Five Brothers and a War

D-Day

The single-biggest day for the Allies during World War II was June 6, 1944—D-Day. It had taken almost five years to get to that day, and followed two significant forays onto the Continent, first with the invasion that was started in defense of Poland that resulted in the retreat through Dunkirk, and the second during the catastrophic raid in Dieppe. With monumental planning, enormous armies had gathered in southern England under the command of the newly-appointed Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, and still four-star General, Dwight D. Eisenhower, who would become President of the United States eight years later. It is almost certain that had the events unfolded differently on that June day, his political fortunes would have been significantly different. His military fortunes absolutely would have changed as his attack on the Continent earned him his fifth star, becoming one of the first Generals of the Army—a position he reverted to upon his exiting the presidency, as two American rules collided. An American president cannot be in the military, because the Commander-in-Chief, along with the Secretary of Defense, cannot be members of the armed forces, and a General of the Army is considered active until death. Whereas every officer up to four-star generals and admirals are forced to retire during the month after their 64th birthday (although the Secretary of Defense can defer a four-star officer's retirement until the officer's 66th birthday and the President can defer it until the officer's 68th birthday), a General of the Army can resign, but not retire. Omar Bradley was the last General of the Army, and he served until his death in 1981 at the age of 88.

the war

Five Brothers and a War

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