Figure 1.--.
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Figure 1.--. |
Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery achieved the first important land victory over the Germans by defeating Rommel and the Afrika Korps at El Alamein. Churchill had replaced Auchinleck with Montgomery after Rommen had been stopped at El Alemain. Montgomery was the most inspirational British military commander. The 8th Army's victory was due to Montgomery's competent leadership and overwealming material superority as a result of vast quantities of weapons and supplies provided by the United States. Montgomery saw his victory as a result of his brilliant leadership and looked down on mist other commanders--especially American commanders. His arrogant attitude made him extremely difficult to ework with. Alexander was one of the few high ranking officers that was able to manage it with any equanimity--mostly by rarely disagreeing with him. One observr described Montgomery as "annintensely compacted hank of steel wire". Montgomery bridled when Eisenhower was given command of the Allied assault on Hitler's Fortress Europe. Montgomery was the senior British military commander at D-Day. American commanders are generally critical of Montcomery's failure to take Caen with the uinitial landings and subsequent operauions to take the city. The failed Market Garden offensive to cross the Rhine was largely planned by Mongomery. He continued as the senior British commander through to VE-Day.
Bernard's father was a minister.
Bernard was born in 1887. He was strictly disciplined by his stern Victorian mother. Monty spent his boyhood days in Tasmania where his father was posted as aminister. Once he was caught smoking. His father took him into the family chapel and prayed with him, after which he said that he had forgiven him. When Monty turned around, his mother was waiting for him and announced, "God may have forgiven you, but I have not." She marched him off to be dealt with.
Bernard attended St. Paul’s School and the British military academy Sandhurst.
Montgomery received his commission aftervgraduating from Sandhurst at age 21 (1908). His first unit was the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
Montgmery served as a young officer in World War I. By all accounts he was an effective leader and was promomoted.
After the War Montgomery was promoted and received varous commands in both Britain and India. On the eve of World War II he was promoted to major-general (1938).
After Germany invaded Poland (September 1, 1939), Britain declared war on Germany (Seoptember 3). Montgomery commanded the Third Division of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). He perforned with great credit in the face of the German Western Offiensive (May 10, 1940). While the BEF was smashed by the Wehrmacht Panzers Montgomery's performance may have been the most inspired of his military career. (His victories were largely achieved with overwheaming material advantage.) Montgomery played a major role at Dunkirk in sucessfully evacuating the BEF.
Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery achieved the first important land victory over the Germans by defeating Rommel and the Afrika Korps at El Alamein. Churchill had replaced Auchinleck with Montgomery after Rommen had been stopped at El Alemain. Montgomery was the most inspirational British military commander. The 8th Army's victory was due to Montgomery's competent leadership and overwealming material superority as a result of vast quantities of weapons and supplies provided by the United States. Montgomery saw his victory as a result of his brilliant leadership and looked down on mist other commanders--especially American commanders. His arrogant attitude made him extremely difficult to ework with. Alexander was one of the few high ranking officers that was able to manage it with any equanimity--mostly by rarely disagreeing with him. One observr described Montgomery as "an intensely compacted hank of steel wire". [Shaw] He was, however, popular with the men of thev8th Army--especially those that had little contact with him. His victory at El Alemain in combination with Zukov's victory at Stalingrad are generally seen as the great turning points of the War. Montgomery did not press his victory at El Alemain and Rommel managed to extricate the Afrika Corps. The Anglo-American landings in North Africa known as Operation Torch pressed the Germans from the West. Final victory came in Tunisia (May 1943).
Montgomery bridled when Eisenhower made Supreme Commander and given command of the Allied assault on Hitler's Fortress Europe. Montgomery was the senior British military commander at D-Day. American commanders are generally critical of Montcomery's failure to take Caen with the uinitial landings and subsequent operaions to take the city. Montgomery disagreed with Eisenhower on strategy. Montgomery
wanted a full-scale advance on Berlin via the Ruhr. Eisenhower favored a broad front push. Montgomery and Eisenhower had a generally correct professional relationship but Montgomery constantly complained that Eisenhower was to partial to the American forces. Montgoimery in paticular disliked Patton. At times Montgomery bordered on insubordination. At one point Eisehower was prepared to seek his replacement. Montgomery's aides finally convinced him that give the overwhealming role of the Americans in the War after D-Day that Churchill would be forced to replace him if Eisenhower insuisted. Montgomery appoligized and the crisis oassed. Montgomery was promoted to field marshall (Septemver 1, 1944).
Montgomery commanded the 21st Army Group that liberated the vital port of Antwerp in Belgium. This was vital to thevpush into Germany as it was close to the frontblines. Large quantities oif supplies were still being landed in Normandy and had to be trucked across France to reachbthe Allied frontblines. The failed Market Garden offensive to cross the Rhine was largely conceived and planned by Mongomery, but failed. The 21st Group was also involved in the Battle of the Bulge, Germany’s final offensive of the War. Montgomery’s succeeded in crossing the Rhine (March 24, 1945). He accepted the formal surrender of the German military at Luneburg Heath (May 4, 1945).
Montgomery was the best known British general of World War II. He was the only British general to deliver a victory over the Germans before joint operations with the Americans began, although huge quantities of American equipment were key to the victory ar El Alemain (October 1942). Montgomery also played a key role in the D-Day planning. He was emensely popular in Britain and absolutely detested by the American commanders he worked with. That Patton and him would quarely is understandable, they were both primadonnas. But he also had trouble with American commanders like Omar Bradley who was much more professional in his conduct. Problems began in Tunisia as soon as Montgomery first came in contact with the Americans, but it was after D-Day during the fighting in France that matters came to a boil. Bradley refused to speak to him unless it was absolutely essential offical business. Then Monty essentially told Ike that he should turn over command. Ike was the consumate master of running a war with allies. The Anglo-American Alliance was probably the grestest alliance in miliktary history. Much of the success of making the alliance work was due to Eisenhower political skills. He is said to have explained to an American officer he retirned to the states that he was not fired for calling a British officer a bastard, but for valling him a "British" bastard. Even so by the end of the War the alliance had frayed considerably. Ike while the fighting was still going on in France was prepared to ask that Montgomery be relieved. Montgomery who finally seems to have realized that Churchill probably would have complied, applogized to Eisenhower.
After the War, Montgomery served as Chief of the Imperial General Staff (1946-48). He then served as Deputy Supreme Commander of NATO forces in Europe (1951-58). King George VI created Montgomery a viscount in 1946 in recognition of the part he played in the War. Montgomery antagonized Eisenhower again with his memoirs which consistebnt inflated his role in the victory and down played the contributuioin of American commanders. ontgomery died in 1976.
Shaw, George Bernard.
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