INTRODUCTION:
The documents used
in this project are from the holdings of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Library
and were part of the files created by General Eisenhower and his command
when they planned Operation OVERLORD. These formerly highly classified
documents have, with the end of World War II and the passage of time,
lost their sensitivity and have been declassified as a result of agency
representatives or Eisenhower Library staff members applying agency
declassification guidelines. The documents may be innocuous now, but
they reflect part of the history of World War II. In the spring of 1944,
these were some of the most sensitive documents in the world and their
release at that time would have had disastrous consequences.
DOCUMENTS:
1. Message, SHAEF
to AGWAR, signed "Eisenhower," dated January 23, 1944.
Page 1, Page
2, Page 3, Page
4
General Eisenhower relayed his views on the OVERLORD plan to the United
States War Department (AGWAR), the British War Office (TROOPERS) and
the Combined Chiefs of Staff. Eisenhower emphasized the importance of
conducting a successful operation and urged that the size of the initial
assault be expanded to five divisions, specifying locations for expanding
the assault.
2. Message, signed "Eisenhower"
to USFOR [US Forces in London], October 3, 1943.
General Eisenhower talked about Anglo-American and inter-service teamwork
and commented favorably on Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery's visit
to Eisenhower's headquarters. Eisenhower also relayed a message to Prime
Minister Winston Churchill.
3. Message, General
[George] Marshall, [Chief of Staff, US Army] to General Eisenhower,
January 1944. Page 1, Page
2
General Marshall commented on developments on the Italian Front and
expressed concern over possible measures that the Germans might take
to crush OVERLORD. Gave force levels and indications of possible German
capabilities. Contains reference to MAGIC, a term referring to intelligence
gleaned from the United States' breaking of Japanese diplomatic and
naval codes.
4.
Message, Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, signed "Omar Bradley,"
to Marshall for Eisenhower.
Montgomery reported on OVERLORD and recommended that the initial assault
area is widened and five divisions are sent in on first assault. Also
commented on ANVIL.
5. COSSAC (44)
10, January 11, 1944. To Commanding General, First Army group (Omar
Bradley), signed "F.E. Morgan," Chief of Staff to the Supreme
Commander (Designate). Page
1, Page 2, Page
3, Page 4, Page
5, Page 6, Page
7, Page 8, Page
9, Page 10
This document outlined the OVERLORD plan developed in 1943 by COSSAC.
Although the plan was revised, it contained basic information on the
locations of the landings along with objectives to be attained and indicated
a target date of May 1, 1944, or shortly after for the assault.
6. Memorandum,
Lt. Col. Donald F. Hall to Commanding Officer, PWB, AFHQ (Psychological
Warfare Branch, Allied Forces Headquarters), December 19, 1943.
Page 1, Page
2, Page 3
Includes attached reports in French. This is a "trick" document
with no relevance to Operation OVERLORD whatsoever. See if students
can figure out that this document was prepared by someone in Allied
Force Headquarters in the Mediterranean Theater with a sense of humor.
It was prepared as a military intelligence report on the birth of Christ.
7. Letter from
G.C. Marshall to General Eisenhower, March 15, 1944, plus attachment.
Page 1, Page
2, Page 3, Page
4
This letter and attachment outline the basis upon which the ULTRA intelligence
was provided to field commands. Note that even now, small portions of
this document have been excised for national security reasons.
8.
Memorandum, Robert E. Baker for Chief of Staff (General Walter Bedell
Smith was Chief of General Eisenhower's staff at Supreme Headquarters
Allied Expeditionary Force), February 3, 1944.
This memorandum outlined Plan BODYGUARD, the overall deception plan
used against Germany in conjunction with OVERLORD.
9. Operation
OVERLORD Cover Operation-(Pas De Calais) Appreciation, November 20,
1943. Page 1, Page
2, Page 3, Page
4, Page 5, Page
6, Page 7, Page
8, Page 9
This document outlined in detail the Allied plan for deceiving the enemy
into believing the main assault would come in the Pas De Calais area
and thus was intended to divert enemy forces away from the Normandy
beaches.
10. Message,
General Marshall to General Eisenhower, April 29, 1944. Page
1, Page 2.
This message referred to political and diplomatic difficulties resulting
from public gaffe made by General George Patton before a club sponsored
by a British women's organization. Patton asserted the ". . . it
is the evident destiny of the British and Americans to rule the worlds.
. . ." Marshall talked about Patton and his value as a commander.
11. Minutes of
Plenary Session at Eureka (Tehran) Conference, November 30, 1943.
Page 1, Page
2, Page 3, Page
4, Page 5
This is a portion of the record of a high level meeting between President
Franklin D. Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Marshal
Joseph Stalin, along with the Anglo-American Combined Chiefs of Staff.
These minutes contain information on probable date for OVERLORD and
supporting operation in Southern France and discussion of coordinating
OVERLORD with Soviet offensive.
12.
First US Infantry Division assault map dated April 1944, showing obstacles
and defenses on OMAHA beach.
INTERDISCIPLINARY DOCUMENTS:
LEAFLETS
· Leaflet in French
(front and back) with
English translation
(Le général Eisenhowers s'adresse aux peuples des Pays
Occupés)
(LES ARMEES ALLIEES DEBARQUENT)
· Map
in French (front and back)
of transportation and communication routes
(BELGIQUE ET FRANCE Principales voies de communications)
(Message aux agents des services du Transport et des Communications)
(Bericht aan de agenten van het Verkeerswezen)
· Leaflet in Dutch (front
and back) with English
translation
(Geallieerde troepen landen!)
(MANNEN EN VROUWEN VAN NEDERLANDS)
· Leaflet
in Norwegian (front and back)
with English translation
(KONGEN TIL SIT FOLK)
(De allierte Troppers landstigning er begyndt!)
· Leaflet
in German (front and back)
with English translation (Page
1, Page 2, Page
3, Page 4, Page
5, Page 6, Page
7)
(Sternenbanner, London, den 23, August 1944)
· Leaflet
in Spanish (four pages) Page
1, Page 2 &
3, Page 4
(Carta de América)
MAPS
· Situation in Europe, 6 June 1944
· Order of Battle OB West, 6 June 1944
· Overlord Area
· The Final Overlord Plan
· Allied Assault Routes
POSTERS
· No caption
(depicts Hitler and Mussolini)
· Fascisti
Repubblicani
· Fuori
i tedeschi
· No caption
(depicts the Allies)
PHOTOGRAPHS
· OVERLORD commanders meeting,
January 1944, General Eisenhower, Walter B. Smith, Omar Bradley, Arthur
Tedder, Bernard Montgomery, Trafford Leigh-Mallory, Bertram Ramsay.
· American
GIs during practice run for D-Day, January 1944, England, Slapton Sands
(three photos). Photo 1, Photo
2, Photo 3
![2. Message, signed "Eisenhower" to USFOR [US Forces in London], October 3, 1943.](images/Doc2_Oct343.jpg){kind=link}
