Key Figures of D-Day

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

Prime Minister Winston Spencer Churchill

Prime Minister Winston Spencer Churchill 1874 - 1965

Churchill returned to Chamberlain's Conservative government in 1939. He initially held the post of First Lord of the Admiralty until he assumed the premiership of the coalition government and the title of Minister of Defence in May 1940.

A great leader for the British people, he communicated through inspirational broadcasts, never considered surrender at any cost, encouraged offensive action against the enemy at every opportunity and his unswerving friendship with the United States brought vital strength and support after Pearl Harbor.

In early 1942 Churchill and President Roosevelt discussed a 'combined operation' cross Channel landing and Churchill began to explore the logistics of sending at least 400,000 troops to France.

Churchill and Roosevelt confirmed operation OVERLORD was scheduled for 1944 at the Quebec Conference of August 1943. The planning and preparation of the Campaign was complicated by the many of the Allied forces committed to the war in the Mediterranean and with pressure from Russia for OVERLORD to commence as soon as possible, so deflecting Hitler's attention from the Eastern Front.

By 1944, Churchill held regular meetings with Eisenhower and closely examined the detailed planning of the assault. As D-Day drew closer, he inspected the troops and once the invasion had begun, he monitored every aspect, and finally visited the Normandy bridgehead for the first time on D plus 6.

Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery

Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery 1887 - 1976

In 1939, Montgomery took his 3^rd Division to France. He was one of the last to leave Dunkirk in 1940 and was promoted on his return.

In 1942, he was given command of the Eighth Army in the Western Desert. He restored morale and rebuilt the strength of his army convincing his men that they would win a great victory, this was to be the battle of Alamein in October 1942. This was to be last solely British and Commonwealth victory of the conflict.

Montgomery fought the campaigns in Sicily and Italy under Eisenhower's command. He was brought back to Britain on 2 January 1944 to plan and prepare for D-Day. He recognised the importance of taking the beaches and moving inland as swiftly as possible and supported the use of General Percy Hobart's Funnies (specialist armour specifically designed for the beach invasion).

He spent 6 June 1944 reading the initial reports at Southwick House and left for Normandy the following day. He was pleased to learn of the success of the assault on the British beaches and the airborne attacks but disappointed that the British Second Army had failed to take Caen. Montgomery arrived in France on 8 June and established tactical headquarters in Creully for the Battle of Normandy.

In September 1944, Montgomery was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal and retained command of 21^st Army Group to the end of the war.

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