One of World’s Greatest Soldiers

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 207, 1 September 1944, Page 5

One of World’s Greatest Soldiers

Eisenhower Defends Command Changes (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) Received Friday, 12.30 a.m. LONDON, Aug. 31. “Anyone inferring from the rearrangements of the Allied Command in France that General Montgomery has been ‘demoted’ is entirely wrong,” said General Eisenhower at a conference with correspondents accredited to Shaef. “The time has merely come when having broken out of the bridgehead General Bradley has had to take over the part originally assigned to him. “Montgomery is one of the greatest soldiers of this or any other war,” General Eisenhower added. The campaign on D Day plus 85 is well ahead of the stage planned for D Day plus 90.” General Eisenhower said General Braoley would be overall commander ot the American forces in North Prance and equal to General Montgomery. General Eisenhower added: “All the tasks worked out for performance in this great campaign depended on teamwork. No subordinate had failed to carry out the task given to him no matter what the subordinate’s original idea was.” General Elsenhower emphasised he thought every British and American citizen had a right to he proud of the way in which every British and American sailor, soldier and airman had got together. He hated to see anything developing on the outside which might cause an atmosphere drawing them apart or causing jealously. No one had the right to interpret anything that hau happened in such a way as to cause dissension and any attempt to do so would be detrimental to the war effort. He said the Mediterranean campaigns taught among other things how the British and Americans could get together. The Empire’s troops were largely separate from the United States troops, hut in the top level of command there was absolute unity. Every man put in a high place by his Government met with the approval of all the Governments and thus perfect teamwork was assured from the start. There had not been as far as he knew even a short difference of opinion, and certainly none that caused bad feeling or discomfort among the people constituting the team. General Eisenhower said the British hamed Montgomery as ground commander of the British Forces and the United States Government left the choice of the American commander to hi™ and he subsequently named Bradley. The plan provided that Montgomery should command the forces on the left and Bradley in the centre, hut because of the initial bridgehead constructed he put Montgomery in tactical control of the American forces. The plan was that he continue in control of those forces until the Allies got out to the areas where it was expected the general advance would begin against Germany* Now that breakout had occurred and Bradley in reporting directly to him was merely taking over the role assigned to him in (he original strategic plan. Montgomery would now have the Job of handling the battles on his own part of the front. It would he most unfortunate if the plan which had been developed as conceived was interpreted as demotion or as a slap at anybody. General Montgomery was a great and personal friend and he had a great admiration for him.