Eisenhower’s Order of the Day: The Letter Which Rallied the Troops During D-Day

As the Allied Forces planned their dramatic return to Europe in WWII, General Dwight Eisenhower hoped to inspire the troops who would spearhead this invasion. Before the D-Day operation began, he read his famous Order of the Day letter. This was a letter he had created years before in preparation for their invasion of Nazi-occupied Germany. As D-Day loomed ahead, he thought the time was finally right to give this letter.

What did the Order of the Day Mean and The Secret Failure Message?

D-Day began on June 6, 1944, and was one of the most ambitious military operations of World War II. After years of fighting, the Nazi’s grip on Europe finally began to weaken. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the Allies organized a counterattack aimed at landing their troops from Britain to mainland Europe and liberating France.

Officially titled Operation Overlord, over 156,000 troops would storm the beaches of Normandy for this invasion. To raise the army’s morale, Supreme Commander Dwight Eisenhower issued his letter, Order of the Day. He crafted it years ago in anticipation of the Allies return to Europe. The letter spoke about the dangers they will face, but also about their honorable goal and all they have overcome.

However, success was far from certain not only because of the Nazi defenses but also because of the weather which was stormy and unsuitable for an attack. He secretly prepared a second message alongside the Order of the Day, reporting the possible failure of their message.

An excerpt from the original Order of the Day can be seen here.

“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.”

-Dwight D Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander.

Meanwhile, the second message, “In Case of Failure” message was found here.

“Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops.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.”

-Dwight D Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander.

Failure was something on many Allied leaders’ minds as after years of fighting and sometimes being on the verge of defeat, it was a worry many leaders shared, such as Winston Churchill’s letter during the Battle of Britain.

But it was also a time of bravery and solidarity such as with Queen Elizabeth’s letter during the German Blitz against Britain.

But even with this success, it would take years of hardship before the war ended, only stopping with the ultimatum and surrender of Japan. However, D-Day was instrumental in securing VE-day.

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