Exploring Normandy

Omaha Beach, Normandy, France

            Today is another long bus ride - 2 hour trip from our hostel in Normandy to Le Mont St Michele. So far the bus ride there has been very enjoyable - I finished the first book of the Hunger Games. It took me a day and a half to finish. There was plenty of time to read yesterday as well, as we were on the bus multiple times shuttling back and forth from a few historic sites.
     Actually, yesterday was my favorite ‘fieldtrip’ day so far. We started out by visiting battlefields in Normandy of WWII. The beautiful fields of wheat and occasional red flowers seemed endless. It was so calm, the remains of the forts used during battles seemed out of place. Beyond the fields, the waves crashed at black rocks along the beach. It was picture perfect! I could imagine myself spending day after day going on walks along the field and ending up at the beach. Being engulfed by the beauty would be an amazing way to relax.

Forts from the battlefields

     The next stop was U.S. soil! After WWII, the French president declared the American cemetery at Omaha Beach U.S. soil - a touching gesture. A very important point for the allies in WWII was D-Day - a collaboration between Great Britain, United States, France, and Canada to attack the Germans by air, water, and land by sending thousands of soldiers from Britain to the coast of France via the English Channel. It was a successful, but difficult battle - many men lost their lives, including lots of American soldiers. Omaha Beach was home to the worst battle, a battle that killed many American soldiers. Today, beyond the sand of Omaha Beach, there is a huge cemetery for the American soldiers, and as well a museum that tells the story of WWII.
     When we first arrived, the entered the museum. It was not a typical museum, but instead it was very modern and uncluttered. I am not very excited for history, so this started out as just another museum visit until I saw a video being shown about the courageous acts soldiers committed during D-Day. The stories brought tears to my eyes, but also made me curious to explore the rest of the museum. There were detailed descriptions of the war and the battle. For the first time since this trip, the main language was English and the small translations were in French! I found myself wrapped up in the story of the war - I read every sign. After that there were more plagues and pictures of other heroes from the war and the battle, which also brought tears to my eyes. 

At the Musem

     When I was done with the exhibit most of my classmates had already moved on, but a couple were reading along with me. We walked around the cemetery which was very well kept. There were a few monuments surrounding it which reminded you that this was no ordinary cemetery. The crosses were all the same size, perfectly lined up. In front of some of the crosses there were fresh flowers. It must be a very proud moment to bring flowers to a grandfather or father that fought in such an important battle. We reconnected with the big group and made our way down to the beach. There we had a mini picnic and ate our sandwiches, chips, cheese, and lemon pastry. The sandwiches were the best so far - crab meat! When my friend Danielle and I were finished eating, we started wondering off towards the water. It was a very wide beach with perfectly patterned sand. The walk was very calm, a perfect time to reflect on everything I head read in the museum. Today it is all such a beautiful area - the beach, the calm ocean, the perfectly symmetrical cemetery. It is hard to believe that not so long ago many men lost their lives there, their blood falling on the very sand I was walking on. It was a very touching experience.

Omaha Beach

     
     The final destination for the day was another WWII museum in Caen. This museum touched me in a different way than the cemetery and beach. It wasn’t focused on just one aspect of the museum but it explained the war in greater detail. There was a large section dedicated to the Holocaust It talked about the progression of the prosecution of the Jews, and the inhumane acts committed against Disabled people and the Roma Gypsies as well. The horror and misery these people experienced was just not right I can’t believe how one person was able to recruit so many people to accomplish these disgusting things. Yes, I do agree that Hitler must have known more than a thing or two about leadership in order to captivate and manipulate the minds of so many, but it is wrong to use that power in such a negative way. It scared me, because if people fell for it once, what will stop them from falling for it again? Today’s world is more developed - technology and machines are bigger and meaner - that if the wrong person comes to power we can ALL be in trouble. The section of the museum that touched me the most was dedicated to all of the Jewish children that were murdered in a matter of years. I once again found myself captivated by history. 

     This trip we have been touring numerous historic sites, looking at a lot of art, and learning about Europe but nothing has had such an impact on me as these three locations we visited. They brought so many emotions - I felt disgusted with the events that took place, proud of the courage soldiers had to save strangers, and terrified of the idea that history can repeat itself. I would recommend to all to visit these places especially since someone like me, who has never been a fan of history, had an amazing time learning and connecting with the past.