Comfort Women: The Untold Darkness of WW2.

As if World War Two wasn’t bad enough, with concentration camps, the Holocaust etc. Oh wait – there’s more. Comfort Women. Now this isn’t a nice thing to hear about, especially on holiday, but I feel we have a responsibility to hear about it. So I took my husband along to the War and Women Human Rights Museum to find out more.

The War and Human Rights Museum which was a fascinating and horrifying look at Comfort Women; a system whereby during WW2 predominantly Japanese soldiers used predominantly Korean Women as sex slaves, or “comfort women”.

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The Best Port in Port En Bessin

After our WW2 landing beaches tour we needed to get back to reality so we stopped at the pretty little fishing village of Port En Bessin. My BF and I climbed up a hill to watch the sunset and, after I had fended off a scary looking cat, it was a perfect moment.

Port En Bessin has a lovely harbour so we spent some time just sitting by the sea. We spotted a seal in the harbour so we were hoping he would come closer.

Tears and Fears at the American Cemetery, Normandy

We visited the American cemetery which is the final resting place for many American soldiers who died in WW2. Over 10,000 soldiers are either buried or missing in action here. It is a sobering sight to see all the rows of white crosses.

Natural Beauty and Devastating History at Omaha Beach

The next stop on our road trip was Omaha Beach, site of the beach landings in WW2 in Normandy, France which marked D-Day.

Today the beach is marked by a stunning sculpture called The Braves to signify hope, freedom, and fraternity. It is also a lovely wide sandy beach, which doesn’t give any clue of its dark past.

A story of American Bravery at Pointe du Hoc

Our first stop in France was Pointe du Hoc – a place which, amazingly I have never heard of (well, perhaps not amazingly as I’m rubbish at History). It is an incredible story of American bravery in WW2.

Pointe du Hoc itself is a headland sticking out into the English Channel, round the coast from Omaha beach. I can do Geography, but my knowledge of History mostly comprises a hazy memory of me dressing up as the Victorians aged 8. But I will attempt to do an idiots guide a guide (written by an idiot) to what happened here and you can research it more if you’re interested to find out all the historical facts.