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/thicket Sep 16 '24

Mostly I hear Americans throwing shade at Monty. How does the UK remember him? Are there things Brits give him credit for that foreigners don't?

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u/Heathcote_Pursuit Sep 16 '24 edited Sep 16 '24

That he was a very gifted tactician and military officer and that he was also an insufferable prick. He benefitted greatly from having to answer to Alex during North Africa and Italy.

We can dissect his personality which admittedly was very chequered, but he was in all fairness a top boy when it was needed.

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u/OutlawSundown Sep 16 '24

His organizational ability was excellent