CBS REPORTS: D-DAY (TV)
Summary
One in this series of irregularly scheduled in-depth reports. In this documentary hosted by Dan Rather and General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, veterans of World War II and civilians reflect on the events surrounding the invasion of Normandy. These eyewitnesses include the following veterans, war correspondents, and civilians: Michael Accordino; Dennis Bowen; Jacques Boyer; Felix Branham; William B. Breuer; Hollis Briggs; Jim Burke; Michael Carver; Charles Chibitty; Naina Cox; Walter Cronkite; Joe Drodwill; John Eisenhower; Wally Filkins; M.R.D. Foot; Walter Gaterman; Sam Gibbbons; Franz Gockel; Pamela Churchill Harriman; Andre Heintz; Betty Hockey; Anthony Hopkins; Richard C. Hottelet; John Howard; Chuck Hurlbut; Glen Jarvis; Sue Jehl; Charlie Klein; Jack Kuhn; George Lane; Helmut Liebeskind; Len Lomell; Don Malarkey; John Moe; David Montgomery; Robert Nieblas; Harry Parley; Wally Parr; Charles Pitt; Henri-Jean Renaud; Helmut Roehmer; Manfred Rommel; Andy Rooney; Ken Russell; Frank Sakowski; Arthur Schultz; Stan Stewart; Wallace Strobel; Jack Thompson; Bill True; Don Veator; Hans Von Luck; Jim Wallwork; Jacqueline Wurmlinger; and Max Zera.
These individuals, who are American, French, British, and German, discuss the following topics, among others: the thrill of getting involved in the war; the arrival of American soldiers in England; the way in which black American soldiers were treated by the British and other American soldiers; the chosing of Normandy as the landing site for D-Day; General Bernard Montgomery's feelings about General Dwight D. Eisenhower; the officials' impression of Charles de Gaulle; Erwin Rommel's view of the war; the creation of new optimism in France; the activities of the French Resistance; the German's coding device called Enigma; how the Allies managed to hide the location of the landing on D-Day with look-alikes, phoney radio traffic, fake tanks, counter-spies, and the creation of general confusion; the workings of Operation Fortitude; the location of the five beaches to be used in the invasion which had the code names Gold, Juno, Sword, Utah, and Omaha; the orders given to the British, Canadian, and American troops; the feelings of the troops who knew that most of the Allied soldiers would be killed within the first twenty-four hours; how the weather affected the invasion; the thoughts of the soldiers on the eve of battle; the effect of D-Day on France; the landing of paratroopers on Omaha; the horrifying aspects of the battle at Omaha; the importance of the destruction of large guns between Omaha and Utah; the reasons why the German tanks took so long to counter attack; the casualties of Omaha; the difficulties of taking Omaha; the heroism at Omaha; the troubles encountered as the troops made their way through the hedge roads; the occurrence of friendly fire; George Patton's style of attack; "the corridor of death"; the arrival of Allied troops in Paris; the liberation of France; the Battle of the Bulge; the freeing of the P.O.W.s in Germany; the arrival home from the war; and the American cemetery near Omaha.
Also included is footage and audio excerpts of the following events and people, among others: men leaving the United States on boats and arriving in England; Germans marching through France; American factories; soldiers learning of the plan for D-Day; Eisenhower commenting on June 6, 1964, about the decision to sacrifice so many lives on June 6, 1944; Eisenhower's visit to the troops the day before the invasion; Roosevelt commenting on D-Day; various battles of D-Day; the Allied soldiers' journey to Saint Lo; the French Liberation and the celebration that followed; Charles de Gaulle; Bernard Montgomery; Winston Churchill; General George Patton; Americans in Paris; the Battle of the Bulge; Times Square on V-Day; and the cemetery in Normandy. Commercials deleted.
Cataloging of this program has been made possible by The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: May 26, 1994 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:34:52
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:38546
- GENRE: Specials; Public Affairs/Documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Ardennes, Battle of the, 1944-1945; France - History -- World War, 1939-1945; Normandy (France) - History; Operation Overlord; World War II - Campaigns --- Normandy; D-Day; World War II - 1944; Normandy, Invasion of
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV, 1994
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Linda Mason … Executive Producer
- Maurice Murad … Senior Producer, Director, Writer
- Terry Manning … Co-Producer
- Deirdre Naphin … Co-Producer
- Stephen Milne … Associate Producer , London
- Craig Prediger … Associate Producer, Researcher
- Toby Wertheim … Senior Researcher
- Ken Sable … Director
- Dan Rather … Writer, Host
- H. Norman Schwarzkopf … Host
- Michael Accordino
- Dennis Bowen
- Jacques Boyer
- Felix Branham
- William B. Breuer
- Hollis Briggs
- Jim Burke
- Michael Carver
- Charles Chibitty
- Naina Cox
- Walter Cronkite
- Joe Drodwill
- Charles de Gaulle
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
- John Eisenhower
- Wally Filkins
- M.R.D. Foot
- Walter Gaterman
- Sam Gibbons
- Franz Gockel
- Pamela Churchill Harriman
- Andre Heintz
- Betty Hockey
- Anthony Hopkins
- Richard C. Hottelet
- John Howard
- Chuck Hurlbut
- Glen Jarvis
- Sue Jehl
- Charlie Klein
- Jack Kuhn
- George Lane
- Helmut Liebeskind
- Len Lomell
- Don Malarkey
- John Moe
- David Montgomery
- Bernard L. Montgomery
- Robert Nieblas
- Harry Parley
- Wally Parr
- George Patton
- Charles Pitt
- Henri-Jean Renaud
- Helmut Roehmer
- Erwin Rommel
- Manfred Rommel
- Andy Rooney
- Ken Russell
- Frank Sakowski
- Arthur Schultz
- Stan Stewart
- Wallace Strobel
- Jack Thompson
- Bill True
- Don Veator
- Von Luck, Hans
- Jim Wallwork
- Jacqueline Wurmlinger
- Max Zera