Lot 846

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Description:

HISTORY OF OPERATION OVERLORD FROM GEN. DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER'S HEADQUARTERS
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 the position, and assembled a staff to undertake the enormous task, and gave the planning organization the name "COSSAC". This 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. Plans for occupying Europe in the case of a German weakening or collapse are very revealing, with much of Europe dedicated to occupation by either American of British soldiers. 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. An important document prepared a month before the writers would learn whether or not their carefully-laid plans would end with success or utter failure. 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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June 4, 2010 11:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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