Lot 261

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Description:


Very rare original mimeographed document: 'HISTORY OF COSSAC' (CHIEF OF STAFF TO SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER) 1943 - 1944', 44pp. legal folio, May 1944, prepared by the Historical Sub-Section, Office of the Secretary, General Staff, at Supreme Headquarters, A.E.F., [London], and originating from the headquarters of Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower. At Casablanca, it was determined that a Chief of Staff would be appointed to plan an invasion of the European continent. British Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick E. Morgan was given that role, assembled a staff to help plan the invasion, and named his new new organization 'COSSAC'. This outstanding report describes in detail the planning and implementation of what would become Operation Overlord, which finally commenced on June 6, 1944. Dozens of revealing items are brought forth, including feints made in the form of bogus attacks on Norway and the Pas de Calais, camouflage armies, and plans for occupation should Germany in the meantime become weakened or collapse altogether. Other allies were to be kept strictly 'out of the loop' for security purposes, and press and publicity in occupied territories would be strictly controlled. Going into great detail, the report states that enormous numbers of ersatz landing craft were assembled in late 1943 to convince the Germans that an attack on Calais was imminent, buttressed by air attacks and minesweeping, with the same ruses undertaken with the targets set as Brest and Stavanger. All of these plans fell flat, with the Germans taking little notice. The report also outlines plans for occupying Europe in the case of a German collapse, which revealingly gives American of British soldiers enormous control over the European continent. OVERLORD, of course, is the center of the report, and its evolution is extensively described in great detail. On Jan. 17, 1944, Eisenhower assumed his duties as Supreme Allied Commander, and COSSAC'S mission was fulfilled. A historically important document, prepared a month before the invasion, at which time the writers could only wonder whether their carefully-laid out plans would succeed or tremendously fail...with world-altering consequences. From the estate of the recipient, Col. Ernest 'Tex' Lee, who served throughout the war as Eisenhower's Executive Officer and Aide de Camp. Lee joined Ike in June, 1941 and assisted in the planning of the invasions at Normandy and the ultimate defeat of Germany. Accompanied by a letter from Lee's son indicating that Col. Lee had stated to his family that he had obtained this Eisenhower report directly from Ike during the European war and that it has remained in the family since that time.

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February 8, 2021 10:00 AM EST
Chesapeake City, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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