Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944, General, Volume I

740.0011 European War 1939/8–1744

Admiral William D. Leahy, Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, to the Secretary of State

Washington, 17 August, 1944.

My Dear Mr. Secretary: The Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force, has proposed the issuance of synchronized orders of the day by Marshal Stalin, General Eisenhower and General Wilson.⁸² This proposal is detailed in the telegram attached.

The Combined Chiefs of Staff⁸³ consider that the political implications in this proposal are such that, if implemented, it should be handled by the heads of state.

General Eisenhower has been informed that his proposal has been forwarded to the Department of State and the Foreign Office.

Sincerely yours,

For the Joint Chiefs of Staff:

William D. Leahy

[Enclosure]

Telegram From the Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force, to the Combined Chiefs of Staff

SCAF 55

London, 10 July, 1944.

It is considered that we are approaching the psychological climax of the war and a decisive demonstration of military unity between the western, southern and eastern fronts may well turn flagging German morale into rapid demoralization. This is likely to be true not only of the German home front but of the German troops, whose relatively high fighting morale recently shows significant slackening.

It is proposed therefore that on a date to be synchronized by the 3 headquarters, orders of the day be issued by General Eisenhower, Marshal Stalin and General Maitland Wilson to their Armies. These orders would not be identical but would contain the following points:

a. Allied successes on the eastern, western and southern fronts.

b. In face of this combined attack Germany is finished as a military power and the German High Command knows it.

c. Let the Allied fighting men make a great combined effort to finish the job.

d. Into that combined effort will go the victorious enthusiasm [of?] the industrial workers.

e. The final battle has begun.

These orders should, ideally, be issued at the same hour but, short of that, on the same day so that the unity of intention will be manifest. This would be immediately followed by a concerted psychological warfare campaign on the basis that “the war is lost, all is up.”

Orders would, on release, be broadcast in German on all available transmissions from Russia, the Mediterranean and the United Kingdom to impress on the German mind the idea of concerted and concentric action.

With the fall of Cherbourg and continuing successes in Italy ideal timing would be shortly after a notable success of the Russian offensive and when an important objective has been gained in the west such as a break out from the bridgehead area. Also if the release of these orders should occur several days before the surrender of Finland or Roumania, it would give the impression that they had obtained concrete results and the occupation of Germany from all sides is soon to follow.

If the Combined Chiefs of Staff approve this proposal it is requested they secure concurrence of the Russians and advise SACMED⁸⁴ of the approved proposal.

Upon approval, the exact timing of the publication of the 3 orders of the day would be recommended by SHAEF directly to the Russians through the Military Missions and to SACMED through British Chiefs of Staff.

82. British General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson, Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater.
83. The Anglo-American Combined Chiefs of Staff, established in January 1942.
84. Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater.