This was before decisions like this were sanitized by committees, focus groups and politics. Ike could have said no, we wait. The terrible results were completely unpredictable. The enemy was, up to this moment, unbeatable. The size and scope of the operation was incomprehensible. Moving this much man and materiel with no more than adding machines, paper and pencil? It is hard to imagine the pacing, prioritizing and sequencing that had to occur without project management science. Such bold minds.
Imagine the boys from the cities and farms who had been plucked from teenage pursuits just a few months before as they made the long journey from England to the beaches. If you have ever been there, you can see the scene as these immensely wide, flat sandy shores become the battleground. The distance is enormous, and the defenses, still visible, seem insurmountable. None of the modern weapons we use today- just land the boat, run onto the beach. Mostly rifles against machine guns. Basic stuff. Daylight landing on a wide beach with a prepared veteran army in your face.
Where it wasn't wide beach, it was cliffs. The Point du Hoc is located between Utah and Omaha beach, and the site used today for memorial services. There is a very good museum there, and the nearby cemetery. I visited a couple of years ago, and recommend it to everyone. Perspective is what you get here.
It is no wonder we Brits, Canadians and Americans think this our finest hour, and expect respect these years later.
2 comments:
Thanks for being one of the few who remembered. One of every four soldiers who landed actually made it through unharmed.
I wonder what the compromising lot of today pissing away the freedom these men fought for would do with Hitler?
Judging from current events, probably elect him President, unfortunately.
Glad that somebody remembered.
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