American Valor Quarterly Issue 8 - Winter 2010/2011 | Page 18

then and there. Although the weather would be
marginal at best and the wrong decision might turn
the invasion into a disaster he gave the order to launch
Operation Overlord. Both the weather prediction and
Eisenhower’s courageous decision would turn the tide
of the war against Nazi Germany. It was arguably the
most important decision of the war.
What made this such a remarkable decision is the
famous note found weeks later in his shirt pocket by
his naval aide, Harry Butcher, in which he took sole
responsibility if D-Day had failed. In an age when
passing the buck is a way of life, Eisenhower never
shied from responsibility.
The death of soldiers in the cause of peace was close
to Dwight Eisenhower’s heart and soul. He was really
not entirely unique in that he was a professional soldier
who hated war. But few hated those who made war General Dwight D. Eisenhower holds aloft two pens to declare “V” for Victory. The
pens had just recently been used by the Germans to sign the documents of
with greater passion than did Eisenhower who
surrender, May 7, 1945.
regarded his adversaries with nothing short of loathing.
Coldly, his voice brittle, Eisenhower curtly said, “Do you
An example of Eisenhower at his best occurred at 2:41 A.M., understand the terms of the document of surrender you have
May 7, 1945, when Germany surrendered unconditionally. At just signed?” When Jodl replied, “Ja, ja,” Eisenhower declared
SHAEF HQ in northern France, Col. Gen. Alfred Jodl signed that he would be held officially and personally accountable
the do