D-Day's Plan B
On D-day, it is wise to remember the small note which Dwight D. Eisenhower, the supreme allied commander, had written the day before, and placed in his wallet in the event of the mission's failure.
Simply,
It is a lesson of leadership, and responsibility to his troops. He would withdraw the troops if a satisfactory foothold was not gained.
It is called having a Plan B.
Simply,
"Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops. My decision to attack at this time and place was based on the best information available. The troops, the air and the Navy did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt it is mine alone."
It is a lesson of leadership, and responsibility to his troops. He would withdraw the troops if a satisfactory foothold was not gained.
It is called having a Plan B.
Labels: D-day, eisenhower's plan B
posted by rangeragainstwar at 11:01 PM
14 Comments:
Having a leader prepared to take responsibility for his actions sounds so "quaint" these days, doesn't it?
All snarking aside, we didn't even have a plan A when this war in Iraq was started. There was a vision, but no real plan.
Dear Pat,
A ''buck stops here'' leader does sound quaint, and I'm not even being snarky. . .
You're right--no Plan A.
It's like going into the national championships without having your plays lined up. Only one, an intimidating challenge to the opposing team: bring it on.
If a vision at all, a dark one.
Lisa
i am in the middle of reading team of rivals: the political genius of abraham lincoln right now and one thing that keeps leaping off of the pages, over and over again, was that lincoln would assume responsibility and even blame for the actions of a subordinate. when he removed cameron as secretary of war (after the disaster on the peninsula) there were many charges of corruption, nepotism, and outright bribery (which centered around many "no-bid contracts" to deliver spoiled food and contaminated gunpowder). lincoln stood by cameron, helped to ease his transition back into private life, and chose to back mcClellen even while being libeled as "the gangling ape" by that little shit.
over and over lincoln would remind people that he had only a cursory experience with the military (frontier militia in the blackhawk war) and was always deferential to those who had dedicated their lives to the armed service. one thing he did institute (after the cameron debacle) was an independent, outside office of inspection and review.
if you want a vivid picture of greatness, that contrasts blatantly with the diminutive pissants we have now, please read this one.
What always struck me about this memo was the fact that he carried it, folded, in his wallet. I always had the distinct impression that if he had to give the evacuation order, some time afterwards when he learned that every soldier who could be saved was brought out, he was going to retire to his office, alone, close the door, take the letter out of his wallet and leave it conspicuously on his desk where it could be found.
That is what honor required in those days.
Well, Eisenhower was a leader who was THERE, you see. He saw young men shot and bleeding, cut to bits and dismembered, burned and in agony. Our present "leader" has never been to war, nor to so much as a single service member's funeral. He and his wife visit them in hospitals, already cleaned up, drugged with painkillers and doubtless screened for proper attitude. I DON"T think there is a painkiller that would leave me conscious that would properly immobilize MY attitude towards this "leader." He doesn't need a plan, he is playin with his tin soldiers like Catherine the Great's useless husband did. No wonder she had him murdered!
Labrys,
Preach it, sister.
GWB is the king of the photo op. I fully expect him to emerge through double doors in scrubs next time, telling of how he held the injured soldier's hand during the procedure.
If so, I will only be glad the serviceperson had benefit of anesthesia.
Lisa
Lurch,
Yes, one had the sense these things weighed heavily upon the decision-makers [the Deciders?].
Jim always talks of worst-case scenario planning, so that is what his letter was. To me, more than being a relic to be used for striking a later pose (left on the desk), I see it as a working document. Short and [bitter]sweet.
Ah, you have been jaded by our poseurs in government today, perhaps?
minstrel boy,
Thank you for the excellent recommendation.
I understand Lincoln was also on the cutting technological edge of his day far as trying to facilitate clear and rapid communications amongst his staff.
Unlike the current wily buffoons who delete emails, suffer wildly bad intelligence, and seem to suffer all manner of crossed wires in the communications game.
Funny, always seems to work out to their benefit.
lurch,
Sorry--I failed to misunderstand you once again.
After talking with Ranger I now understand the gravity of what you are implying. Yes, a different time, indeed.
So different, I failed to grasp your meaning. Thank you for the observation; I believe it is a fair guess.
L.
lurch,
Ahem. . .
I meant, of course, I failed to ''understand'' your meaning.
You see, I just need a shot of testosterone to clear the fog from my brain. . .
L - get enough testosterone and we may let you hang out with us and tell "pull my finger" jokes.
lurch,
Jim even had to tell me what a pull your finger joke is. I would love to be an honorary member of the boy's club (the deficit brain trust; from Jim, not me!)
Oh, and Jim says he presumes you mean finger pulling in a pre-Gitmo sense.
Lisa
minstrel boy,
The key point to Lincoln's personality was that from the time he was a young man until his untimely death, he was always intellectually curious, and struggled for an education.
His country simplicity and humor often led him to see strategic implications that were beyond the military people of the time.
He always fought for knowledge on a personal level. Contrast that with . . .
lurch,
I've never thought this scenario out as clearly as you have, but I cannot disagree with your analysis,
Jim
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