Today, Prime Minister Theresa May will host 15 world leaders to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings at Normandy, the invasion of France that was the turning point in the war. Figures from every country that fought alongside the UK will be attending, including US President Donald Trump who is approaching the end of a three-day state visit. The man hailed as being the one who secured the success of the Allies did so by designing a vehicle that enabled the D-Day plan to work. Related articles D-Day flypast: The best locations to WATCH the D-Day 75 Flypast D-Day: How SECRET Normandy rehearsal went HORRIBLY wrong His name is Andrew Higgins and he designed and built LCVPs, the amphibious vehicles that enabled the Allied forces to cross the channel. LCVP stands for Landing Craft Vehicle Personel. General Eisenhower, who later went on to become the 35th US President, reportedly said: “Andrew Higgins is the man who won the war for us.” He added that without the landing crafts designed by Mr Higgins, he would have been forced to implement a completely different war strategy. READ MORE: D-Day anniversary: Why is Portsmouth service today? General Eisenhower (Image: GETTY) Andrew Higgins (Image: GETTY / National Inventors Hall of Fame) The Supreme Allied Commander in Europe said: “If Higgins had not designed and built those LCVPs, we never could have landed an open beach. “The whole strategy of the war would have been different.” General Eisenhower was put in charge of Operation Overlord – the codename for the invasion at Normandy – in December 1943. He took charge of the huge task, battling with other leaders about how exactly the plan should work. Related articles D-Day: The BRILLIANT way British commander tested his men's loyalty D-Day: Eisenhower's CHILLING 'Nazi victory' letter revealed US troops board their Landing Craft Vehicle-Personnel at Torquay Hards, England (Image: GETTY) For example, he argued with US President Franklin D Roosevelt over an agreement with Charles de Gaulle, a French army officer who led the French resistance against the Nazis and would later become President of France. He fought with Admiral Ernest J King, US Chief of Naval operations over the Admiral’s refusal to provide additional landing craft from the Pacific. The American General also insisted the British give him exclusive command over all strategic air forces for the D-Day landings. US soldiers in full battle-dress boarding an LCVP (Image: GETTY) He even threatened to resign unless Winston Churchill gave into his demands, which he eventually did. The pair were at odds again over the bombing plan in France, with Mr Churchill concerned about civilian casualties. However, the American had the support of General de Gaulle, who said casualties were justified in order to defeat the Germans.All rights reserved for this news site express.co.uk and under his responsibility