D-Day: June 6, 1944

Friday is the 81st anniversary of D-Day, the Allies' invasion of France during World War II. It's a little different re-visiting D-Day today when we know the outcome of the war. But it was a much different perspective in 1944 when the war still was far from over. The Battle of Midway in the Pacific and Battle of Stalingrad in Russia in 1942 helped turn the tide, but it was the success of the amphibious assault across the English Channel that victory eventually became a matter of time. Here's how it looked in the newspapers that day.

The actual invasion of Normandy began after midnight on the East Coast of the United States (11:30 p.m. in Chicago), so West Coast and afternoon papers had the best early information. This is the front page of the Los Angeles Times.

The Herald-American was an afternoon paper in Chicago. It eventually became the tabloid Chicago Today and ceased publication in 1974.

The Daily News also was an afternoon paper in Chicago — and one of the best papers in Chicago history. It ceased publication in 1978.