A terse low-key announcement from General Eisen-hower’s Head Quarters told the world that the long-awaited invasion of Europe had at last begun. “Allied naval forces, supported by strong Air forces began landing Allied Armies this Morning on the northern coast of France.
It is the biggest combined land, sea, and air operation of all time”. The stage was set for the final bloody ending of World War II.
On 22 Nov 1943, the big three — Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt and Marshal Joseph Stalin— arrived in Tehran for their first meeting together. The big 3 hoped to agree on their grand design for smashing Germany. They also intended to sign a lofty declaration about ensuring a post-war world order. The Soviet leader pledged his personal assurance for an Anglo-US invasion of France next year.
During this conference, Marshal Stalin gave notice that after victory Germany will be carved up along with other frontier adjustments favorable to Russia. There was no opposition from Churchill or Roosevelt.
On 24th Dec 1943, President Roosevelt announced the appointment of General Dwight D. Eisenhower (Ike) as Supreme Commander of the Allied Operations. Ike, a Texas-born Westpoint graduate had limited experience as a commander. Ike’s field commander was the victor of El Alamein, UK’s General Montgomery, universally known as “Monty”.
Monty had a cocky self-assurance as a military strategist and tactician – he often rubbed people the wrong way. Both were in Britain to begin planning with RAF Air Chief Marshal Arthur Tedder, Ike’s Deputy. By April 1944, Britain had become a huge Armed Camp as Eisenhower completed his plans for the Allied invasion of Hitler’s Fortress Europe. Meantime Field Marshal Erwin Rommel had been appointed by Hitler as the anti-invasion C-in-C. Monty and Rommel had dueled earlier.
On the fateful day, Tuesday 6th June, the invasion was in full force. The night before RAF bombers had pounded German batteries along the French coast. The US First Army, led by Gen. Bradley, had assaulted Utah Beach (Code-name) and Omaha Beach. Heavy casualties were encountered.
The 21 Army group (Monty) and the British 2nd Army, along with Canadian forces, were landing at Gold, Juno, and Sword Beaches. The Germans were beginning to run short of supplies.
In addition to regular Tiger & Panther panzers, they had been using obsolete French tanks which were defenseless against the latest Allied guns. After 15 days, the Allied casualties were considerable. The German casualties were much larger.
By 31st July 1944, the Russian war machine in the north had been activated. The 400-mile-long German line between Riga and Warsaw had collapsed. On Aug 25, the French tanks led the Allies into Paris. Witnessing the collapse of Hitler’s Nazi Germany 13 countries that were supposedly neutral, declared war on Germany (Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Chile, Venezuela, Turkey, Uruguay, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Finland, and Argentina) – Success has a thousand fathers, etc.
On April 30, The Fuehrer killed himself. On 6thJune 1945, Russia took over half of the defeated Germany. At the Potsdam Conference on 31st July, Marshal Stalin lowered the “Iron Curtain (the political boundary)”, dividing Europe into separate areas. Churchill and Truman (the new US President after Roosevelt’s death) looked on in Silence.
The War left 60 million dead.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
The writer is a former Executive Director of the Management Association of Pakistan
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