世界节假日博览 第108期:诺曼底登陆日

 June 6, 1944 was one of the most important days in the modern history of the USA and Europe. It was on this day that the tide turned against Hitler’s plans to take over the whole of Europe. The day is known today as D-Day. The “D” represents the day which military commanders planned their operation. They had no date for it. There was also an “H-Hour” when the operation would start. D-Day marks the biggest air, land and sea operation ever undertaken. American, British and Allied¹ forces landed on the beaches of Normandy in France to try and repel² the Nazi³ troops and avoid an invasion of Britain. The operation is also known as the Normandy Landings. Over 4,000 soldiers died but the German forces were defeated.

在近现代史中，1944年6月6日对于美国和欧洲来讲至关重要。希特勒称霸欧洲野心就此急转直下。人们将这一天称之为“D-Day”。“D”代表此次军事行动。行动时间没有设定。行动开始为“H-Hour”。“D-Day”是史上规模最大的海陆空行动。英美和盟军登陆法国海滩诺曼底，阻击纳粹进攻英国。此次行动还被称之为“诺曼底登陆”。超四千名士兵阵亡，但以德军失败告终。

D-Day was a major turning point in World War II. It was also one of the most stunning⁴ and heroic victories of any war. Britain’s King George VI broadcast a message to the British people the night before the operation. He warned of a "supreme⁵ test" for Allied forces and called on the nation to pray for the liberation of Europe. The prayers worked, as what was called “Fortress Europe” during the war had been breached⁶. There were many bloody⁷ battles on the Normandy beaches. One British soldier said: “It looked just like the main road to Hell!”. US President Roosevelt knew there was still a long way to go after D-Day, and that the war was far from over. He told Americans: "You don't just walk to Berlin, the sooner this country realizes that, the better."

“诺曼底登陆”为二战重要转折。这是一次史无前例的史诗般胜利。英国王乔治六世在行动前夜发表广播讲话。他称这是对盟军的极大考验，呼吁举国上下祈祷欧洲解放。愿望实现，有“欧洲堡垒”之称的欧洲大陆遭攻陷。诺曼底血战无数。某英国士兵称：“这是一条通往地狱的大路。”美总统罗斯福称长路漫漫，战争还远没有结束。他对民众表示：“你不仅要走到柏林，大众越早知道越好。”

1.take over 接管

例句：The Belgians took over Rwanda under a League of Nations mandate⁸.

比利时人在一项国际联盟的授权下接管了卢旺达。

2.land on 落在…上

例句：All the fighters landed safely on the airport after the military maneuver⁹.

在军事演习后，所有战斗机都安全降落在机场上。

3.far from 远非

例句：Brown is far from the leader on this.

在这个方面，布朗远非领先者

4.plan to 计划

例句：Father vetoed our plan to buy a new car.

父亲不同意我们购买新汽车的计划。

1 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

2 repel   

v.击退，抵制，拒绝，排斥

参考例句：

• A country must have the will to repel any invader.一个国家得有决心击退任何入侵者。
• Particles with similar electric charges repel each other.电荷同性的分子互相排斥。

3 Nazi   

n.纳粹分子，adj.纳粹党的，纳粹的

参考例句：

• They declare the Nazi regime overthrown and sue for peace.他们宣布纳粹政权已被推翻，并出面求和。
• Nazi closes those war criminals inside their concentration camp.纳粹把那些战犯关在他们的集中营里。

4 stunning   

adj.极好的；使人晕倒的

参考例句：

• His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
• The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。

5 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

6 breached   

攻破( breach的现在分词 )； 破坏，违反

参考例句：

• These commitments have already been breached. 这些承诺已遭背弃。
• Our tanks have breached the enemy defences. 我方坦克车突破了敌人的防线。

7 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

8 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

9 maneuver   

n.策略[pl.]演习；v.(巧妙)控制；用策略

参考例句：

• All the fighters landed safely on the airport after the military maneuver.在军事演习后，所有战斗机都安全降落在机场上。
• I did get her attention with this maneuver.我用这个策略确实引起了她的注意。