Omar Bradley (12 Feb. 1893 - 8 Apr. 1981)
Omar Bradley was considered a polite and gentle man, unlike some other field officers during the war. He was considered a ‘common man’, though his peers held different views. Some considered Bradley to be too managerial, which could be evidenced by his habit of sacking his commanders who did not agree with.
Until 1944, Bradley was concentrated in North Africa, working with II Corps and its commander, George Patton. In April 1943, Bradley replaced Patton as head of II Corps, leading them during the war in Tunisia and commanding them during the invasion of Sicily. In preparation for D-Day, Bradley moved to England to command American ground forces, specifically the 1st Army.
He led the invasion in Utah and Omaha Beaches, and planned Operation Cobra to free forces from the Normandy beachhead. During this time, Bradley showed his failings with coordination, resulting in friendly fire. However, German communication was disrupted, allowing improvements in ground offensives.
Bradley’s Army group was influential in the infamous Falaise Pocket, the entrapment of German soldiers. Fearful of potential friendly fire by the American armies in the southern pincer and British troops in the northern pincer, Bradley withheld American advances. This allowed many German troops to evacuate (almost 50,000 by some estimates), and Bradley was left with the blame.
He commanded the push into Germany, leading his army over a front that stretched from Lorraine to the Netherlands. His objective was to capture the Roer dams from the Germans, in order to ensure that the Germans would not break them. The Battle of Hurtgen Forest is considered one of the poorest fought battles in the western front because of the ineptitude of the American commanders.
During the Battle of the Bulge, Bradley was placed under the command of Montgomery for logistical and strategic reasons. Bradley and Eisenhower argued, leading to Bradley’s intended resignation. Some academics have considered Bradley’s promotion to four-star general as recompense for Eisenhower’s treatment. At the war’s end, Bradley was commanding his forces with aggressive offensives and pincer movements.
For more information on Omar Bradley:
Bradley, Omar N. and Blair, Clay. A General’s Life: An Autobiography (New York: Simon & Schuster), 1983.
"The Centennial: Omar Nelson Bradley" on http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/bradley/bradley.htm [last accessed 29/02/2012].
Until 1944, Bradley was concentrated in North Africa, working with II Corps and its commander, George Patton. In April 1943, Bradley replaced Patton as head of II Corps, leading them during the war in Tunisia and commanding them during the invasion of Sicily. In preparation for D-Day, Bradley moved to England to command American ground forces, specifically the 1st Army.
He led the invasion in Utah and Omaha Beaches, and planned Operation Cobra to free forces from the Normandy beachhead. During this time, Bradley showed his failings with coordination, resulting in friendly fire. However, German communication was disrupted, allowing improvements in ground offensives.
Bradley’s Army group was influential in the infamous Falaise Pocket, the entrapment of German soldiers. Fearful of potential friendly fire by the American armies in the southern pincer and British troops in the northern pincer, Bradley withheld American advances. This allowed many German troops to evacuate (almost 50,000 by some estimates), and Bradley was left with the blame.
He commanded the push into Germany, leading his army over a front that stretched from Lorraine to the Netherlands. His objective was to capture the Roer dams from the Germans, in order to ensure that the Germans would not break them. The Battle of Hurtgen Forest is considered one of the poorest fought battles in the western front because of the ineptitude of the American commanders.
During the Battle of the Bulge, Bradley was placed under the command of Montgomery for logistical and strategic reasons. Bradley and Eisenhower argued, leading to Bradley’s intended resignation. Some academics have considered Bradley’s promotion to four-star general as recompense for Eisenhower’s treatment. At the war’s end, Bradley was commanding his forces with aggressive offensives and pincer movements.
For more information on Omar Bradley:
Bradley, Omar N. and Blair, Clay. A General’s Life: An Autobiography (New York: Simon & Schuster), 1983.
"The Centennial: Omar Nelson Bradley" on http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/bradley/bradley.htm [last accessed 29/02/2012].