They did all get the geography right, which isn’t bad. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read Ike’s D-Day letter, and it still took me a few seconds to place the line in the “answer.”
I’ve always thought the most impressive thing about the D-Day invasion was that 1 WEEK later, the US did the same thing all over again on a little island out in the middle of the Pacific. US force was the same size but the Brit and Canadians couldn’t make the party the party in Saipan.
The US military effort in the Second World War was one of the great logistical achievements of mankind. The US armed forces fought in North Africa, Italy, the Western Front (Air and Land), the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, and in India. And they supplied the British, Russian, Indian, and Chinese armies.
Had Stalin decided to take all of Europe in 1945 (or ’46) for Mother Russia, it would have been a Very Bad Thing for them. Imagine the US funneling the majority of it’s military logistics onto just ONE front.
For me, as a military historian, that question (and entire topic) would have been like that episode of Cheers where Norm goes on Jeopardy and gets topics that fit every category he’s interested in (but the punchline is that he still loses).
I would have been the smartass and written “Who is SHAEF, Dwight Eisenhower?”
Have to admit, I was wondering if it was from General Pershing. By then 84, long-retired and semi-senile, but still revered, he wrote a statement exhorting the troops that went out that day.
It’s been too long since I’ve read Ike’s D-Day letter, though I’ll never forget the statement he drafted in case the landings failed: terse, no excuses, and moving.
Cool answer but kinda sad that only one of them knew it was Ike.
They did all get the geography right, which isn’t bad. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read Ike’s D-Day letter, and it still took me a few seconds to place the line in the “answer.”
I’ve always thought the most impressive thing about the D-Day invasion was that 1 WEEK later, the US did the same thing all over again on a little island out in the middle of the Pacific. US force was the same size but the Brit and Canadians couldn’t make the party the party in Saipan.
That is some serious logistical ability there.
The US military effort in the Second World War was one of the great logistical achievements of mankind. The US armed forces fought in North Africa, Italy, the Western Front (Air and Land), the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, and in India. And they supplied the British, Russian, Indian, and Chinese armies.
Had Stalin decided to take all of Europe in 1945 (or ’46) for Mother Russia, it would have been a Very Bad Thing for them. Imagine the US funneling the majority of it’s military logistics onto just ONE front.
For me, as a military historian, that question (and entire topic) would have been like that episode of Cheers where Norm goes on Jeopardy and gets topics that fit every category he’s interested in (but the punchline is that he still loses).
I would have been the smartass and written “Who is SHAEF, Dwight Eisenhower?”
Too funny, love it. love it when contestants on jeopardy show some “balls”. best was his bet of 18k on the DD. also i’ll admit i got it wrong.
Have to admit, I was wondering if it was from General Pershing. By then 84, long-retired and semi-senile, but still revered, he wrote a statement exhorting the troops that went out that day.
It’s been too long since I’ve read Ike’s D-Day letter, though I’ll never forget the statement he drafted in case the landings failed: terse, no excuses, and moving.
Great clip. That 18k bet was indeed a bold one.
I like his 60′s hair.