Britannica Online Storms Virtual Beaches of Normandy

Posted on June 5, 1998

Encyclopaedia Britannica has introduced Normandy: 1944, a new multimedia website that provides a virtual march through the D-Day invasion by means of articles and essays, interactive maps, audio and video clips, and transcripts of first-person accounts.

Developed in part to accompany Steven Spielberg's forthcoming film Saving Private Ryan, Normandy: 1944 is the latest in a series of "spotlight" Web presentations on Britannica Online featuring special, in-depth coverage of topics and issues of current interest.

In addition to its information on D-Day, Britannica has acquired a collection of photo exhibits, video, audio commentaries, written transcripts, and historic newsreels from many sources, including the National Archives and the Eisenhower Center in New Orleans.

The site also includes a range of personal recollections in audio and text form -- from stories of American soldiers landing on Normandy's beaches to reminiscences of French civilians who experienced the invasion from their front yards. The full contents of the site, featuring a five-part article by military historian John Keegan, will roll out over five weeks on a schedule roughly corresponding to the timetable of the D-Day offensive itself.

Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., headquartered in Chicago, is located at eb.com. The company publishes Britannica CD-ROM, Britannica Online on the Internet and the 32-volume Encyclopaedia Britannica. The company also publishes the Britannica Internet Guide, a navigation service featuring websites chosen by Britannica editors.