France prepares to say ‘mercy’ to World War II veterans for this year’s 80th anniversary of D-Day

Paris – France is preparing to show its gratitude to its World War II veterans. Many of them will return to the beaches of Normandy this year for the 80th anniversary of D-Day commemorating the defeat of the Nazis, many for the first time.

Many heads of state are expected to attend the ceremony on Omaha Beach, which will honor the approximately 160,000 soldiers from Britain, the United States, Canada and other nations who landed at Normandy on June 6, 1944.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that D-Day celebrations, along with the Paris Olympics, would be “France’s encounter with the world”.

It will be an opportunity for the French people to show their feelings of “mercy” or “thank you” to the veterans. Some veterans may make the long journey across the Atlantic despite their advanced age, fatigue, and physical challenges.

“We will never forget. And we must tell them,” said Philippe Etienne, president of the Liberation Mission, a specially created group organizing the 80th anniversary celebrations. told the news agency.

As a former French ambassador to the United States, Etienne recalled the “strong emotions” he felt when he handed a veteran the Legion d’Honneur, France’s highest honor.

“When they liberated our country and gave us our freedom back, they were 18, 20, 22 years old. Now, 80 years later, they are 100, 98, 102 years old. It’s just unbelievable. They’re really brave people. They’re humble people. They should feel our gratitude.”

The connection between young people and the last witnesses of war will also be at the heart of this anniversary.

“When the last witness, the last warrior, the last veteran is still with us, what we want more than anything is to pass on their testimony to our young people.” Etienne added.

The commemoration has taken on special significance in recent years as war has once again escalated in Europe since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

“This message is not just for the soldiers, but for the whole nation,” said General Michel Delion, director general of the Liberation Mission. Because the price of freedom is something that citizens of any democracy need to understand. ”

“Civilians took part in this (World War II) conflict because they suffered and supported the combatants. And we answer any questions or any dangers that we may face tomorrow or today. “We must have the unity of our nation and our people so that we can do this,” he added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who attended the 70th anniversary of D-Day, was not expected to be invited this year. President Putin did not attend the 75th anniversary of his country’s founding in 2019.

Countries such as France, which have signed and ratified the Rome Statute that created the International Criminal Court, would be wary if Putin, who was charged with war crimes related to the forced repatriation of children from Ukraine, set foot on their soil. , has a duty to arrest.

Etienne said the commemoration, which includes several academic events, “in no way ignores the sacrifices of all those involved in the liberation of Europe, including the East, as the Nazi regime was defeated from both the West and the East.” Told. ”

He emphasized the fact that “nationals of the former Soviet Union took part in this liberation, especially Russians, but also Ukrainians and others.”

Other important events include the celebration of the Allied landing in Provence in southern France and the liberation of Paris in August, the liberation of Strasbourg on the German border in November, and commemorative ceremonies in May 2025. Nazi Germany surrendered to Allied forces.

The ceremony also allows France to pay tribute to resistance fighters, soldiers from Africa’s then-colonial empires, and civilians who suffered during the war.

Already across France, “we feel that there is a very strong mobilization to remember this very important moment in history,” said Fabien Sudri, deputy director general of the Liberation Mission. “We feel that through our contacts and travels with many local and regional authorities.”

French authorities are particularly considering launching a nationwide operation to collect family documents, objects and audiovisual materials related to World War II that will help keep memories alive.