Planning for this Normandy beachhead began years earlier. The Allied leader knew that to be won, an invasion force must be transported to the Continent. In February 1944 that day would be coming soon and Gen. Eisenhower began drafting his official directive to the troops being amassed for this mission, ultimately numbering 2,876,000 soldiers by May.
For me, one takeaway from this document is that the more important something is, the more time you must dedicate to getting every word right. Note the tone, the emphasis on the importance of the mission and what the Allied Expeditionary Forces were up against. It's aim was to inspire courage and heroic sacrifice. It was a remarkable moment in history with something real at stake, a day worth remembering.
SUPREME HEADQUARTERS
ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE
Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!
You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hope 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 beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.
[Endorsement]
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For more about this directive and moment in history, visit this link to the National Archives.
2 comments:
First of all, it was not the Americans (USA) who brought WW2 to an end, but the Soviet Union. The turning point was not the D-Day, but the battle of Stalingrad and the Kursk Arc. The USA delayed opening a “second front” for a very long time, counting on the USSR to bleed out.
It's my understanding that the Allies together brought down the Axis powers. The Germans could not fight a multiple-front war. The U.S. and Allies cut off Rommel's effort to acquire needed oil reserves in the MiddleEast (North Africa campaign) and the Italy campaign further distracted the Germans... D-Day was an essential beachhead that had major significance. The massive bombing of German by American bombers similarly contributed the Germany's fall...
I'd be inerested in learning more about the suggesion that the U.S./Britain alliance delayed purposely "counting on USSR to bleed out."
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