I have very mixed feelings about "America's Secret D-Day Disaster". While I think the story should have been told, HOW it was told seemed a bit disgusting and was more intent on creating controversy instead of explaining this little-known event from WWII. Surely they could have done a much better job of telling this story!
About six weeks before D-Day, there was a practice landing done at a beach in Britain and seemed much like the beaches of Normandy. However, despite the planning that went into it, luck was on the German Navy's side and a group of fast patrol boats came upon the Allied flotilla at night and they sank or damaged several large landing craft--killing over 600 men. But here's the problem...the show makes it sound as if this was a big screw-up when instead it was just the fortunes of war. Additionally, implying that the military was hiding something was ludicrous--of course they were hiding something!!! They didn't want to broadcast the success of the German raids nor did they want to publicize that they were practicing for D-Day!!! So of course they wanted to minimize and hush it all up...duh!
It's all a real shame as without this irresponsible narration, the rest of the film is terrific. You get to hear various survivors and participants talk about their stories. But their stories and sacrifices are also cheapened by sensationalism that simply did NOT need to be in this documentary.
About six weeks before D-Day, there was a practice landing done at a beach in Britain and seemed much like the beaches of Normandy. However, despite the planning that went into it, luck was on the German Navy's side and a group of fast patrol boats came upon the Allied flotilla at night and they sank or damaged several large landing craft--killing over 600 men. But here's the problem...the show makes it sound as if this was a big screw-up when instead it was just the fortunes of war. Additionally, implying that the military was hiding something was ludicrous--of course they were hiding something!!! They didn't want to broadcast the success of the German raids nor did they want to publicize that they were practicing for D-Day!!! So of course they wanted to minimize and hush it all up...duh!
It's all a real shame as without this irresponsible narration, the rest of the film is terrific. You get to hear various survivors and participants talk about their stories. But their stories and sacrifices are also cheapened by sensationalism that simply did NOT need to be in this documentary.
