Photos Of The Ruins of Normandy

War is bad and it hurts a lot of people.

People, animals and plants were killed and injured, buildings were destroyed and damaged to rubble and dust.

And it will take a long, long time and lots of money to build up the place again.

The ruins left behind after warfare speak a language of their own.

And no matter where the conflict has taken place, the destruction is very often the same.

All we see are sad pictures of destroyed buildings and twisted, rusting, abandoned vehicles. 

Please look at these pictures, do we want all these to happen to the beautiful places where we live?

Please click the photos for larger images:

Ruined building and sign in French and German, northwestern France, summer 1944.

Ruined tank near St. Gilles (or perhaps Hambye), France, 1944.

American troops, northwestern France, summer 1944.

Jeeps (including a press vehicle) in the town square, Marigny (Manche), Normandy, 1944.

American troops clear wreckage in Saint-Lô, Normandy, 1944.

American troops in courtyard of ruined building, northwestern France, summer 1944.

Saint-Lô, Normandy, summer 1944.

Ruins of a town in northwestern France, summer 1944.

Beached shipping, Allied beachhead, Normandy, summer 944.

Ruined tank near St. Gilles (or perhaps Hambye), France, 1944.

Ruins, northwestern France, summer 1944, after D-Day.

Destroyed town in northwest France, summer 1944.

An amphibious “duck” comes ashore from its landing craft, Normandy, summer 1944.

Post-D-Day destruction, northern France, 1944.

Unloading vehicles and supplies from an LST (landing ship, tank) at Normandy beachhead, summer 1944.

Armored vehicles on the move past civic buildings in Avranches, summer 1944.