At 2145 hours on June 5th, Eisenhower gave the go ahead for the Invasion. Today is the 56th anniversary of D-Day. Normandy may be one of the places my family will visit during our trip to Europe.
Keeping in mind that Eisenhower was from a very modest background in Kansas, and that by the time World War II came along it appeared that he would never have the opportunity to lead in any meaningful way, it is stunning that he quickly ascended to lead the Allied command in Europe and a few years later to be President of the United States, indeed, that it was Eisenhower who gave the final word to invade Normandy.
It is also an interesting study in Providence to consider how Stephen Ambrose came to be Eisenhower’s biographer. Ambrose wrote an obscure doctoral thesis on a nearly forgotten Civil War leader. It was printed in a limited way, but Eisenhower happened to read it and asked the young Ambrose to come meet with him.
Here are two Ambrose quotes about Eisenhower:
Eisenhower realized that “optimism and pessimism are infectious and they spread more rapidly from the head downward than in any other direction.” He learned that a commander’s optimism “has a most extraordinary effect upon all with whom he comes in contact. With this clear realization, I firmly determined that my mannerisms and speech in public would always reflect the cheerful certainty of victory—that any pessimism and discouragement I might ever feel would be reserved for my pillow.(D-Day, 61).
At the same time, after lunch on June 6.
Eisenhower sat at his portable table and scrawled by hand a press release on a pad of paper, to be used if necessary. “Our landings . . . have failed,” he began, “and I have withdrawn the troops. My decision to attack at this time and place was based upon the best information available. The troops, the air and the Navy did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt it is mine alone.” (D-Day, 190).
