History -- D-Day: The Lost Evidence Review

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(More customer reviews)"D-Day: The Lost Evidence" is an excellent documentary showing the invasion of Normandy from the bird's-eye view of US and British reconnaissance pilots. Over one million photos were taken of the area in preparation for the invasion on June 6, 1944, and those images, film shot on D-Day itself, and computer imaging provides an unrivalled battlefield view with wonderful clarity. The DVD is a bit less than two hours long, and it is compelling viewing.
I particularly appreciated the focus on Allied strategy and tactics, and Allied and Axis positions as the battle progressed. The documentary also doesn't neglect survivor interviews. The best known interviewee is Major (then First Lieutenant) Dick Winters of "Band of Brothers" fame. Winters is characteristically modest and soft spoken, and the other interviews are likewise interesting. The documentary makers get high marks for understanding when to focus on big-picture items of strategic importance (e.g. the position of the landing craft, the positions of the German emplacements on the "Atlantic Wall," etc.) and when to single out small-unit action like Winters' now-famous assault on the guns at Brécourt Manor and the unbelievable British assault on Pegasus Bridge: I still am dumbfounded that a few men were able to successfully defeat the well-armored German contingent there. Other notable events were nicely covered here: for instance Rommel was normally in charge of the defenses in the area but June 6, 1944 was his wife's fiftieth birthday, and he was on leave, leaving less-decisive German leadership in charge. The officers on scene had orders not to engage the Allies with armor until Hitler specifically approved; Hitler was sleeping at the time, and by the time he arose and was told of the invasion the Allies had established a well-entrenched position on the beach and were making rapid headway inland.
From the roles of the first shots of the battle at Pegasus bridge, to the role of the 5,112 Allied bomber aircraft that took part in D-Day, to the heroism and sacrifices on the five landing beaches (with particular emphasis on Omaha Beach,) this DVD uses wartime photography and modern computer imaging to great effect and I recommend it highly.

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