[RACooper]

Well I just got back from my trip to Normandy for the D-Day Ceremonies....

Overall they were very moving and emotional; espically realizing that these were most likely the last ones to be held.

Unfortunately because of time constrants I couldn't make it to the US ceremonies... I had enough touble to make it to the Canadian and some British ceremonies. The main ceremony (the one with all the dignitaries) was um.. "interesting"... the medals presentation and the parade of veterans was great... however the "theatrical" presentation of the history of the war and D-Day could be described as very "French".

Two distinct memories come to mind... one the French definitely do remember the sacrifices made by the Allies on D-Day... everywhere the veterans went they were thanked by young and old alike. For people the worry that France has forgotten what the US... don't... they remember and are extremely grateful... as for the politics I'll paraphrase what one French paratrooper mentioned: "France and America are like brothers, and we will always remember what are brother has done for us. As a brother to America though we have the moral duty to stop them from making what we see as a mistake, just as they would for us. We may fight and we may bicker, but in the end we are still brothers, and we still love one another."

The second memory was perhaps the most tear-jerking one for me.... Ranville cemetery. Ranville is the cemetary where the German chancellor went to pay his respects to some German veterans buried their. Ranville Cemetery is a Commonwealth Gravesite where British, Canadian, othe Commonwealth Troops, French, and German dead are buried. While I was there I saw veterans of both sides breaking down when see the names of old friends, and former enemies using each other for support....

I recommend that people visit CNN.com, CBC.com, and BBC.com to get a breadth of pictures and stories.