Key Figures of D-Day

	This page: General Omar Bradley, General Dwight D Eisenhower.
	Prime Minister Winston S Churchill, Field Marshall Bernard L Montgomery.
	Führer Adolf Hitler, Field Marshall Karl R G von Rundstedt.

General Omar Bradley

General Omar Bradley, 1893 - 1981

A graduate of West Point with Eisenhower and Marshall, Bradley joined them in Tunisia to command 2^nd Corps under Patton in the final battle for Tunisia. He was commended by the US Army for his role in the invasion of Sicily.

Returning to Britain, he worked with Eisenhower preparing for D-Day and became responsible for developing the US Army's operational and tactical plans for the invasion of Normandy.

On 6 June, 1944 the American troops landed on the western beaches code named Utah and Omaha and met with fierce opposition at the latter. By mid June Bradley amassed his forces and armour ready to break through the German lines at St Lô and advance to the Seine River.

In August 1944 Bradley took command of the US 12^th Army Group and planned the campaign through North West Europe, across France to the Seigfried Line. After his success taking the bridge at Remagen, Eisenhower made him responsible for the main assault into Germany.

After the war, Bradley headed the Veteran's Administration, in 1948 succeeded Eisenhower as Chief of Staff of the US Army and in 1950 President Truman promoted him to the five-star rank of General of the Army. He retired from the military in 1953 but advised on policy and strategy during the Vietnam War.

Known as the 'GI's General', Bradley is remembered as a decisive and unpretentious man. He died on 8 April 1981 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

General Dwight D Eisenhower, 1890 - 1969

General Dwight D Eisenhower

A Major in the US Army, Eisenhower was recalled to Washington after Pearl Harbor, he was appointed to head the US forces in the European Theater of Operations from London in June 1942. He commanded the Torch landings in North Africa and the eventual movement of troops into Tunisia. By February 1943 as Supreme Allied Commander in North Africa he directed the campaigns in Sicily and Italy.

He returned to Britain to oversee OPERATION BOLERO, the build up of American troops in Britain and his charm, diplomacy and popularity made him the obvious choice as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Western Europe in December 1943, directing and overseeing the Normandy landings. He managed the various politicians, commanders and troops with great success and gave Montgomery direct command of the ground forces.

Eisenhower chose to assault Normandy, where the German defences were weakest, landing five divisions. He ordered strategic bombing to hinder the transport of German supplies and decided drop two US Airborne Divisions behind enemy lines at the Cotentin Peninsula. Ike, as he was known, decided the date of D-Day, cancelling his plans for 5 June 1944 due to bad weather.

Whilst waiting for news of the success of the operation, Eisenhower issued a press release accepting full responsibility if the invasion failed. The overall success of the OVERLORD and the securing of the Normandy Bridgehead can largely be attributed to his coalition command.

Eisenhower later became one of America's most popular 20^th Century presidents (1953 - 1961).

	This page: General Omar Bradley, General Dwight D Eisenhower.
	Prime Minister Winston S Churchill, Field Marshall Bernard L Montgomery.
	Führer Adolf Hitler, Field Marshall Karl R G von Rundstedt.