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| As D-Day Tribute Nears, Leaders Maneuver Over Ukraine | As D-Day Tribute Nears, Leaders Maneuver Over Ukraine |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| LONDON — Veterans began gathering on Thursday on the Normandy beaches — some of them perhaps for the last time at such a major commemoration — to observe the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings of World War II, even as their political leaders grappled anew with the conflict’s legacy of East-West division. | LONDON — Veterans began gathering on Thursday on the Normandy beaches — some of them perhaps for the last time at such a major commemoration — to observe the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings of World War II, even as their political leaders grappled anew with the conflict’s legacy of East-West division. |
| On June 6, 1944, almost 160,000 Allied troops crossed from England to storm five beaches in northern France, in an invasion that turned the fortunes of war against Nazi Germany. The huge operation was billed as history’s biggest amphibious assault. | On June 6, 1944, almost 160,000 Allied troops crossed from England to storm five beaches in northern France, in an invasion that turned the fortunes of war against Nazi Germany. The huge operation was billed as history’s biggest amphibious assault. |
| Among British veterans of the landings, about 650 planned on Thursday to retrace their route aboard a British warship to attend a ceremony at the easternmost of the five beaches, code-named Sword. The others, from west to east, were known in military planning as Utah, Omaha, Gold and Juno. American troops landed at Utah and Omaha. | |
| At a time when American attention has been focused on the fate of a single soldier captured in Afghanistan, the commemoration is likely to recall the vast scale and the huge, human odds at play during D-Day. | At a time when American attention has been focused on the fate of a single soldier captured in Afghanistan, the commemoration is likely to recall the vast scale and the huge, human odds at play during D-Day. |
| “It was a killing field,” Harry Billinge, 88, a British veteran, told the BBC. “I hope they will not forget the poor devils that died here.” | “It was a killing field,” Harry Billinge, 88, a British veteran, told the BBC. “I hope they will not forget the poor devils that died here.” |
| Thousands of American, Canadian, British and German soldiers died as the Allied forces established the crucial bridgehead that began Operation Overlord — the invasion of northwestern Europe as the Soviet Red Army pushed on Berlin from the east. French civilians also sustained heavy losses. | Thousands of American, Canadian, British and German soldiers died as the Allied forces established the crucial bridgehead that began Operation Overlord — the invasion of northwestern Europe as the Soviet Red Army pushed on Berlin from the east. French civilians also sustained heavy losses. |
| The defeat of Nazism led to Europe’s division into hostile ideological camps, and to the Cold War — the rivalry between Moscow and Washington that many analysts depict as having been revived by the crisis in Ukraine. | The defeat of Nazism led to Europe’s division into hostile ideological camps, and to the Cold War — the rivalry between Moscow and Washington that many analysts depict as having been revived by the crisis in Ukraine. |
| World leaders set to attend the 70th anniversary events on Friday include President Obama, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and Queen Elizabeth II of Britain alongside the country’s prime minister, David Cameron. | World leaders set to attend the 70th anniversary events on Friday include President Obama, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and Queen Elizabeth II of Britain alongside the country’s prime minister, David Cameron. |
| While some Western leaders, including Mr. Cameron, Ms. Merkel and President François Hollande of France, have scheduled meetings with Mr. Putin, there is no immediate plan for Mr. Obama to meet the Russian leader. | While some Western leaders, including Mr. Cameron, Ms. Merkel and President François Hollande of France, have scheduled meetings with Mr. Putin, there is no immediate plan for Mr. Obama to meet the Russian leader. |
| On Wednesday, Mr. Putin offered to meet Mr. Obama during the celebrations, which begin Thursday evening with a series of dinners in France. “There is no reason to think President Obama does not want to talk to the Russian president,” Mr. Putin said. “It’s his choice. I am ready for dialogue.” | On Wednesday, Mr. Putin offered to meet Mr. Obama during the celebrations, which begin Thursday evening with a series of dinners in France. “There is no reason to think President Obama does not want to talk to the Russian president,” Mr. Putin said. “It’s his choice. I am ready for dialogue.” |
| Mr. Hollande will shuttle between encounters on Thursday with the American and Russian leaders in Paris, holding separate dinners with each, French officials have said. Mr. Hollande also plans to try to broker a first encounter between Mr. Putin and Ukraine’s president-elect, Petro O. Poroshenko. | Mr. Hollande will shuttle between encounters on Thursday with the American and Russian leaders in Paris, holding separate dinners with each, French officials have said. Mr. Hollande also plans to try to broker a first encounter between Mr. Putin and Ukraine’s president-elect, Petro O. Poroshenko. |
| Mr. Obama, visiting Europe this week, has been seeking to convince allies in Central and Eastern Europe that the United States is being tough enough with Russia over its activities in Ukraine, where pro-Russian separatists are fighting government forces in the east after Moscow annexed Crimea. | Mr. Obama, visiting Europe this week, has been seeking to convince allies in Central and Eastern Europe that the United States is being tough enough with Russia over its activities in Ukraine, where pro-Russian separatists are fighting government forces in the east after Moscow annexed Crimea. |
| Mr. Obama has also been trying to persuade Western allies, most of which have powerful economic bonds with Moscow, to maintain pressure over the Ukraine crisis. | Mr. Obama has also been trying to persuade Western allies, most of which have powerful economic bonds with Moscow, to maintain pressure over the Ukraine crisis. |
| On Friday, the showcase international event grouping about 18 foreign leaders is to be held on landing beach Sword near the village of Ouistreham at its eastern extremity. | |
| The dignitaries are to have lunch nearby at the 18th-century Château de Bénouville, a few miles from the beach. During the war, the building was used as a maternity hospital whose director, Léa Vion, achieved renown for sheltering downed Allied aircrews and supporting the French Resistance. | |
| On Thursday, Prince Charles of Britain joined veterans in the area, where paratroopers landed from low-flying gliders hours before the D-Day amphibious landings to capture Pegasus Bridge on the Orne River and protect British troops at Sword Beach. | On Thursday, Prince Charles of Britain joined veterans in the area, where paratroopers landed from low-flying gliders hours before the D-Day amphibious landings to capture Pegasus Bridge on the Orne River and protect British troops at Sword Beach. |