Press releases

Partisan Chronicles: Second Front in Europe

MINSK, 5 June (BelTA) - On the night of 5 to 6 June 1944 the British-American troops began an invasion of Normandy. The Western Allies carried massive air and naval attacks on the main positions of the Wehrmacht. The air attacks targeted German fortifications, minefields, communication lines and the rear of the enemy, while warships carrying airborne troops were approaching the Normandy coast...

The Normandy invasion codenamed Overlord went down in history as an operation to open the Second Front. In terms of the forces and equipment involved it was the largest airborne operation of World War II.

The opening of the Second Front was reflected in partisan journals. Articles were written to describe the combat situation in Europe. News of the Allied assistance in the fight against Nazi Germany gave rise to hope for prompt and full victory to partisans and civilians in Belarus.

“Partisan Chronicles: Second Front in Europe” is a new page in the joint project of BelTA and the Belarusian State Museum of the Great Patriotic War History. The project is based on a unique collection of handwritten partisan journals provided by the Belarusian State Museum of the Great Patriotic War History. The collection was assigned the status of historical and cultural value of international importance (Class 1). Every week BelTA brings these chronicles to light and posts their digital copies. Each of them sheds light on various aspects of partisans’ life, gives a glimpse into thoughts and feelings of people who risked their lives to fight a battle behind enemy lines.

Till 3 July 2019 BelTA will publish digests of these chronicles and upload their digital versions complementing the unique content with photos from its own archives.

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