Commentary On June 6, 1944, the United States and its British and Canadian allies launched a long-awaited invasion of the northern European mainland, landing on five German-held beaches in Normandy. The invasion came just two days after American troops liberated Rome and nearly four years to the day after the British had fled the continent from Dunkirk, to regroup and, ultimately, return. At last, the Allies were on the offensive—and, less than a year later, Adolf Hitler killed himself in his bunker in a Soviet-besieged Berlin and the war in Europe was effectively over. The value of an audacious offensive is something long known to successful commanders. Alexander the Great, the most innovative general of his time and the path-setter for all who followed—defeated the mighty Persian army under Darius III at Issus and Gaugamela, destroying the Persian Empire around 330. Mobility, innovative battlefield tactics, and a kinetic sense of …