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French President Emmanuel Macron accompanied US President Donald Trump and Queen Elizabeth II to Portsmouth, in southern England, on the first day of commemorations of the 75th anniversary of D-Day, the largest maritime invasion of Canada. History that reversed the trend of the Second World War.
Trump and Macron were among several heads of state or government to address 300 World War II veterans in Portsmouth, alongside the Queen and Prince Charles, by offering them a standing ovation at the beginning of the ceremony with a film of the landing in Normandy.
Trump read a prayer given by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944 to the veterans gathered at the ceremony.
"Almighty God, our sons, the pride of our nation, have committed themselves today to a great enterprise: to fight to preserve our republic, our religion and our civilization, as well as to liberate a suffering humanity", Trump said.
Macron reads a letter from a 16-year-old French resistance fighter to his parents before he was captured and killed.
But before reading the letter, he told veterans, "First of all, let me thank you sincerely, on behalf of my nation," aroused the applause of the participants.
The D-Day invasion began for many Allied soldiers in Portsmouth, England, where they sailed on the beaches of Normandy, France, to defeat the Nazis, a decision that would change the future of Europe and the world. .
German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters that she was grateful to be able to participate in the 75th birthday in Portsmouth, calling it a "gift of history". She described D-Day as "a unique military operation finally allowed us to liberate ourselves from the Nazis".
Queen Elizabeth II worked during the Second World War with trucks. She made a rather unusual personal speech.
"The wartime generation – my generation – is resilient, and I'm delighted to be by your side in Portsmouth today," she said. "The heroism, courage and sacrifice of those who lost their lives will never be forgotten.It is with humility and pleasure, on behalf of the whole country – in fact of everyone free – that I say to you all, thank you. " added.
Trump took the opportunity to highlight the strong connection between the United States and Britain. After the event, he met with US veterans attending World War II who participated in D-Day. Soldiers, sailors and airmen were among the 1.5 million US troops deployed in the United Kingdom during the war.
Some 16 countries attended the ceremony: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Poland, Slovakia, United Kingdom and United States.
Countries have agreed on a D-Day proclamation to "ensure that the unimaginable horror of those years is no longer repeated".
The 300 Day J Veterans leave Portsmouth aboard a specially commissioned ship, the MV Boudicca, to make the same journey that they undertook 75 years ago, on the other side of the Channel. The ship will be accompanied by Royal Navy ships and a WW2 Spitfire aircraft.
On Thursday, veterans aged at least 90 will parachute to Normandy with French Army paratroopers and British air badault troops to recreate the landings.
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