Dwight D. Eisenhower Gave a Powerful Speech to Pump Up His Troops on D-Day

Photo Credit: AFP / Getty Images
Photo Credit: AFP / Getty Images

Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, was instrumental in planning and executing the Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. The night before, he issue his famous “order of the day,” designed to convey the importance of the success of Operation Overlord to 175,000 troops.

The objective of the Normandy landings aimed to hit a section of the French coast with lesser defenses compared to others. Once control of the coast was secured, the Allies would advance inland. To achieve this, the British Army employed a ruse, misleading the Germans into believing an invasion of Calais was imminent.

Although Operation Overlord was executed in 1944, the necessity of invading mainland Europe to defeat the German Army and support the Eastern Front had long been recognized. Nevertheless, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and US President Franklin D. Roosevelt initially opted to invade North Africa.

Starting from the end of 1943, hundreds of thousands of troops began arriving in southern England. By May 1944, there were over 1.5 million US Army personnel preparing for the operation. The naval component of the invasion, known as Operation Neptune, faced repeated postponements due to poor weather, timing constraints and rough seas.

It wasn’t until June 5, 1944, that Eisenhower finally gave the green light to proceed.

Dwight D. Eisenhower speaking with members of the 101st Airborne Division
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower speaking with the members of the 101st Airborne Division as they prepare for D-Day. (Photo Credit: Hulton Archive / Getty Images)

To inform his troops, the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force sent out a leaflet, which contained a speech he’d recorded for radio over a week before. It read:

“Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!

You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of German tyranny over oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely.

But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the German triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to Victory!

I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty, and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!

Good luck! And let us all beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.”

Dwight D. Eisenhower looking off the side of a ship
Gen. Dwight D Eisenhower watches the Allied landings from the deck of a warship in the English Channel, June 6, 1944. (Photo Credit: Keystone / Getty Images)

On June 6, 1944, over 156,000 American, British and Canadian troops launched five naval assaults on beaches codenamed Juno, Sword, Omaha, Utah and Gold, signaling the start of Operation Overlord and the Battle of Normandy. Among the US Army divisions involved were the 101st Airborne Division, 4th Infantry Division, 1st Infantry Division, 82nd Airborne Division and 29th Infantry Division.

Over the course of the summer, over two million soldiers were deployed to northern France, of which there were well over 200,000 casualties. Overall, D-Day was a resounding success and allowed for more than 100,000 troops to liberate France, which had been under German occupation since May 1940, and begin moving further into Europe.

Dwight D. Eisenhower standing with Bernard Montgomery and an unidentified man
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower (L) and British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery (R) confer on the invasion plans for Normandy in an unknown location in June 1944, after the Allied forces stormed the beaches on D-Day. (Photo Credit: AFP / Getty Images)

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Eisenhower was prepared in case the invasion of Normandy failed. The day before, he wrote a note, which read:

“Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops. My decision to attack at this time and place was based upon the best information available. The troops, the air and the Navy did all that Bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt it is mine alone.”

The future US president forgot about the note’s existence until July 11, 1944 and was persuaded by naval aide Harry C. Butcher to keep it. It currently sits in the collection of the Presidential Library.

Clare Fitzgerald

Clare Fitzgerald is a Writer and Editor with eight years of experience in the online content sphere. Graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from King’s University College at Western University, her portfolio includes coverage of digital media, current affairs, history and true crime.

Among her accomplishments are being the Founder of the true crime blog, Stories of the Unsolved, which garners between 400,000 and 500,000 views annually, and a contributor for John Lordan’s Seriously Mysterious podcast. Prior to its hiatus, she also served as the Head of Content for UK YouTube publication, TenEighty Magazine.

In her spare time, Clare likes to play Pokemon GO and re-watch Heartland over and over (and over) again. She’ll also rave about her three Maltese dogs whenever she gets the chance.

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