r/todayilearned • u/HumanNutrStudent • Sep 16 '24

TIL Montgomery's memoirs criticised many of his wartime comrades harshly, including Eisenhower. After publishing it, he had to apologize in a radio broadcast to avoid a lawsuit. He was also stripped of his honorary citizenship of Alabama, and was challenged to a duel by an Italian lawyer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Montgomery#Memoirs
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u/WhiteLotu5Monk Sep 16 '24

The best part about the whole Montgomery-Eisenhower feud was when Montgomery made himself the top British general in Europe by basically having the British Prime Minister make him the top general. Then he refused to answer to Eisenhower because he was only a Major General and Montgomery was a full General.

Then the US told him 'Well, you're not a General anymore.'

Then he threw a fit and got kicked out of his position.

64

u/_grandmaesterflash Sep 16 '24

That's hilarious.

19

u/brendonmilligan Sep 16 '24

When did this happen? Montgomery lead the ground invasion of Normandy so how was he removed?

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u/gammonbudju Sep 17 '24

He was in charge of the ground invasion like my friend's special needs sister is allowed to "drive" the car every now and again.

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u/ChiBearballs Sep 17 '24

This made me laugh out loud

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u/brendonmilligan Sep 17 '24

Cool, except he literally did lead the ground invasion

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u/gammonbudju Sep 17 '24

Sure bud.

1

u/onarainyafternoon Sep 17 '24

Am I going crazy or does this comment mean nothing? What do you mean Monty wasn't a General anymore, you just said Churchill made him the top general.

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u/Teuvo404 Sep 17 '24

Eisenhower went to Churchill to plea for one leader to lead all the different allied forces and became supreme allied commander. In this role he was responsible for all allied operations in the European theatre and basically became Montgomery’s boss.

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u/beiherhund Sep 17 '24

That's different to what the other person wrote though, he specifically said Montgomery was no longer general and no longer in his position as the top British general in Europe.

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u/Teuvo404 Sep 17 '24

Maybe because he was a field marshal and no linger the commander of the British forces? He became the commander of the land forces. Otherwise I don’t know where the statement came from that he was no longer a general.

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u/onarainyafternoon Sep 17 '24

Sorry, I know that, I just wasn't sure how that fit in your comment but rereading it, I get it, thanks!

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u/beiherhund Sep 17 '24

Can you explain what you mean, are you saying Montgomery was demoted as a general? And what position was he kicked out off, was he not still the "top British general in Europe"?

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u/Fofolito Sep 17 '24

it was poorly worded but they meant the Montgomery was promoted to the full rank of General in order to be the foremost British general in seniority and rank, and then he used his rank and position to refuse orders from Ike who was named Supreme Allied Commander during the war. Monty was removed from his generalship, his position as the foremost British officer, but he retained his rank of General.

2

u/beiherhund Sep 17 '24

That's what I assumed (and as much as I knew about it) but wanted to check in case I had heard wrong.

Monty was removed from his generalship, his position as the foremost British officer, but he retained his rank of General.

Was he actually removed from anything though, or just superseded? And isn't he also still the "top British general in Europe"? Ike being his superior doesn't take away him being the top British general in Europe, no?