Why Eisenhower Almost Fired Britain's Greatest General скачать в хорошем качестве

Why Eisenhower Almost Fired Britain's Greatest General

January 1945. The Battle of the Bulge is ending. American soldiers have just absorbed 70,000 casualties holding the line against Hitler's final offensive. Then Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery calls a press conference — and nearly destroys the alliance winning the war. He takes credit for saving the Americans. He claims he "took control" and "tidied up the battlefield." He barely mentions the generals whose men actually bled and died in the frozen Ardennes. Within 48 hours, the most patient man in Europe finally snaps. Supreme Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower drafts a five-word ultimatum: "It is him or me." Omar Bradley threatens to resign. Patton's fury cannot be printed. Churchill is forced to stand before Parliament and publicly abandon Britain's most celebrated general. And one forgotten officer has exactly 24 hours to prevent catastrophe. This documentary examines the January 1945 command crisis between Supreme Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower and Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery following the Battle of the Bulge. Montgomery's January 7, 1945 press conference claiming he "took control" and "tidied up the battlefield" triggered immediate backlash from General Omar Bradley, General George S. Patton, and U.S. Army Chief of Staff George C. Marshall. Eisenhower drafted a resignation ultimatum to the Combined Chiefs of Staff stating the Allied command must choose between himself and Montgomery. Major-General Frederick de Guingand, Montgomery's Chief of Staff at 21st Army Group, conducted emergency diplomacy between SHAEF headquarters and Montgomery's tactical headquarters, securing a written apology within 24 hours. The crisis prompted Winston Churchill's January 18, 1945 speech to Parliament acknowledging American primacy in the Ardennes campaign, stating U.S. forces engaged "thirty or forty men for every one" British soldier and suffered "sixty to eighty" casualties for every British loss. American forces absorbed over 70,000 casualties during the German Ardennes Offensive of December 1944 while Montgomery temporarily commanded First U.S. Army under General Courtney Hodges and Ninth U.S. Army under General William Simpson. 📍 TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 — "It Is Him or Me" 1:34 — October 1942: How Montgomery Became Untouchable 2:55 — "Our Italians": What British Officers Called Americans 3:48 — Eisenhower's Revolutionary Vision for Allied Command 4:59 — December 16, 1944: The Battle of the Bulge Begins 6:02 — Montgomery Interprets the "Temporary Arrangement" 7:03 — December 1944: Montgomery's Letters Demanding Command 9:24 — January 7, 1945: The Press Conference 10:59 — Washington Explodes 11:26 — The Germans Weaponize Montgomery's Words 12:08 — The Famous Grin Disappears 13:46 — Enter Freddie de Guingand: The Forgotten Hero 15:51 — "Give Me 24 Hours" 16:36 — De Guingand Confronts Montgomery 18:17 — "What Do I Do, Freddy?" 18:58 — Montgomery's Surrender Letter 19:41 — Eisenhower Crumples the Ultimatum 20:09 — Churchill's Impossible Position 21:09 — Churchill's Speech to Parliament 22:18 — The Aftermath: Montgomery Sidelined Forever 23:24 — What Eisenhower's Patience Really Meant 📚 KEY FIGURES: General Dwight D. Eisenhower — Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery — Commander, 21st Army Group Major-General Frederick de Guingand — Montgomery's Chief of Staff General Omar Bradley — Commander, 12th U.S. Army Group General George S. Patton — Commander, Third U.S. Army Prime Minister Winston Churchill — British Prime Minister Air Chief Marshal Arthur Tedder — Eisenhower's Deputy Supreme Commander General George C. Marshall — U.S. Army Chief of Staff 📚 SOURCES: Eisenhower's personal correspondence and cables, January 1945 De Guingand, Frederick. "Operation Victory" (1947) Bradley, Omar. "A Soldier's Story" (1951) Ambrose, Stephen. "Eisenhower: Soldier and President" Hamilton, Nigel. "Monty: Final Years of the Field Marshal" Churchill's speech to House of Commons, January 18, 1945 Montgomery's press conference transcript, January 7, 1945 🎬 ABOUT THIS CHANNEL: Arpad's War Stories brings you the untold human dramas behind World War II's most decisive moments. New documentaries every week exploring the personalities, rivalries, and split-second decisions that shaped history. Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss a story. #WW2 #Eisenhower #Montgomery #WorldWar2 #BattleOfTheBulge #WWII #MilitaryHistory #WW2Documentary #AlliedGenerals #ChurchillWW2