One of the things I've been able to accomplish since volunteering to opt out of the workforce, is catching up on my reading...Since I was in my twenties, I've bought books with the intention of reading them and usually didn't get further than a few pages or chapters before something else demanded attention...Now I finally have time to indulge myself although 90% of my books disappeared thanks to an overly zealous housecleaning session initiated by the ex-wife...
However, most of my serious studies of the second World War are still with me and I've been able to delve into one of the great mysteries of the Twentieth Century: namely, how an entire nation could be misled and brought to the brink of destruction by one maniac...The question even has implications in today's world...
One book I put off because I thought it would be a dry discourse of military campaigns as seen by a rear echelon, desk-bound commander is "Crusade in Europe" by Dwight D. Eisenhower...It's surprised me because it's held my interest since the first page...It's written like a military report, but includes many slices of human experience not otherwise seen as spread over a military campaign that engulfed the world...
Eisenhower went into some amount of detail in how Operations Torch, Dragoon and Overlord were planned, manned, provisioned and executed giving this reader new appreciation for the seemingly top-heavy military staffs...
A fair amount of controversy has emerged from Eisenhower's memoirs since publication including his alleged affair with Kay Summersby, whom he mentions once in the book while crediting the several women who became valuable and reliable staff members...Controversy exists whether the affair ever took place and to what extent if any...
Eisenhower has also gained some undue criticism by taking advantage of a Treasury Department ruling allowing him to pay reduced income taxes on his earnings from sales of his book as a capital gain instead of voluntarily paying the much higher personal income tax rate...More serious litigation took place long after his death over the copyright ownership...Justice Antonin Scalia not only wrote the Supreme Court opinion on the decision, but authored his own book on the subject bound with a new edition of "Crusade in Europe"...
I have mentioned in prior articles the initial disdain Eisenhower had for General James Doolittle, regarding him in the beginning as little more than a hot-shot civilian stunt pilot who got sucked into the war as a reservist...It was said that Ike was little impressed with Doolittle's award of the CMH until Doolittle's calm devotion to his job, subsequent acceptance of whatever assignment he was handed and exceptional performance of his duties changed his mind...
In his 1948 book Eisenhower refers to Doolittle's having been "given" command of the 8th Air Force in Europe, but nothing of the dressing down he received shortly in Washington as he was briefed by his boss, General George Marshall concerning Doolittle's real qualifications...It is known that Eisenhower eventually warmed to Doolittle's talents and efficiencies, calling on him later as President for a CIA study as well as membership in the President's Intelligence Advisory Board and as chairman of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics...
Needless to say, Ike believed in giving a fair chance when ordered to do so, and knew how to profit from the experience...The book is now on the "Truckman Highly Recommended List" for those wanting a different angle on their military history...Google books has a preview for free reading here...
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Eisenhower has also gained some undue criticism by taking advantage of a Treasury Department ruling allowing him to pay reduced income taxes on his earnings from sales of his book as a capital gain instead of voluntarily paying the much higher personal income tax rate...More serious litigation took place long after his death over the copyright ownership...Justice Antonin Scalia not only wrote the Supreme Court opinion on the decision, but authored his own book on the subject bound with a new edition of "Crusade in Europe"...
I have mentioned in prior articles the initial disdain Eisenhower had for General James Doolittle, regarding him in the beginning as little more than a hot-shot civilian stunt pilot who got sucked into the war as a reservist...It was said that Ike was little impressed with Doolittle's award of the CMH until Doolittle's calm devotion to his job, subsequent acceptance of whatever assignment he was handed and exceptional performance of his duties changed his mind...
In his 1948 book Eisenhower refers to Doolittle's having been "given" command of the 8th Air Force in Europe, but nothing of the dressing down he received shortly in Washington as he was briefed by his boss, General George Marshall concerning Doolittle's real qualifications...It is known that Eisenhower eventually warmed to Doolittle's talents and efficiencies, calling on him later as President for a CIA study as well as membership in the President's Intelligence Advisory Board and as chairman of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics...
Needless to say, Ike believed in giving a fair chance when ordered to do so, and knew how to profit from the experience...The book is now on the "Truckman Highly Recommended List" for those wanting a different angle on their military history...Google books has a preview for free reading here...
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