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Old 08-09-2014, 09:51 AM
dragoon500ly dragoon500ly is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: East Tennessee, USA
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Default Ike's Rise To Power

When the war started in Europe in September, 1939, Lieutnant Colonel Eisenhower was in the Philippines serving as a staff officer to Douglas MacArthur. At the time he had considerable staff and administrative experience but little experience in troop units and no World War One experience.

During the pre-war years Ike had been considered for various Corps and Divisional staff positions, but in each case, had been turned down by the War Department (Chief of Infantry) due to the grounds that he needed duty with troops.

In 1940, Ike was back in the states and had been assigned to the 3rd Division at Fort Lewis where he assumed command of the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry, shortley thereafter he was moved up to the position of regimental executive officer.

In November 1940, he was moved up to the divisional staff and in March 1941 he was promoted to colonel. June thru December 1941 saw Colonel Eisenhower assigned as the chief of staff of the Third Army in San Antonio, Texas. Here he took part in the prewar Louisiana maneuvers, the largest peacetime training exercise conducted by the army prior America's entry into the war. During these maneuvers, Ike earned a reputation as an outstanding planner and organizer and was credited with the sucess of the Third Army. In September 1941, he was promoted to Brigadier General.

In February 1942, Ike was appointed Chief of the War Plans Division, War Department where he was part of the decision to write off the Philippines. In March 1942, he was promoted to Major General. In April of that year, Ike was designited as the Assistant Chief of Staff of the Operations Divsion, Office of the Chief of Staff.

In June 1942, he was assigned as Commanding General, European Theater of Operations. He was promoted to Lieutenant General in July 1942.

In August 1942, he received the approval of Prime Minister Churchill ans was appointed as Allied Commander of Operation Torch (the invasion of North Africa). He was later appointed as Commander in Chief, Allied Forces in North Africa ans as such, was responsible for operations in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. In February 1943, he was promoted to General.

December 1943 saw Ike reassigned as the commander of Allied Forces for the invasion of Europe. As Commander, Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces Europe he would direct all Anglo-American air, sea and land forces in the Normandy invasion and the planning and direction of the northwestern European strategy, as well as serving as ground forces commander until the end of the war in May 1945.

Ike's rise from lieutenant colonel to General was nothing less than phenomenal. He was able to achieve senior rank without commanding any major tactical or operational units and without serving in combat.
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The reason that the American Army does so well in wartime, is that war is chaos, and the American Army practices chaos on a daily basis.
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