On June 6, 1944, 156,000 American, English, and Canadian soldiers landed on the five Normandy beaches chosen by the US general staff. A unit of 225 Rangers was entrusted with climbing the steep cliffs of Pointe du Hoc (82 to 98 ft / 25 to 30 m high) using grapples and ropes to neutralize a battery of cannons. Once up there, they were faced with a dummy and heavy enemy fire. The Rangers succeeded but had to face several enemy attacks until the arrival of reinforcements on the morning of June 8th. Of the 225 soldiers, 135 lost their lives at Pointe du Hoc.