Operation Overlord: 6 / 6 / 1944

[Kyle Reese]

819

Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon a great crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers in arms on other fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle hardened, he will fight savagely.

But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man to man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our home fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to victory!

I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory!

Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.

–– Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower

[RoyGBiv]

Many gave all that day. Their sacrifice is not forgotten.

http://www.danzfamily.com/archives/blogphotos/09/258-normandy-american-cemetery.jpg

[Suvorov]

I didn't even think about it until this morning when I signed in at security, 06JUN12 - then it hit me like a ton of bricks.

[NickA]

Truly brave men who are leaving us all too quickly these days. My grandfather was in the 36th Infantry in Italy later in the war; he told me some stories but I always wish I had taken the time to get more.
Stephen Ambrose's book about D-Day is an excellent read BTW.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

[Coyotesfan97]

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c310/coyotesfan97/9d0b2f88.jpg

[Wayne Dobbs]

In honor of the man who held this all together throughout the planning, preparation and execution of Operation Overlord, General Dwight Eisenhower, I thought this article on the man would be valuable to you guys. It's especially useful when we look about and see how much management and rank we have and how little leadership there is today. This one is a keeper:

http://artofmanliness.com/2012/05/22/leadership-lessons-from-dwight-d-eisenhower-1-how-to-build-and-sustain-morale/

[SeriousStudent]

Thank you, Wayne, that was an interesting read.

I'm reading a biography about Chester Nimitz right now. He also had similar philosophies about leadership, it appears.

[jstyer]

Eisenhower is politician... Patton's your man ;)

[Tamara]

That was The Day for the American soldier. What the Somme was to the British and Stalingrad was to the Russians, Omaha Beach was to American arms (http://booksbikesboomsticks.blogspot.com/2006/06/d-day-h-hour.html). Our young men took absolutely toe-curling losses and didn't break.

God bless them, every one.

[SeriousStudent]

Eisenhower is politician... Patton's your man ;)

Which is exactly why Marshall picked Ike for the job he had, and Patton for his job.

He needed a politician for Supreme Allied Commander in Europe. Anyone else would have strangled de Gaulle with one hand, and Montgomery with the other.

Different roles, different jobs, different people. Both of them correct choices. And i say that as someone that admired both officers.

[Jason F]

That was The Day for the American soldier. What the Somme was to the British and Stalingrad was to the Russians, Omaha Beach was to American arms (http://booksbikesboomsticks.blogspot.com/2006/06/d-day-h-hour.html). Our young men took absolutely toe-curling losses and didn't break.

God bless them, every one.

Couldn't have said it better Tamara - bravo!

[jstyer]

Here here Tam!

Student, I definitely respect Eisenhower. Especially everything he did for our troops and our nation.

I made the mistake early on of getting sort of obsessed with Patton, which from the Patton viewpoint often made me feel frustrated with some of Eisenhower's decisions. However after reading "The Supreme Commander" and "Eisenhower in War and Peace", I feel like my revisionist scale got tipped back into balance.

Though they'll always be a very special place in my soul for the greatest SOB who ever lived :)