(Wednesday, May 19, 1943, 6:00-7:07 p.m. EWT; during the Third Washington Conference, codenamed Trident, during World War II) — At a meeting of the Combined Chiefs of Staff at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill learned tonight that agreement had been reached for the buildup in England “of sufficient force to secure a bridgehead on the [European] Continent from which further offensive operations could be carried out” and that a cross-Channel operation “had finally been agreed upon.”

The two leaders set May 1, 1944, for the cross-Channel landing into Nazi-occupied northern France that would become D-Day (although bad weather would delay the invasion by 29 American, British, and Canadian divisions, as well as a Free French divisions for five additional weeks).

The Allies decided to postpone the continental landings — against fierce opposition from Moscow — largely because of their lack of supplies. All British landing craft had been deployed to Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily.

At the time, only one U.S. division was immediately available due to a higher priority of operations in the Pacific against Japan and other priorities.

The conferees decided that they could build up troop strength, produce more landing craft and supplies, and thus ensure complete command of air and sea by delaying the landings for another year.

They also discussed the difficulties posed by French beaches with their high tides, the German defenses, the optimal timing to stage an attack, and anticipated weather conditions.

The Trident conference, which began on May 12 and continued through May 25, 1943, also covered the plans for the Allied invasion of Sicily, the extent of military force, and the progress of the Pacific War.