Carrying On the Legacy
Posted by TestOut Staff on
Exactly 74 years ago today, on June 6, 1944, more than 155,000 Allied soldiers waded ashore on the beaches of France's Normandy region to begin the long process of liberating France from Nazi occupation and gradually gaining a foothold for the invasion of Germany that ended World War II. Thousands died as soldiers from the United States, the United Kingdom, and 11 other nations braved withering fire from German gun emplacements.
A major turning point in the war, and indeed, in world history, the Normandy landing required months of planning and the commitment of vast quantities of men and matériel. Many factors played into its eventual success, including the incredible individual resolve and bravery of the soldiers who actually carried out the landing under some of the most adverse conditions imaginable. Another important element was a massive misinformation campaign.
Organized under the code name Operation Bodyguard — suggested by a passing comment from Winston Churchill to Joseph Stalin — and divided up into several smaller undertakings, the months-long effort involved everything from a British actor publicly impersonating Allied Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery to the creation of a stockpile of mock landing vehicles (of the sort that eventually transported Allied troops during the actual Normandy attack).
The information technology that is familiar today was then in its infancy, but communications technology, in particular, facilitated the end goal of concealing when and where the long-anticipated Allied invasion would occur. Fake radio traffic was used extensively (including to suggest the deployment of non-existent forces) and famed U.S. field commander George S. Patton was photographed inspecting empty buildings and dummy armored vehicles.
In 2018, information technology is widely used by nations of the world in ongoing electronic skirmishes against each other. Indeed, the digital borders between nations are the focus of far more warlike incursions than most physical dividing lines. The United States Department of Defense actively recruits skilled IT pros, and the TestOut Continuing Education DoD Bundle can prepare you for one of those jobs. Get the right training — and become part of a proud tradition.