Beschreibung:

EISENHOWER, Dwight D. Typed letter signed ("Dwight D. Eisenhower"), as Supreme Commander Allied Expeditionary Force, TO LT. GENERAL OMAR N. BRADLEY, Supreme Headquarters, 14 May 1944. 1 page, 4to, two punch holes at top, "Confidential" stamp at top and bottom edges, slight remnants of mounting on verso .
EISENHOWER, Dwight D. Typed letter signed ("Dwight D. Eisenhower"), as Supreme Commander Allied Expeditionary Force, TO LT. GENERAL OMAR N. BRADLEY, Supreme Headquarters, 14 May 1944. 1 page, 4to, two punch holes at top, "Confidential" stamp at top and bottom edges, slight remnants of mounting on verso . "THE WAY HOME IS VIA BERLIN...FIGHTING WILL BRING VICTORY" "OUR NAZI ENEMY" AND "THE ABSOLUTE NEED FOR CRUSHING HIM". A forceful directive from Eisenhower in the weeks before D-Day, ordering Bradley to instill a hard and ruthless fighting spirit into his troops. "I feel strongly," Ike writes, "that as the day of our combined offensive approaches, it is necessary to make absolutely clear to our men the stark and elemental facts as to the character of our Nazi enemy, the absolute need for crushing him, if we are to survive, and finally, to drive home the fact that we have defeated them before and can do it again. It is only necessary to steel ourselves to the task." For Eisenhower, "the inculcation of this fighting spirit" is just as important as physical training. He orders Bradley to appoint regimental "orientation officers" who would give "periodic orientation talks" to company commanders. These would be supplemented by items in Yank , Stars and Stripes , and Armed Forces radio. "This is not the time for long discussions on the roots and causes of the war," Eisenhower says. "Our soldiers have heard this before. What is required now is to impress on them that only hard -- and successful -- fighting will bring victory; that the way home is via Berlin." Eisenhower sent this letter to each of his corps commanders. This is the only one to appear at auction in the last 40 years.