formed close ties with Winston Churchill—so much so that all became romantically involved with members of the prime minister’s family. Drawing from a variety of primary sources, Lynne Olson skillfully depicts the dramatic personal journeys of these men who, determined to save Britain from Hitler, helped convince a cautious Franklin Roosevelt and reluctant American public to back the British at a critical time. Deeply human, brilliantly researched, and beautifully written, Citizens of London is a new triumph from an author swiftly becoming one of the finest in her field.
D Day: A Captivating Guide to the Battle for Normandy
By: History, Captivating
The Normandy Battlefields: D-Day and the Bridgehead (WWII Historic Battlefields)
By: Leo Marriott, Simon Forty
With their 70th anniversary just around the corner, the D-Day landings have lost none of their impact. Even today the vestiges of Hitler’s Atlantic Wall speak of the huge undertaking necessary for the Allies to gain a foothold in Normandy. In this beautiful new full-color book, the reader goes “on-site” to the sacred battleground from its scarred medieval villages to the remains of modern means of destruction. The huge armada that attacked from Britain left behind many signs of their passage: from the huge caissons of the mulberry harbor around Arromanches, the gun emplacements at Longues and Merville, to the multitude of hardware used as memorials—tanks, artillery, pillboxes—and the many graves and cemeteries that honor those who died on both sides. It is in memory of the dead that much of what can be seen on the ground survives, but as the last few survivors reach their 90s, a new audience requires information about the events of the past that can only come from seeing the ground where the battle was fought. Today, the beaches are a fascinating mixture of the new and the old, including the new visitors’ center at Colleville and the renovation and expansion of the Utah Beach museum—even as further new memorials jostle with the older sites that have changed little in 70 years.The Normandy Battlefields details what can be seen on the ground today using a mixture of media to provide a complete overview of the campaign. Maps old and new highlight what has survived and what hasn’t; then-and-now photography allows fascinating comparisons with the images taken at the time—particularly the aerial views—and computer artwork provides graphic details of things that can’t be seen today.The book describes the area from Cherbourg to Le Havre by way of the key D-Day locations, providing a handbook for the visitor and an overview for the armchair traveler. It covers, wherever possible, the forces from both sides and the memorials to those young men who fought so many years ago.
Dawn of D-DAY: These Men Were There, June 6, 1944
By: David Howarth
June 6, 1944, is one of the most famous dates in world history, and, as David Howarth shows, a defining date in countless personal histories. In this intimate chronicle, the 7,000 vessels, 12,000 aircraft, and 750,000 men committed on D-Day are taken for granted. Instead, we see D-Day through the eyes of the men on the ground as Howarth weaves together the larger story of the beginning of the battle of Normandy with the stories of the beachhead itself. The scope of Howarth's vision—focusing on England and France, on sky, beach, and hedgerow, on divisions and squads—makes Dawn of D-Day a franker portrayal than any other of the turning-point of the war on the Western Front and the greatest amphibious operation in history.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
If Chaos Reigns: The Near-Disaster and Ultimate Triumph of the Allied Airborne Forces on D-Day, June 6, 1944
By: Flint Whitlock
“Gentlemen, do not be daunted if chaos reigns; it undoubtedly will.” So said Brigadier S. James Hill, commanding officer of the British 3rd Parachute Brigade, in an address to his troops shortly before the launching of Operation Overlord―the D-Day invasion of Normandy. No more prophetic words were ever spoken, for chaos indeed reigned on that day, and many more that followed. Much has been written about the Allied invasion of France, but award-winning military historian Flint Whitlock has put together a unique package―the first history of the assault that concentrates exclusively on the activities of the American, British, and Canadian airborne forces that descended upon Normandy in the dark, pre-dawn hours of 6 June 1944. Landing into the midst of the unknown, the airborne troops found themselves fighting for their lives on every side in the very jaws of the German defenses, while striving to seize their own key objectives in advance of their seaborne comrades to come. Whitlock details the formation, recruitment, training, and deployment of the Allies’ parachute and glider troops. First-person accounts by the veterans who were there―from paratroopers to glidermen to the pilots who flew them into the battle, as well as the commanders (Eisenhower, Taylor, Ridgway, Gavin, and more)―make for compelling, “you-are-there” reading. If Chaos Reigns is a fitting tribute to the men who rode the wind into battle and managed to pull victory out of confusion, chaos, and almost certain defeat. Author/military historian Flint Whitlock graduated from the Army's Airborne School at Ft. Benning, GA, in 1965 and spent five years on active duty, including a combat tour in Vietnam. He is the author of nine books, six of which are about World War II, and is currently the editor of WWII Quarterly. He has appeared in documentaries on The History Channel and on the Fox Channel's "War Stories with Oliver North," and now lives in Denver, CO.
The American People in World War II: Freedom from Fear, Part Two (Oxford History of the United States) (Pt. 2)
By: David M. Kennedy
Even as the New Deal was coping with the Depression, a new menace was developing abroad. Exploiting Germany's own economic burdens, Hitler reached out to the disaffected, turning their aimless discontent into loyal support for his Nazi Party. In Asia, Japan harbored imperial ambitions of its own. The same generation of Americans who battled the Depression eventually had to shoulder arms in another conflict that wreaked worldwide destruction, ushered in the nuclear age, and forever changed their way of life and their country's relationship to the rest of the world.The American People in World War II--the second installment of Kennedy's Pulitzer Prize-winning Freedom from Fear--explains how the nation agonized over its role in the conflict, how it fought the war, why the United States emerged victorious, and why the consequences of victory were sometimes sweet, sometimes ironic. In a compelling narrative, Kennedy analyzes the determinants of American strategy, the painful choices faced by commanders and statesmen, and the agonies inflicted on the millions of ordinary Americans who were compelled to swallow their fears and face battle as best they could. The American People in World War II is a gripping narrative and an invaluable analysis of the trials and victories through which modern America was formed.
The Bedford Boys: One American Town's Ultimate D-day Sacrifice
By: Alex Kershaw
June 6, 1944: Nineteen boys from Bedford, Virginia--population just 3,000 in 1944--died in the first bloody minutes of D-Day. They were part of Company A of the 116th Regiment of the 29th Division, and the first wave of American soldiers to hit the beaches in Normandy. Later in the campaign, three more boys from this small Virginia town died of gunshot wounds. Twenty-two sons of Bedford lost--it is a story one cannot easily forget and one that the families of Bedford will never forget. The Bedford Boys is the true and intimate story of these men and the friends and families they left behind.Based on extensive interviews with survivors and relatives, as well as diaries and letters, Kershaw's book focuses on several remarkable individuals and families to tell one of the most poignant stories of World War II--the story of one small American town that went to war and died on Omaha Beach.
World War II: The Definitive Visual History
By: DK
World War II: The Definitive Visual History is a comprehensive, authoritative, yet accessible guide to the people, politics, events, and lasting effects of World War II. Perhaps the most complex, frightening, and destructive event in global history, the Second World War saw the heights of human courage and the depth of human degradation. World War II presents a complete overview of the war, including the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party, fascism, Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima, and the D-Day landings. This book also looks at the enduring effects of World War II during succeeding decades. Expanded with an all-new guide to battlefield and memorial sites and repackaged to honor the 70th anniversary of the end of the war, World War II: The Definitive Visual History covers key military figures, pivotal battles, political profiles, and strategies, as well as features on everyday life on the Home Front as ordinary citizens did their best to aid the war effort. Gallery spreads feature collections of uniforms, weapons, and other equipment. Maps, timelines, and side panels offer an inviting variety of entry point to the huge wealth of information.
D DAY Through German Eyes - The Hidden Story of June 6th 1944
By: Holger Eckhertz
This is the hidden side of D Day which has fascinated readers around the world.Almost all accounts of D Day are told from the Allied perspective, with the emphasis on how German resistance was overcome on June 6th 1944. But what was it like to be a German soldier in the bunkers and gun emplacements of the Normandy coast, facing the onslaught of the mightiest seaborne invasion in history? What motivated the German defenders, what were their thought processes - and how did they fight from one strong point to another, among the dunes and fields, on that first cataclysmic day? What were their experiences on facing the tanks, the flamethrowers and the devastating air superiority of the Allies?This book sheds fascinating light on these questions, bringing together statements made by German survivors after the war, when time had allowed them to reflect on their state of mind, their actions and their choices of June 6th. We see a perspective of D Day which deserves to be added to the historical record, in which ordinary German troops struggled to make sense of the onslaught that was facing them, and emerged stunned at the weaponry and sheer determination of the Allied soldiers. We see, too, how the Germans fought in the great coastal bunkers, perceived as impregnable fortresses, but in reality often becoming tombs for their crews. Above all, we now have the unheard human voices of the individual German soldiers - the men who are so often portrayed as a faceless mass.
Saving Private Ryan (Two-Disc Special Edition)
By: Dreamworks Video
Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Edward Burns. An explosive WWII drama in which Private James Ryan becomes the object of a desperate and dangerous rescue mission in war-torn Germany after authorities learn his three other brothers already have been killed in combat. 2 DVDs. 1999/color/169 min/R/widescreen.
History of the World Map by Map (DK History Map by Map)
By: DK

Testimonials

What our travelers are saying...

This was a wonderful tour. Our guides brought D-Day alive for us, giving us a taste of what those men faced in 1944. My only regret is that the tour was not longer. 

— Kevin M.

This was a fantastic journey, excellent guides, well planned. As an extra bonus, we got meet WWII veterans on the boat from England to France and that was thrilling.

— Paul S.

Travel Insurance

For the convenience of our travelers, Smithsonian Journeys includes a basic medical expense and evacuation plan through Trip Mate, a Generali Global Assistance & Insurance Services brand, at no additional charge. This plan provides post-departure Medical and Dental coverage of $250,000 per person and Emergency Assistance and Transportation coverage of $1,000,000 per person (U.S. Residents Only). Note: For full details regarding these coverages please review the following Plan Documents here.

In addition, we recommend that travelers purchase a travel protection plan to help protect their travel investment from unforeseen events such as cancellation due to illness, flight delays due to adverse weather, baggage loss, and more. For your convenience, Smithsonian Journeys offers an optional Travel Protection Plan administered by Trip Mate, a Generali Global Assistance & Insurance Services brand. For those interested, optional "Cancel for Any Reason" coverage is available for an additional charge. Note: Certain eligibility requirements apply and Cancel for Any Reason coverage is not available to New York residents. For full details regarding this coverage please review the following Plan Documents here.

To learn more about the Travel Protection Plan, you may visit https://www.generalipartner.com/smithsonianjourneys or call the administrator, Trip Mate, a Generali Global Assistance & Insurance Services brand at (866) 501-3252.