Schwerpunkt: From D-Day to the Fall of the Third Reich (2 page)

I know that Winston Churchill (and a bunch of his brass) had come to Washington to work with FDR (and a bunch of our brass) right after Pearl Harbor when Germany declared war on America. They now had to plan what to do about winning the war against the Krauts. Everyone knew we had to beat the Germans as well as the Japs and while we all probably hated the Japs more than the Krauts, we figured we’d concentrate more heavily on one enemy instead of fighting both enemies equally. So it was decided that beating Germany should be our number one priority. We’d take care of the Japs, of course, but priority of material would go to the Western Front. Once that was agreed upon, everyone knew a second front in Europe had to be opened. From the time America entered the war though, it took two years of arguing and more arguing to decide when and where this front should be opened. Should one major assault be undertaken as soon as possible or should additional operations be launched first in order to weaken the Germans so our second front plan would face less resistance? If more operations were to be launched first, should they be offensive or defensive? If offensive, where and when should those occur?

We also had the Russian point of view to consider. Stalin kept pestering us to open up a second front since his people were literally dying by the millions fighting the Germans after Hitler invaded the Soviet Union under Operation “Barbarossa” on June 22, 1941. For the Allieds to take the pressure off our Soviet ally and conquer Hitler, we had to land somewhere in Europe, so a whole lot of possible landing sites were considered, scouted, rejected and reconsidered. The timing of the invasion was also of critical importance since American men and materiel weren’t available in 1942 in anything close to the numbers that would be needed for one final and definitive offensive. The War Planners decided on a couple of preliminary operations, all carried out through 1942 and 1943, to give us some practical experience while we tried to weaken the Germans who were now fighting both the world’s largest country and the world’s greatest industrialized nation, not to mention the British Empire. I cannot begin to fathom what that maniac Hitler was thinking when he declared war on the United States in 1941 after having just invaded Russia, which he invaded after having fought the British for two years. He must be one hell of a smooth talker to have convinced his generals to go along with that program. But I guess when you appoint yourself Commander-in-Chief of the whole German Army, you can pretty much do as you like.

So talks have been going on for the last couple of years between us and the British trying to come up with the best plans to defeat Nazi Germany. The British didn’t want to have to send troops to any new front since they were already spread thin as it was. Prime Minister Churchill kept pushing for an invasion of North Africa, where they were already fighting General Erwin Rommel, the Desert Fox as he was known. We should have just dubbed him the Desert Snake, the son of a bitch. But since the British already had their troops in Africa, they argued that if Rommel were faced with the Americans on one North African front and the British on another, presumably he would not be able to last too long. Ike was part of these discussions too and I know that he argued strongly for putting only one general in charge of all the Allied troops for this North African invasion. His concern was that country loyalties could not be allowed to overtake sound united military strategy. I also know that when asked who should be the one Allied Commander, Ike floated the name of British Admiral Louis Mountbatten. His recommendation was shot down and it was Ike himself who was named Allied Commander for Operation Torch in July 1942. As we all know, those landings were launched against the Germans and the Vichy French on November 8, 1942 and we also all know that within a couple of days, these “enemy” French surrendered to us “Allieds” though it took a while longer for us to kick the Germans out of Africa.

But now that Africa is Kraut free, the Brass decided that it was time to show Italy the error of its ways and so in 1943 a plan to invade Italy through Sicily was formulated. Since Ike was Supreme Commander of all Mediterranean Operations, he commanded these Sicily landings as well. General Patton was to lead the U.S. Seventh Army while General Montgomery led the British Eighth Army, each general having declared he would be the first to reach Messina. If you remember, it was during this campaign that Benito Mussolini was taken prisoner by his own people and Italy eventually surrendered unconditionally to the Allieds. More landings took place along the southern Italian coast line in attempts to weaken the German defenders. And here is where I really came to think British General Bernard Law Montgomery was a complete and royal asshole. I know all about Allied unity and not disparaging our comrades but if what I heard about his shenanigans in Italy is correct, I think the son of a bitch should be demoted, given a knuckle sandwich and sent back to the front himself.

In September of 1943, General Mark Clark’s U.S. Fifth Army was to land in Salerno, which was a coastal town in the western part of boot shaped Italy north of the toe and south of Rome. It was hoped that enough German forces might have collected in the toe of the Italy “boot” to deal with the Sicily Invasion and Montgomery was ordered to stay south to deal with these enemy forces. He said the Germans would never be foolish enough to get trapped in Italy’s toe but his commander, General Alexander, nevertheless ordered Montgomery to make sure. General Alexander stressed that if, in fact, there were no Germans there, Montgomery’s forces were to move up as quickly as possible to siphon off some of the Kraut’s southern flank in furtherance of General Clark’s landing farther north. I think the order read something like, “You will follow the enemy up through Italy
with such force as you can make available
to engage them in the south so as to protect and assist the landings in Salerno” or words to that effect.

There were no Krauts in Italy’s toe and Recon patrols found the road to Salerno open but Monty waited in the south so he could “gather his forces” or “consolidate his forces” or whatever the hell excuse he came up with. Monty, as always, seemed to think he was the only general competent to strategize and when his ideas were not warmly applauded and adopted, HRT (“His Royal Tantrum-thrower”) Montgomery let his ire show by glacially moving to the ordered objective. To me, he was doing nothing but acting like a two year old. There was no reason on God’s green earth why he couldn’t have moved his ass up to Salerno faster to help with the landings and the counter-attacks our guys were soon facing right after they landed. Montgomery said that Rommel was still commanding troops in Italy and that’s why he had to be so goddamn careful. Horse shit! He just wanted to make our guys sit in the hot seat for as long as possible so he could come in and say he “saved our chestnuts” or whatever the hell he said. He should have had his men up there lending all possible support to General Clark who was a sitting duck waiting for HSA (“His Supreme Arrogance”) Montgomery to get in the battle.

Clark’s men were under ferocious fire on the Salerno beaches and when they finally were able to move, they held only a slim beachhead. Monty’s army was still 150 miles to their south and if that weren’t bad enough, Monty had the balls to say that he was “rushing” to rescue the Americans who got themselves into trouble in Salerno. If he had gotten his ass in gear and moved like he should have, that “trouble” wouldn’t have been nearly as bad as it was. I’ll never forgive the bastard for the goddam games he plays. I only wish it had been Patton who landed in the toe. I’ll give you dollars to doughnuts that he’d have been to Salerno like a bolt of lightning.

But anyway, now with Italy’s army out of our way, the War Planners decided the time was right to launch the invasion which we hoped would be the last; the invasion that would put enough men and materiel in Europe so that a march into Berlin and the destruction of Nazi Germany would be just a matter of time. Invading Europe through Russia was considered as was an invasion through Norway, or Spain or Portugal. Distances were obviously one of the controlling factors, because what good was an invasion if we lost all our men on the tortured way into Germany. No...the higher ups decided the site had to be close enough to the Krauts to give our guys a fighting chance. Invading across the English Channel was run up the flagpole and virtually everyone saluted. It was decided to enter Europe through Northern France. Uncle Joe could be put off no longer while we were messing around, trying to come up with the perfect plan, and he was finally promised that by the spring of 1944, the Allieds would open up a second front in France to bleed some of the German troops out of Russia and into continental Europe.

Planning went into even higher gear but what was clear, however, was just as with the Mediterranean operations, there could be one and only one Theater Commander for the upcoming invasion of Europe. There could be only one commander who alone would be placed in charge of subordinate officers, both American AND British along the lines that there can only be one conductor of a symphony orchestra who brings a whole bunch of notes, measures, bars and tempos into a cohesive work of music. Only this commander wouldn’t be working with music, he would be overseeing the lives of millions of husbands, sons, sweethearts and brothers not to mention the fate of the world.

Everyone thought that President Roosevelt’s Chief of Staff, General George C. Marshall would be that commander. The President, however, had something to say about that and when Roosevelt said he couldn’t do without a man of Marshall’s abilities in Washington, Marshall, true soldier and gentleman that he is, acceded to the wishes of his Commander-in-Chief. There seemed to be only one other man to fill that post and General Eisenhower was appointed Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force the first week of December, 1943 at a Conference in Cairo. It seemed that Mr. Churchill finally recognized that it would be America’s greater industrial strength that would carry the coming battles, so he agreed to an American Commander. And even old Winny was satisfied with the choice of General Eisenhower since Ike was the only Yank he seemed to get along with. General Marshall was also pleased since he had high hopes for this soldier since he first met with him in 1941.

I don’t know of another human being, let alone a United States General, who could have handled the megalomaniac egotists that Eisenhower had to deal with. First, there was General Bernard Montgomery. A soldier who fought in World War I, Monty as he was known, had learned that throwing men into a battle without a good and viable plan for success was just like throwing them into a meat grinder. I can respect that but he has come to believe that only he has the ability to decide what a good and viable plan is. His arrogance knows no bounds and he is impossible to work with and intolerable to be around. He is the worst of all in my opinion. Well, that may not be true if we throw General Charles DeGaulle of the Free French Army into the mix. One time General DeGaulle walked into our SHAEF headquarters and literally came to a complete stop. He didn’t move until he was announced and all personnel came to attention with proper salutes. Jesus Christ! His country caved, half of them are now fighting with the Germans against us and here he was acting like his entrance was the Second Coming. Just between those two, Ike had a nose full. But that wasn’t all, because he also had to deal with Old Blood and Guts, George Patton.

Don’t get me wrong, Patton is a hell of a general but he’s a hell of a pain in the ass as well. He really is in a world unto himself. I’ve heard he’s a fervent believer in reincarnation and thinks he’s fought in all these old battles with Napoleon and even the ancient Greeks and Romans. I’m sure I don’t know how in the hell someone that wacky can be competent, but he is. Patton does what he wants, when he wants and doesn’t give a good goddamn who it affects or how it plays in Peoria. Ike can’t take the chance right now that he’ll open his piehole again and cause more problems with our allies, our governments, our troops or hell, the whole populations of our allied countries. It seems Patton’s arrogance is superseded only by the arrogance of Montgomery whose arrogance is superseded only by the arrogance of DeGaulle. I hope Ike is getting combat pay just for having to deal with these jamokes. The only two I’d give a fig for are General Bradley (“Brad”) and General Walter Beedle Smith (“Beetle”).

Not that you care but I got a kid brother Harold who is itching to get into the service. The other day, I found the first letter he wrote to me a couple of years ago. I miss him and I see that he misses me too.

February 14, 1942

Dear Frankie,

Hey, guess what? I got my driver’s license the other day and pop let me take the Nash out this morning. I didn’t even care that I could only just go to the store to get some butter and sugar for mom with their ration cards. I just was happy I got to drive. And I made it without hitting anything or anybody. So whatcha doin’? I can’t wait to get over to Japan to kick some Nips right on their kiesters! I gotta wait only 2 more years and then no one can stop me from signing up! Keep the war going for me until then. What do you do anyway? I miss you Frank.

Your loving brother,

Harold

Today I got another, more recent letter.

January 22, 1944

Dear Frank,

Last week was my birthday and I signed up! You are not the only soldier in the house anymore and I gotta tell you, I’m scared and proud all at once. Mom tried not to cry when I got home and told her and pop about signing up. But I could tell she is worried that something will happen to me. She’s worried about you too but since you’re busy planning what grunts like me are supposed to do, she’s now more worried about me, I think. I have to report for Basic Training in 5 days and I guess you know all about how that goes. Then, they’ll tell me where to go and what I’ll be doing and I’ll let you know what that is. All I know so far is that when they tell me to jump, I’m only allowed to ask how high.

There’s a whole bunch of guys signing up, Frank. I didn’t want to go in the Navy since the thought of drowning makes me scared. I guess if you’re gonna go, I want it to be quick and not under water. I also didn’t want to be a flyboy although that’s what Paul signed up for. Man, remember when us cousins used to get together and play Cowboys and Indians? Paulie was always jumping off some wall or something. Guess that’s the perfect thing for him to go into but boy, not for me. I am going to be happy just marching my way through Japan or Germany, killing enemy soldiers as I find them. I’ll write again soon.