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Seventy-five years ago this month, the largest amphibious invasion in history took place as more than 150,000 Allied troops landed in France in just a single day. That day, 6 June 1944, was one of the most dramatic and decisive moments in the Second World War, and one that still provokes questions and debates in the 21st century. In this month’s issue we’ve included a special D-Day supplement, which explores several different aspects of the Normandy landings. You’ll discover how the day unfolded hour-by-hour, why General Montgomery deserves credit for masterminding operations, and, in our cover feature, the tremendous, but little-known human cost of training for Operation Overlord.

A much earlier part of French history hit the headlines shortly before we went to press with the news that the medieval Notre-Dame cathedral had been ravaged by fire. On page 10, Emma Wells char ts the building’s fascinating history, revealing how the latest development is far from the first setback to befall the Parisian landmark.

Emma’s piece sits within our new This Month in History section, which is one of a number of changes we’ve made to the magazine. We’ve introduced several regular features and revamped a number of others, while our new columnist David Olusoga will be shedding light on some lesser known aspects of our past. I hope you like the new-look magazine and would of course welcome your feedback through our letters pages and our social media. Enjoy the issue.

Rob Attar Editor

THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS

James Holland I always used to feel very critical of Montgomery, but when I began looking at D-Day and Normandy in detail I struggled to find much wrong with his plan. It made me think about Monty quite differently. James speaks up for the military prowess of Bernard Montgomery on page 17 of our D-Day supplement

Daisy Dunn I’ve always been fascinated by the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79. Pliny the Younger was an eyewitness to it. My question was, what happened to this young man after the disaster? Daisy charts the career of Pliny, lawyer, senator and orator, on page 29

Jared Diamond Pakistan is suffering from severe problems, El Salvador has chronically been locked in strife. Just as with people, there are plenty of examples of countries that don’t resolve their difficulties. Jared discusses how nations deal – or don’t deal – with crises, on page 62

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