Politics, Ego & Command Vulnerability

By James M. Abraham

This book is about the mistakes and errors that the author experienced and witnessed in Europe during World War II. The author has had feelings of sorrow about the soldiers who died needlessly and the possibility that the war might have ended sooner. The book contains both what actually happened and what might have happened. It is beyond belief that a fighting Third United States Army under the command of Patton would be stripped of food, fuel and supplies to stop him from fighting
The book then moves to the post World War II Cold War and how it might have been different had General Patton been allowed to fight. An interview with a doctor who came here from Yugoslavia provides details about how life was there.
The few veterans who were there and still living will recall many of the events in the book. The book is written in the memory of the soldiers who died needlessly or were wounded because of the failure of command. Also, this book is meant to be a lasting tribute to a man who was the true warrior, the best general we have ever produced and the general who the Germans feared the most, General George S. Patton, Jr., Commander of the Third United States Army.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Dec 16, 2014
• ISBN: 9781496998484

James M. Abraham

Brigadier General James M. Abraham, PE, F.NSPE, retired from the United States Army in 1982. He has previously published two books, “A Time of Ignorance and Terror” and “Worlds Which Might Have Been and Could Be.” He enlisted in 1943, landed in Normandy as a corporal assigned to an intelligence company and was later commissioned as a second lieutenant. His unit was assigned to General George Patton’s Third United States Army, attached to XII Corps and served in that capacity until July, 1945 when he was reassigned to occupation duties. His final assignments in Europe were a multitude of duties at Camp Top Hat, Antwerp, Belgium and last, as port fire marshal with responsibility for 5 countries. One of his most significant accomplishments was as father of the Simultaneous Membership Program in Army ROTC in which since its inception, over 55,000 officers have been commissioned. He has been named to several “halls of fame” and the municipal building in Gahanna, Ohio has been dedicated in his honor. At age 92, he lives with his wife Irene in Gahanna Ohio. He has two children, Michele who is the Small Business Development Centers Director for South Carolina and a son Daniel who is an attorney in Columbus, Ohio.

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© 2014 Brigadier General James M. Abraham, PE, F.NSPE

Retired, US Army. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 12/12/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4969-9847-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-9846-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-9848-4 (e)

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and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Library of Congress Registration Number: TXu 1-873-617 (Effective date: June 25,2014)

CONTENTS

PART I

DEDICATION & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

REFLECTIONS

SOME OF GENERAL JIM’S QUOTES

INTRODUCTION

PART II

CHAPTER 1 - PREFACE

CHAPTER 2 - POLITICS, EGO AND COMMAND VULNERABILITY

CHAPTER 3 - MEMORIES

CHAPTER 4 - THE DECISION MAKERS

CHAPTER 5 - CONTROVERSIAL DECISIONS AND ORDERS RESULTING FROM MISTAKES AND ERRORS

PART III

CHAPTER 6 - GERMANY ATTACKS

CHAPTER 7 - JAPAN CONDUCTS A SURPRISE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR ON DECEMBER 7, 1941 THE UNITED STATES ENTERS THE WAR

CHAPTER 8 - FROM D-DAY, JUNE 6, TO JULY 28, 1944

CHAPTER 9 - THE BREAKOUT FROM NORMANDY AND THE LIBERATION OF FRANCE

CHAPTER 10 - AFTER MARKET GARDEN TO THE END OF THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE

CHAPTER 11 - THE END OF THE WAR IN EUROPE

CHAPTER 12 - THE LAST GASPS OF WORLD WAR II

CHAPTER 13 - THIRD ARMY CASUALTIES SUSTAINED DURING THE COURSE OF THE WAR

PART IV

CHAPTER 14 - THIS IS WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED IN A NEW BREAKOUT WITH THE MISTAKES CORRECTED

CHAPTER 15 - THE PURSUIT INTO GERMANY

CHAPTER 16 - OVER THE RHINE AND THE END OF THE WAR

CHAPTER 17 - THE END OF THE WAR

PART V

CHAPTER 18 - SOVIET INTENTIONS

CHAPTER 19 - THE BEGINNING OF A COLD WAR THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN

CHAPTER 20 - INTERVIEW WITH DR. DINO KLISOVIC, MD

CHAPTER 21 - INTERVIEW WITH DR. DINO D. KLISOVIC, MD

CHAPTER 22 - EPILOGUE: THEN AND NOW

POLITICS, EGO

AND

COMMAND

VULNERABILITY

BY

BRIGADIER GENERAL JAMES M. ABRAHAM, PE, F.NSPE

UNITED STATES ARMY, RETIRED

A SOLDIER IN GENERAL GEORGE S. PATTON’S

THIRD U.S. ARMY

AN OPINION BY THE AUTHOR WHO WAS THERE AND IS SPEAKING OUT ABOUT THE SERIOUS MISTAKES THAT WERE MADE IN EUROPE DURING WORLD WAR II

THESE WERE MISTAKES WHICH HE BELIEIVES PROLONGED THE WAR. THEY NEEDLESSLY COST LIVES, CASUALTIES AND EQUIPMENT LOSSES.

A SCENERIO IS THEN CREATED WHICH SHOWS WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED HAD THE MISTAKES NOT BEEN MADE.

AT THE END OF WORLD WAR II, MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN EASTERN EUROPE WERE ENSLAVED. THESE WERE NATIONS WHO BEGGED US FOR HELP AND ON WHOM WE TURNED A DEAF EAR.

THE AUTHOR THEN PONDERS, WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IN THE POST WORLD WAR II COLD WAR IF THE MISTAKES HAD NOT BEEN MADE?

This book is written in memory of the soldiers who died unnecessarily in the European Theatre of Operations during World War II.

Also in memory of the greatest general of all time, General George Smith Patton, Jr., who was the pure warrior, and the soldiers who served under him in World War II.

The author has written this book mainly from his memory of events as they occurred and from the diary he kept during the time he was himself present at the scene as the war in Europe progressed.

He gratefully appreciates the help in verifying dates and full names that were obtained from the internet and other sources of news media. However, the actions which took place as well as the consequences of those actions and decisions are written from the author’s memory and from his diary.

Permission is granted to copy or reproduce any part of those chapters which deal with events that actually occurred. However, no other part of this book, including photographs, can be copied without the author’s written permission.

Cover photograph was taken by General Abraham in August, 2006, in the American Military Cemetery in Luxembourg.

All photographs contained in this book are the exclusive property of the author and were taken in his last visit to Europe.

PART I

OPENING AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The events and history of yesterday must be included, as they affect the events of today and tomorrow.

DEDICATION &

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Do not mourn their passing but rejoice that such men have lived.

General George S. Patton, Jr.

I write this book in memory of the true American patriots who answered the call of our nation in her most perilous hour. These men numbered in the millions. They were soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, coast guardsmen and merchant marines. But we must never forget the suffering and anxiety of their loved ones who were left at home while these men served our nation in every conceivable capacity.

Not to be forgotten are the women who wore the uniforms of the various services or those who took on the critical jobs vacated by the men who left for war. These women broke new social and economic ground for America that would change the face of American society dramatically after World War II. Their jobs were as important as any other job during the war, for they were the ones who took care of our sick and wounded soldiers, who managed the household, raised the kids and found time to work on the factory line producing critical war supplies.

More than any other event in our nation’s history except perhaps the Civil War, World War II represented the greatest threat to democracy and our American way of life. These men and women answered the clarion’s call with dignity, determination and an incredible resilience that shocked our friends and foes alike. I am honored to have been a part of what Tom Brokaw has called The Greatest Generation. That term sort of goes along with my own term in which I have called this a Unique Generation.

The call to defend the Constitution of the United States and the freedom which it guarantees has always been answered by those who are proud to be Americans. Indeed, freedoms throughout the world, not just in our nation, have been defended with our most precious asset, the lives of young Americans. This dedication is based on my premise and belief that America will remain the land of the free, but only so long as our nation is also the home of the brave.

Certainly, I thank my daughter Michele and my son Daniel for the encouragement they have always given me to express my thoughts and feelings in writing.

Of course, my wife Irene and her constant encouragement made this possible in the first place. She was a reporter for the Cincinnati Enquirer newspaper for nearly 30 years and has published three books.

Both my daughter and my wife spent countless hours editing the book and making recommendations.

Also, I can never find a way to thank an officer who volunteered countless hours in editing this book and offering suggestions. Army Major Robert Paley, a West Point graduate, became as dedicated in editing and making suggestions as I was in writing it. His assignment when I first met him was as a member of the military staff in the Army ROTC program at Ohio University. I can only wish him a bright future as an army officer and success in all that he attempts.

The dedication and enthusiasm of this fine officer is an example that is beyond the call of duty. He will always be in my memory and I will always be grateful for his help.

Though they are family and friends, their willingness to assist me with this book (no easy task for me at the age of ninety) inspired me and compelled me to press on. I am humbled by their love and support. The task of editing requires a great deal of time and patience. The editing they provided has to be a matter of faith and love.

Without their time and effort, the many mistakes that I made while writing this book might not have all been found.

I cannot say enough about Dr. Dino Klisovic. He was willing to give me a great deal of time from his very busy schedule, discussing how life went on under the communist occupation of Yugoslavia.

He consented to an interview, taking time after he had left his office and patients late one afternoon. For well over an hour, he poured out a litany of what life was like and the total loss of freedom that was endured during the course of the occupation.

Even though my first encounter with him was as a patient, I feel strongly that there has evolved a mutual respect for each other. His comments about life under communist domination and the personal thoughts that he expressed brought back many memories of events occurring during the Cold War.

For those who are older, this is memory jogging. For our younger readers, the lessons that are to be learned of living life in terror and totally without freedom are important to remember as you journey on the path of life in a free nation, made free by the sacrifices of so many brave Americans in the past, today and those tomorrow.

Finally, a last minute rescue was made by a lady who has become a great friend. Gloria Campana went through the entire book once more and found errors we had all missed. Her editing and review of the book was very detailed. We spent many hours together going over every page of the book. Such dedication was never anticipated. I can only express my sincere and heartfelt appreciation for the effort she made to insure that the book be error free.

* * *

REFLECTIONS

Politics and ego throughout history have been factors in causing command vulnerability. There is no reason to believe that this will change as long as human nature and its frailties exist. Ambition, personal wants, the lust for power and the need to compromise, regardless of the cost, will be factors for the foreseeable future of mankind. The cost will be borne by those who are tasked to do what is dictated and will be measured in lives and even to the extent that democracy itself may be at risk.

The burden of awesome responsibility that General Eisenhower faced as Supreme Commander at SHAEF (Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force), was made more difficult by the egos, politics and pressure he had to bear. In addition, his lack of experience at command levels made his job even more difficult. The need to keep all who were under his command working together was an unenviable task.

However, the task was his, and with it must go both the credit and—when appropriate—the blame for events that occurred under his watch. Having witnessed first-hand the results of his decisions—first as a young Corporal, then as a Second Lieutenant and years later as I reflected back as a General—I was bothered by what seemed to be several crucial mistakes that were made at the highest levels of our government during and immediately after World War II.

Mistakes were made which affected the lives of millions, and placed the United States and the Soviet Union on a virtual war-footing for nearly four and a half decades. I kept silent about my opinions for various reasons over the years, but now I have out-lived most of those who would have revised history to hide ugly truths or to make themselves look better. It’s high-time to set the record straight, as I see it anyway.

(Author’s personal opinion)

To be completely frank, the thought of writing of events occurring so long ago was only a passing idea until I had written two other books. Prior to this book, I had written and published A Time of Ignorance and Terror and Worlds Which Might Have Been or Could Be.

With the successful completion and publication of these earlier books, the urge to write about and set straight certain facts about events which were controversial at the time they occurred came to mind. This was a challenge and task that I could not resist.

My first book A Time of Ignorance and Terror was about small cell lung cancer, a disease from which my first wife, Meryl, died. I took care of her during the entire short few months she lived after her condition was diagnosed.

Next came Worlds Which Might Have Been or Could Be, a book about how the outcome of World War II might have been changed and also, how future worlds might be. The idea came from a high school student who asked me in class where I was speaking one morning, General, what if we had lost the war?

But back to the writing of this book, mistakes that were made were influenced by ego, politics and command policies which deviated from sound military doctrine. Ego and politics put unbelievable pressure on General Dwight Eisenhower. Without question, they contributed heavily to some of the mistakes that were made.

Those in high positions in politics, the media and the military especially among the top generals, too often, departed from what appeared to be sound, political, tactical, strategic and military judgment and doctrine. Too often, this caused front line soldiers to pay the price needlessly.

The actions of certain high-ranking officials, such as General John C. H. Lee, who commanded the Communications Zone, Com Z, at times, appeared to be more about gaining personal advantage and comforts than about supplying the front-line troops with critical supplies. Some were heard to refer to him as Jesus Christ Himself Lee. Com Z was responsible for the logistics support for the European Theatre. But I have to say that I observed that the best pickings often never made it to the front lines, to the men who needed the supplies the most.

The jealousy and lack of respect between some combat generals, at times resulted in unnecessary casualties. For instance, some senior commanders were unwilling to allow logical changes with regard to unit crossovers or boundaries between commands to occur when tactical situations indicated a dire need to do so. Opportunities were missed and casualties were increased as a result. Such an instance occurred during the Breakout in Normandy, which I will discuss later in the book.

One example of the kind of attitude that prevailed that I heard discussed by officers was with regard to the lack of movement and hesitancy to attack by British General Bernard Law Montgomery, who was later promoted to Field Marshal. Some felt that he was more concerned about saving the lives of his soldiers at the expense of others. One officer stated to me that Montgomery was sitting on his butt and letting the Americans shed the blood.

There are reasons to support these contentions and I do not question these beliefs. However, my own and primary belief is that Field Marshal Montgomery wanted to be sure in his own mind that any action that he took would be successful. Thus, he would not move without sufficient time to plan, position and build up the necessary troop strength and logistical support that he felt would assure him of success. Just as he demonstrated in Sicily, he was not the audacious, risk-taking leader that General Patton was. Rather, he was more comfortable fighting set-piece battles letting caution dictate his plans. However, when one of his plans did not succeed, the blame was always on something or someone else. His success against German General Rommel in Africa was the reason he enjoyed a reputation as a successful general.

Yet, I believe that Patton’s success was not taken kindly by Montgomery’s ego and perhaps pushed him into insisting that he be allowed to pursue his own plans. He needed a major success to bring him back in the limelight.

It is my hope that this book will be read by those still living, or those who are related to one of them, who served with General George Patton’s Third United States Army. I served with the Third U.S. Army throughout the war, and I am grateful to have had that privilege. Those who are aware of the facts as they occurred will find this book a refresher for their memories.

My service in particular was having been assigned to Third U.S. Army and attached to XII and XX Corps. The two armored divisions whose paths I was able to follow very closely were the 4th and 6th. The 4th was commanded by Major General John S. Wood, and the 6th by Major General Robert Grow.

The infantry divisions whose actions I was more aware of than others, were the 1st, 5th, 35th, 80th, 90th and 95th Infantry Divisions.

Thus, the focus of this book is of the actions that took place during the war by the Third Army, and, in particular, the 4th Armored Division.

For those who made the supreme sacrifice and lie in peace throughout the world, the author recalls a comment made once by General George S. Patton, Jr.

Do not mourn their passing but rejoice that such men have lived.

There is a very important point that I feel must be made clear at the very beginning. The opinions that I state and have formulated are not ones which have only recently been reached after over six decades of thought and contemplation. Instead, these beliefs, feelings and opinions were formulated many years ago at the time these egregious mistakes or errors actually occurred.

The opinions expressed are mine, although not mine alone, for many of the conclusions I have made were also shared by other officers and enlisted men during the war. As far as I know, most of them did not write any books about it.

Those chapters which deal with what might have been if critical mistakes had not been made are entirely my opinions. The mistakes themselves are based on actual events.

Mistakes in war without doubt occurred throughout history and will occur again in the future.

The tragedy is that the cost of mistakes in combat is always paid with the lives of a nation’s most precious asset, the lives of our youth. The mistakes also lead to a war being extended needlessly as well as increases in casualties. And herein, lays the tragedy which is war.

* * *

SOME OF GENERAL JIM’S QUOTES

Over the many years of speeches, radio and television appearances, carrying out the duties of my many responsibilities in countless assignments, the following are some of my quotes originating spontaneously and directly related to the subject at the time.

The greatest deterrent to piercing the fog of the future is that of not understanding the past.

If an event is prevented from happening and thus does not occur, how then can it be proven that the event would have occurred?

Responsibility is the rent we owe on our house of freedom.

The essence and joy of leadership is motivating others.

A leader’s two-fold responsibility is to spend a lifetime learning, and then to pass on what has been learned to those who follow.

Those who take seriously the motto of ‘duty, honor, and country’ are also those who understand that integrity will always be the successful leader’s most important and necessary trait.

Mediocrity must never become the standard for excellence.

Learn for the sheer joy of learning.

If one is to inspire others, one must first be self-inspired.

Integrity is the foundation for the successful creation of leadership.

The greatest mistake of sovereignty is that of not understanding the culture of other nations

We exist in a world of illusion, perception, deception and an occasional glimmer of truth.

The quest for peace is mankind’s most noble aspiration.

Truth and controversy seem to go hand-in-hand.

Remembering names is an effort, not a talent.

Paradise and human nature are not compatible.

"Complacency caused by the flush of success, often