Normandy Opinions

[Korps Steiner]

Originally Posted by Gotthard Heinrici

Paul I do agree with you that it was some achievement that Brian and his comrades took and held the area against determined attacks. Whilst I am no lover of Patton I do believe that the Americans were extremely capable troops who showed in places like the Huertgen Forest and the Ardennes that they were able to take whatever the Germans could throw at them.I have no doubt that they would be well able to "hold the line" in the east as well. But that is not to take away from the extremely difficult position facing the British and Commonwealth forces in front of Caen. To me this was Monty's finest hour.

Hi GH,

I wasn't having a go at the American fighting man who i'm sure would have done the job at Caen , just the American commanders such as Patton (whom i also am not a great lover of ) whose combat philosophy would have cost the Americans far more casualties in fighting some of the best and most experienced German armoured units in ground that was ideally suited to the defence.

Monty has imo taken a lot of unfair stick from American commanders and subsequently from American historians for his slow advance etc but realistically looking at the opposition and how attritional the combat became could the Americans have done better ?? I doubt it.

Must admit i find it interesting to hear peoples opinions on Normandy if the British and American roles had been reversed.

Paul

[Gotthard Heinrici]

Paul I know you werent "having a go" and like you I dont rate Patton that highly. But I also feel that Montgomery wasnt as good as he thought he was (He was an excellent commander though.) For me Bradley was a much more capable US Commander than Patton. He wasnt as "flashy" but got the job done just as effectively.

[von Poop]

Have you read Bradley's book Gott?
Underlines for me that all Generals have their personal axes to grind, and in the protracted postwar Normandy slanging match none of them came out too clean in the 'nya nya' stakes.

[sapper]

Let no one take anything away from the Americans, We have been alongside them, great lads. One thing is for certain ...We could not have won with out the Americans. Together that union is still capable of great strength.
Sapper

[4th wilts]

the british and canadian eastern sector never had more than a 2;1 advantage in infantry.this amases me.those soldiers and tankers,broke the back of the german army.all the while this gave bradley time to mature,as a full army general,and the american troops also.lee.

[Gotthard Heinrici]

Originally Posted by sapper

Let no one take anything away from the Americans, We have been alongside them, great lads. One thing is for certain ...We could not have won with out the Americans. Together that union is still capable of great strength.
Sapper

Brian I think that you hit the nail on the head. For a start there was no deliberate plan to have the English on the eastern edge of the front. The americans took the west because of where their troops were stationed not because it was a deliberate plan to put one force where they could do the most damage.

VP, I havent read Bradley's book and I'm sure that it could be taken with a pinch of salt. I would imagine that, like other generals, its somewhat self-serving annd gives an opportunity to have a pop at people they didnt like. Can you imagine if Patton's memoirs were published???? I've read Monty's and werent too impressed. Of all of them Brooke's diaries are head and shoulders above the rest.

[4th wilts]

i think you will find out that far from the american choice of having the western beaches is wrong.in eisenhour and montys first presentation at st.pauls school.the cossak plan was wopped,five divs were needed.3 on the eastern beachs,2 on the western beachs.bradley needed time to capture cherbourg,so dempsey kept pressure on the east.lee

[sapper]

All that I post is entirely my own opinion. based on what I recall at the time. What I do recall was being so tired I could sleep anywhere. You may find this amusing, Company orders were bits of paper stuck up on a vehicle, or somewhere for it to be seen. There were always a brief description of what was happening elsewhere in Normandy
Sapper

[kfz]

Going back to the orignal question, yes I think Pegasus bridge was essential in the upcomming battle of Caen. I think the start point for Goodwood (ok it was a bit of a disaster but its limited completion of objectives at least got Monty into a postion to bring his Artillary in range of the main German defense line.) was the other side of the Orne so would have had to use the bridge to assemble.

Kev

[4th wilts]

i think it is a shame that rommel was not there.he would have had those divs blown off the beach area big time.no problem.one post mentions salerno.ooof.lee