The Western coalition was founded in 1941 on mutual respect in addition to the threat of a common adversary.

The tension-filled political climate in the months preceding D-Day directly correlates to the current fragility of the NATO alliance, where there exists a perception of a loss of confidence in the United States’ commitment to European defense. It was Eisenhower’s ability to lay aside his own ego for the greater good of the Western coalition that made D-Day so successful. Patton Jr., albeit not as confrontational as with Montgomery, tasked Eisenhower’s patience as well. Relationships with American commanders such as Lt. Charles de Gaulle were contentious at best.

In a similar manner, Eisenhower’s relationships-and frequent disagreements-with British Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery (Eisenhower’s land forces commander), British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and French Gen. paratroopers before they head out to participate in D-Day. could never have attempted the amphibious landings alone, to say nothing of the airborne operations that were heavily dependent on British ships and aircraft. Consequently, he appointed British officers as his principal subordinates to oversee all land, air and naval commanders. Eisenhower clearly understood that victory depended on the cooperation of powerful allies. depended on other nations-the Western coalition and the Soviet Union-to defeat Nazi Germany. But why is D-Day relevant to today’s American Army? What lessons can our fighting force derive from what Eisenhower termed “the Great Crusade”?įirst, the coalition that launched Operation Overlord was the most successful joint/combined operation in modern warfare. It was the beginning of the end of Nazi Germany. By the time the full moon rose above the blood-stained French beaches, nearly 156,000 Allied soldiers had been deposited on the Continent.

AUSA Volunteer Family of the Year Awardīy any standard, D-Day was the most complex and daring military operation in the history of Western warfare.

Letters to Congress & the Administration.

Largest tank battle in ww2 d-day