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==Introduction==__NOTOC__[[File: John Wayne in The Longest Day trailer.jpg|300px|thumb|left|John Wayne in a scene from the Longest Day (1962)]]''The Longest Day '' is a 1962 war movie based on the book of Cornelius Ryan of the same name. The movie is filmed in a docudrama style and narrates the key events of the first day of the D-Day Landings on June 6th, 1944. These landings were the largest amphibious operation in history, when some 100,000 allied Allied troops landed on the coasts of Normandy in German-occupied France. D-Day was one of the most important events in the Second World War, as it was the beginning of the liberation of NaziGerman-occupied western Europe. The movie concentrates on the drama of the vital first day when there was a real risk that the Germans could have driven the invasion force back into the sea.  ''The Longest Day '' was directed by several directors who each directed a scene in a specific country or language. For example, there was a director for the scenes on Britain and a director for the scenes involving the Nazi German military, which were filmed in German. The movie was overseen by the influential Hollywood producer Darryl F . Zanuck and he was very committed to historical accuracy. He demanded that much of the dialogue be taken from the diaries and reports of those who had fought at D-Day and hired former Allied and German commanders to provide technical advice.  However, how historically accurate was the movie? The script was written by Cornelius Ryan and he was assisted by a team of writers . <ref> Solomon, Aubrey, Twentieth Century Fox: a corporate and financial History (Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1989). p. 253</ref>. ''The Longest Day '' was a true Hollywood blockbuster with lavish scenes and great effects. It had also an all-star cast that included Kenneth Moore, Richard Burton, Robert Mitchum, John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Sean Connery and many more. Several of the stars were veterans of the war including Rod Steiger and Henry Fonda, who won a bronze star during the allied Allied invasion of Europe.<ref> Solomon, p. 253</ref>. [[File: John Wayne in The Longest Day trailer.jpg|200px|thumb|left|John Wayne in a scene from the Longest Day (1962)]] ====Preparation for D-Day==In the movie, the south of England is portrayed as being full of soldiers and camps all readying for D-Day and this was the case. It captures very well the tense and expectant atmosphere prior to the landings. It also shows very accurately the units involved in the assaults and demonstrates the various nationalities that took part in the greatest amphibious invasion in history. The movie spends almost a third of its running time introducing the many characters in the movie and setting the scene. The movie does portray very accurately all the major players in the planning of D-Day. Naturally there were some inaccuracies such as John Wayne playing a character who was thirty years younger than him. The movie generally shows the main Allied commanders who were directly involved in the D Day operation, such as Dwight D Eisenhower. The movie also has the various Germans commanders such as Rommel. The movie very accurately portrays the concerns of the allied planners and commanders and their anxieties about the invasion. The movie very accurately shows the gigantic armada and the huge number of troops that were involved in the amphibious assault. <ref> Ryan, Cornelius. The Longest Day (London, Schuster and Schuster, 1959), p. 123</ref>. One concern was the weather. The weather in north-west Europe is very changeable even in summer and the weeks leading up to the invasion date were unseasonable and even stormy. Poor weather could have delayed or even disrupted the invasion, the allies needed calm weather. The movie captures accurately the importance of the weather breaking on June 6th and how pivotal it proved to be. Another fact that the movie got right was the debate among Hitler and his commanders about the location of the invasion. This debate lends some drama to the otherwise slow opening of the film. It accurately shows how the Germans believed, that the landings would take place at Calais <ref> Ryan, p. 11</ref>. They are shown as being utterly taken a-back by the landings at Normandy which was the case, except for General Erwin Rommel who believed that a landing in that area was a possibility. The movie also brilliantly captures how the Germans were unable to counter-attack. Hitler is not shown in the movie but the audience is informed, in some dialogue that he is sleeping through the initial stages of the invasion. No one could act without Hitler’s consent and his officers were too afraid to wake him. This was to fatefully delay the counter-attack that had been planned by Rommel. The Desert Fox is shown very sympathetically in Zanuck’s movie. In the opening scene he gives the line that the day of the invasion would be the longest day. The German general did in fact state that ‘for the Germans and the allies it will indeed be the longest day’ <ref> Ryan, p. 12</ref>. However, the film is inaccurate when it shows Rommel already conspiring with others to remove Hitler from power, although by June 1944 he was certainly disillusioned with the Fuhrer. ==

== Landings on In the movie, the beaches==The landings occurred on a series south of England is portrayed as being full of beaches soldiers and they are camps all shown in readying for D-Day and this was the moviecase. Zanuck’s movie shows all It captures very well the beaches Juno, Sword, Utah Gold tense and Omaha where expectant atmosphere prior to the allies landed on June 6th 1944. However, as was noted as landings. It also shows very accurately the units involved in the time assaults and since demonstrates the landings themselves are not very realisticvarious nationalities that took part in the greatest amphibious invasion in history. The first problem is movie spends almost a third of its running time introducing the landing craft, many of the craft used by characters in the movie were not of and setting the periodscene. Indeed many of  The movie does portray very accurately all the amphibious landing craft from which the allied troops emerged major players in the movie are contemporary vesselsplanning of D-Day. Naturally, there were some inaccuracies such as John Wayne playing a character who was thirty years younger than him. The producers could not secure enough landing craft from the period and so simply used ones then movie generally shows the main Allied commanders who were directly involved in use with the American navy in 1962D-Day operation, such as Dwight D Eisenhower. The movie also has the various Germans commanders such as Rommel. The first waves movie very accurately depicts the concerns of the assault are shown charging onto the beaches allied planners and overcoming obstacles with relative ease commanders and soon establishing beach heads. their anxieties about the invasion. The first waves movie very accurately shows the gigantic armada and the huge number of attackers met with fierce resistance from troops that were involved in the outnumbered but battle-hardened German troops, as indicated in the book upon which the film is based amphibious assault. <ref>Ryan, pCornelius. 213</ref>. Many BritishThe Longest Day (London, American Schuster and other allied troops were mown downSchuster, 1959), p. The Germans despite heavy bombardment by sea and air were often entrenched 123</ref>  One of the biggest concerns of the Allied planners was the weather. The weather in concrete bunkers. This northwest Europe is shown accurately very changeable even in summer and the filmweeks leading up to the invasion date were unseasonable and stormy. Poor weather could have delayed or even disrupted the invasion, the Allies needed calm weather. The movie does not show how German machine gunners were able captures accurately the importance of the weather breaking on June 6th and how pivotal it proved to shoot down many allied troops as they landed on be. Another fact that the beach. The Normandy beaches provided little or no cover for movie got right was the attackers debate among Hitler and his commanders about the location of the invasion. This debate lends some historians have calculated that some 80% drama to the otherwise slow opening of the first wave died because of German firefilm. The  It movie does not fully show also accurately shows how the heavy losses sustained by Germans believed, that the Anglo-Canadian invasion force on Juno Beachlandings would take place at Calais. Only on Omaha beach, are the American troops shown as encountering stiff resistance <ref> KeeganRyan, John Six Armies in Normandy: From Dp. 11</ref> They are shown as being utterly taken a-Day to back by the Liberation of Paris (New York: Penguin Books, 1994), p 13</ref>landings at Normandy which was the case. The movie gives the false impression Only General Erwin Rommel believed that a landing in that Omaha Beach area was the only landing point where the allies experienced fierce resistance and suffered heavy casualtiesa possibility. The assault on movie also brilliantly captures how the cliff at Pointe du Hoc by Germans were unable to counter-attack. Hitler is not shown in the US Rangers on Sword Beach movie but the audience is largely accurate <ref> Ryaninformed, pin some dialogue that he is sleeping through the initial stages of the invasion. 312</ref>No one could act without Hitler’s consent and his officers were too afraid to wake him. The Rangers had adapted mortars This was to fire grappling ropes onto fatefully delay the face of the cliffscounter-attack that had been planned by Rommel. The films fail to show Desert Fox is shown very sympathetically in Zanuck’s movie. In the opening scene, he gives the line that many the day of these ropes the invasion would be the longest day. The German general did not hit in fact state that ‘for the target as they had become soaked in sea water during Germans and the allies it will indeed be the landingslongest day. Indeed only 19 ropes hit ’<ref> Ryan, p. 12</ref> However, the target but the Rangers still managed film is inaccurate when it shows Rommel already conspiring with others to climb and attack remove Hitler from power, although by June 1944 he was certainly disillusioned with the Germans at Fuhrer. ==== Landings on the top of the cliffs. The movie shows very truthfully that this heroic assault was unnecessary. It was ordered to take place as the allies believed that heavy guns were positioned on the cliffs beaches====[[File: Operation Overlord (the Normandy Landings)- D-day 6 June 1944 B5245.jpg|300px|thumb|left| Allied troops on D-Day]]The landings occurred on a series of beaches and that they could destroy landing craft. In truth there were no guns on top of the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc, which is are all shown in a scene in the movie. ==Airborne landings==D-Day was Zanuck’s movie shows all the greatest sea-born invasion in history but airborne forces played a crucial role in beaches Juno, Sword, Utah Gold and Omaha where the invasion <ref> KeeganAllies landed on June 6th, p1944. 13</ref>However, as was noted at the time and since the landings themselves are not very realistic. The Allied High Command ordered that Britishfirst problem is the landing craft, American and other allied paratroopers be dropped behind many of the German positions to capture territory and to disrupt craft used by the Nazis supply lines and even to cut-off their units on movie were not from the beaches in Normandycorrect time period. The film accurately portrays Indeed, many of the many paratroopers who landed amphibious landing craft from which the Allied troops emerged in Normandy by gliders or by parachuting into the areamovie is contemporary vessels. These men played a crucial role in The producers could not secure enough landing craft from the success of the allied landings period and displayed incredible bravery. Many paratroopers were among so simply used ones then in use with the first into occupied France and the first to engage the NazisAmerican navy in 1962.  The film shows correctly how in the early morning first waves of June 6, 1944, attackers were met with fierce resistance from the airborne outnumbered but battle-hardened German troops of , as indicated in the United States 82nd and 101st US divisions were dropped into Normandy and were parachuted into book upon which the wrong place and were dropped miles from their targetfilm is based. <ref>Ryan, p. 213</ref> Many of these airborne troops British, American and other allied troops were killed by German fire before they even landedmowed down with machine gunfire. The movie shows the confusion of units of the 101st Airborne Division when they landed Germans despite heavy bombardment by sea and air were entrenched in Sainte-Mère-Egliseconcrete bunkers. One paratrooper This is shown becoming entangled on accurately in the church steeple of the Normandy town and this in fact happenedfilm. While others are shown landing directly in the town. This did The movie does not happen and most of the paratroopers show how German machine gunners were able to shoot down many Allied troops as they landed outside on the towns or in gardensbeach. The movie does over-dramatize Normandy beaches provided little or no cover for the landings in Sainte-Mère-Egliseattackers and some historians have calculated that some 80% of the first wave died because of German fire.  <dh-ad/> The film also shows how dummies made to appear as paratroopers were dropped as part of an elaborate decoy strategy movie does not fully show the heavy losses sustained by the allies. This is historically correct and there was indeed a decoy parachute drop when dummies dressed in American jumpsuits were dropped to fool the GermansAnglo-Canadian invasion force on Juno Beach. Only on Omaha beach, are the Allied troops shown as encountering stiff resistance.<ref> RyanKeegan, p. 325</ref>. [[FileJohn Six Armies in Normandy: Operation Overlord (the Normandy Landings)- From D-day 6 June 1944 B5245.jpg|200px|thumb|left| Allied troops on D-Day]]==French Involvement==Day to the Liberation of Paris (New York: Penguin Books, 1994), p 13</ref> The D-Day landings were the first stage in movie gives a false impression that Omaha Beach was the only landing point where the liberation of Western Europe after 4 years of Nazi ruleallies experienced fierce resistance and suffered heavy casualties. The French played a major role in assault on the success of D-Day. The French Resistance is shown in cliff at Pointe du Hoc by the movie as playing a key role in the run-up to the landingsUS Rangers on Sword Beach conforms with historical accounts. They are shown as gathering intelligence for the allies and relaying it back in secret to London<ref> Ryan, p. 312</ref> The intelligence that was secured by Rangers had adapted mortars to fire grappling ropes onto the French Resistance was very important and they identified face of the location of German lines of defense and troops movements. This was all a great help cliffs. The films fail to show that many of these ropes did not hit the planners of D-Day. The movie also shows target as they had become soaked in sea water during the incredible bravery of landings. Indeed only 19 ropes hit the many ordinary French people who risked their lives target but the Rangers still managed to secure vital information on climb and attack the Germans at the top of the Naziscliffs. The Longest Day also movie accurately shows how French saboteurs helped that this heroic assault was unnecessary. It was ordered to disrupt take place as the Nazis preparations in allies believed that heavy guns were positioned on the run-up to D-Daycliffs and that they could destroy landing craft. The movie also accurately shows the role In truth, there were no guns on top of Free French forces in the landings. On the beach head known as Sword Beach, cliffs at Pointe du Hoc, which is shown in a French commando unit are shown scene in the movie attacking a former casino that had been turned into a German fortress and capturing it and this is . ====Airborne landings====D-Day was the greatest sea-born invasion in history, but airborne forces played a historical factcrucial role in the invasion. However<ref> Keegan, the movie does exaggerate the scale p. 13</ref> The Allied High Command ordered that British, American and size of other Allied paratroopers be dropped behind the former casino but not the ferocity of the battleGerman positions to capture territory. It They also shows how wanted the paratroopers to disrupt the timely arrival of an American tank helped the Free French forces German supply lines and even to seize the casino when it seemed that they were cut-off their units on the brink of defeat <ref> Neillands, Robinbeaches in Normandy. The Battle of film accurately portrays the paratroopers who landed in Normandy, 1944 (London: Cassel, 1999), pby gliders or by parachuting into the area. 113</ref>These men played a crucial role in the success of the Allied landings and displayed incredible bravery.  Many paratroopers were among the first into occupied France and the first to engage the Germans. The film shows correctly how in the early morning of June 6, 1944, the airborne troops of the United States 82nd and 101st US divisions were dropped into Normandy and were parachuted into the wrong place. They ended up miles from their intended target. Many of these airborne troops were killed by German fire before they even landed. The movie showed the confusion of units of the 101st Airborne Division when they landed in Sainte-Mère-Eglise. One paratrooper is shown becoming entangled on the church steeple of the Normandy town, and this happened. While others are shown landing directly in the town most actually landed outside the villages or in gardens.  The movie does over-dramatize the landings in Sainte-Mère-Eglise. The film also shows how dummies made to appear as paratroopers were dropped as part of an elaborate decoy strategy by the allies. This is historically correct, and there was indeed a decoy parachute drop when dummies dressed in American jumpsuits were dropped to fool the Germans.<ref> Ryan, p. 325</ref> ====French Involvement====The D-Day landings were the first stage in the liberation of Western Europe after 4 years of German rule. The French played a major role in the success of D-Day. The French Resistance is shown in the movie as playing a key role in the run-up to the landings. They are shown gathering intelligence for the allies and relaying it back in secret to London. The intelligence that was secured by the French Resistance was very important and they identified the location of German lines of defense and troops movements. This was all a great help to the planners of D-Day.  The movie also shows the incredible bravery of the many ordinary French people who risked their lives to secure vital information on the Germans. "The Longest Day" also shows how French saboteurs helped to disrupt the Nazis preparations in the run-up to D-Day. The movie also accurately shows the role of Free French forces in the landings. On the beachhead known as Sword Beach, a French commando unit are shown in the movie attacking a former casino that had been turned into a German fortress and capturing it. This takeover is a historical fact. However, the movie does exaggerate the scale and size of the former casino but not the ferocity of the battle. It also shows how the timely arrival of an American tank helped the Free French forces to seize the casino when it seemed that they were on the brink of defeat.<ref> Neillands, Robin. The Battle of Normandy, 1944 (London: Cassel, 1999), p. 113</ref> ====Conclusion====The Longest Day movie was a hit and it received several Academy Award nominations, mostly in technical categories. The movie, which is really a series of stories neatly manages to show the main events of the war and evokes the atmosphere of that historic day. The motion picture does give a comprehensive overview of D-Day. It is particularly good at showing the concerns of the Allied and the German high commands. The film can show what happened at the landing points and the events that happened there such as the storming of the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc.  Zanuck’s motion picture also shows the horror of war and how chance played a crucial part in the outcome of D-Day. The most glaring inaccuracy in the entire movie is that it does not show the bloodbath that was the first assault, this is shown much more accurately in the 1996 motion picture ''Saving Private Ryan''. However, the movie is overall quite accurate and for once Hollywood got it (mostly) right. Therefore, the film has generally been viewed favorably by historians and many teachers even believe it is suitable for teaching children about the history of D-Day. <div class="portal" style='float:left; width:35%'>====Related Articles===={{#dpl:category=World War Two History|ordermethod=firstedit|order=descending|count=9}}</div>  ====References====<references/>