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WWII: Operation Overlord and D-Day

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The Quick and the Dead

The Quick and the Dead

French fishermen look at the bodies of soldiers killed during the D-Day landing in this Robert Capa photo. Capa said he felt "a new kind of fear" on D-Day that made him tremble as he shot pictures. "The bullets tore holes in the water around me, and I made for the nearest steel obstacle," he said. "A soldier got there at the same time, and for a few minutes we shared its cover. He took the waterproofing off his rifle and began to shoot without much aiming at the smoke-hidden beach. The sound of his rifle gave him enough courage to move forward, and he left the obstacle to me. It was a foot larger now, and I felt safe enough to take pictures of the other guys hiding just like I was."

Photo: ROBERT CAPA © 2001 By Cornell Capa/Magnum

Jun 02, 2009
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