Order of the day from General Dwight David Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe, for the D-Day Invasion. Historic document. [Portsmouth, England], 1944.
The operations order before us was issued prior to Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of the shores of Normandy, Occupied France, on June 6th, 1944. It was the largest maritime landing in history, in which more than 150,000 fighters participated. The invasion was intended to break through the Atlantic wall, to open a second front against Germany (the “Western Front”) while establishing a foothold on French soil. The invasion marked the beginning of the end of Nazi Germany.
” …The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.”
Eisenhower began drafting the operations order shortly after taking office in February 1944, and it was given to the fighters who were to participate in the invasion on June 5th, 1944, before they left for action. The original version of the operations order is in Kansas at the Eisenhower Presidential Library.
Dwight David Eisenhower (1890-1969), was a general who served in World War II as the Supreme Commander of Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe. He was the 34th President of the United States (1953-1961).
[1] leaf, official stationery, with the Allies’ emblem at the top of the document and General Eisenhower’s printed signature at the bottom of the document. 23×15 cm.