This documentary series is based on the memoirs of the Allied Commander in Chief Dwight D. Eisenhower and it is the European Theater from his perspective. After seeing an episode or two and looking at the titles you will see only the operations that Ike was involved in. No mention for instance of the North African campaign before the Americans landing, no mention of the Italian campaign after Ike was removed to start the planning for the cross Channel invasion, no mention of the British and their Greek campaign. This is the war that Ike saw and was involved in.
The narration is sprinkled with quotes from the book and having read the book I can tell you that you have to read between the lines. Ike had some truly egotistical subordinates, George S. Patton who didn't live to write memoirs, Field Marshal Bernard L. Montgomery who wrote memoirs damning Ike with faint praise that he was a figurehead and Monty was the real brains. If Monty had been in charge we would be still figuring out how to break out at Normandy. Even a long time friend like Omar Bradley waited until after Ike's death to take a shot or two at him in memoirs.
That was Eisenhower's headache, but George C. Marshall picked him because he knew the value of teamwork. His biggest contribution besides making some strategic decisions that would have global implications was working out an integrated command structure of the British, American, Canadian, and a host of other countries who sent troops to Europe. Basically he took a lot of crap from people during and after the war.
If you see this documentary series it is essential you read Crusade In Europe. I'm sure it's still published, hopefully on Kindle for this generation. You read between the lines and you find out what Ike really thought. Same is true of his presidential memoirs.
A real treat this series.
The narration is sprinkled with quotes from the book and having read the book I can tell you that you have to read between the lines. Ike had some truly egotistical subordinates, George S. Patton who didn't live to write memoirs, Field Marshal Bernard L. Montgomery who wrote memoirs damning Ike with faint praise that he was a figurehead and Monty was the real brains. If Monty had been in charge we would be still figuring out how to break out at Normandy. Even a long time friend like Omar Bradley waited until after Ike's death to take a shot or two at him in memoirs.
That was Eisenhower's headache, but George C. Marshall picked him because he knew the value of teamwork. His biggest contribution besides making some strategic decisions that would have global implications was working out an integrated command structure of the British, American, Canadian, and a host of other countries who sent troops to Europe. Basically he took a lot of crap from people during and after the war.
If you see this documentary series it is essential you read Crusade In Europe. I'm sure it's still published, hopefully on Kindle for this generation. You read between the lines and you find out what Ike really thought. Same is true of his presidential memoirs.
A real treat this series.