General Dwight D Eisenhower, 1890-1969
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A poor boy but a hard-working one with deeply religious and ambitious parents, Eisenhower secured a nomination to West Point in 1910. He was an outstandingly successful sportsman at the Academy and immensely popular, displaying to all the brilliant charm which was to make him supreme among service diplomats of World War 1.
Although he saw no action during that war, he enjoyed a successful interwar career largely through attracting the patronage first of MacArthur and then of Marshall, both of whom recognized his remarkable talents as a staff officer. The latter appointed him to the war division in Washington on the outbreak of war and then to head US forces in the European Theater of Operations from London in June 1942.
In November 1942 he commanded the `Torch' landings at Casablanca, Oran, and Algiers, and the eventual movement of troops into Tunisia. By February 1943, as Supreme Allied Commander in North Africa, he directed the invasions of Sicily (July) and Italy (September). Because of his success in inter-Allied relations during this period he was appointed Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Western Europe in December of that same year.
In overseeing and directing the D-Day Landings in June 1944 (Operation `Overlord') his tact and diplomacy were constantly tested as he had to weld together cosmopolitan troops, commanders and politicians and he did so with great success. He left direct command of the ground forces to Montgomery until September 1944, but then assumed it himself and was at once plunged into the settlement of a major dispute between Montgomery and Patton over the strategy of the advance into German, each wanted the lion's share of the available supplies to make his individual `narrow front' advance into Germany.
In the interests of inter-Allied harmony, Eisenhower settled for a `broad front' advance which satisfied neither general and perhaps delayed the conclusion of the campaign, but was undoubtedly the better coalition strategy.
Eisenhower's gifts were for inspiration and conciliation and it was these which made him one of the most popular of America's postwar presidents 1953-61).
Although he saw no action during that war, he enjoyed a successful interwar career largely through attracting the patronage first of MacArthur and then of Marshall, both of whom recognized his remarkable talents as a staff officer. The latter appointed him to the war division in Washington on the outbreak of war and then to head US forces in the European Theater of Operations from London in June 1942.
In November 1942 he commanded the `Torch' landings at Casablanca, Oran, and Algiers, and the eventual movement of troops into Tunisia. By February 1943, as Supreme Allied Commander in North Africa, he directed the invasions of Sicily (July) and Italy (September). Because of his success in inter-Allied relations during this period he was appointed Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Western Europe in December of that same year.
In overseeing and directing the D-Day Landings in June 1944 (Operation `Overlord') his tact and diplomacy were constantly tested as he had to weld together cosmopolitan troops, commanders and politicians and he did so with great success. He left direct command of the ground forces to Montgomery until September 1944, but then assumed it himself and was at once plunged into the settlement of a major dispute between Montgomery and Patton over the strategy of the advance into German, each wanted the lion's share of the available supplies to make his individual `narrow front' advance into Germany.
In the interests of inter-Allied harmony, Eisenhower settled for a `broad front' advance which satisfied neither general and perhaps delayed the conclusion of the campaign, but was undoubtedly the better coalition strategy.
Eisenhower's gifts were for inspiration and conciliation and it was these which made him one of the most popular of America's postwar presidents 1953-61).