ROOSEVELT APPOINTS SIX NEW GENERALS (8/4/39)

Microfiche-New York Times archives, McHenry Library, U.C. Santa Cruz | 8/4/39

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

Though Hitler, with unusual frankness, had told his generals on May 23 that Danzig was not the cause of the dispute with Poland at all, it seemed for a few weeks at midsummer that the Free City might be the powder keg which any day would set off the explosion of war. For some time the Germans had been smuggling into Danzig arms and Regular Army officers to train the local defense guard in their use. The arms and officers came in across the border from East Prussia, and in order to keep closer watch on them the Poles increased the number of their customs officials and frontier guards. The local Danzig authorities, now operating exclusively on orders from Berlin, countered by trying to prevent the Polish officials from carrying out their duties.

The conflict reached a crisis on August 4 when the Polish diplomatic representative in Danzig informed the local authorities that the Polish customs inspectors had been given orders to carry out their functions “with arms” and that any attempt by the Danzigers to hamper them would be regarded “as an act of violence” against Polish officials, and that in such a case the Polish government would “retaliate without delay against the Free City.”

William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich

[Homer_J_Simpson]

The orders of the German Admiralty issued on August 4 were well conceived:

TASK IN THE EVENT OF WAR

Disruption and destruction of enemy merchant shipping by all possible means. . . . Enemy naval forces, even if inferior, are only to be engaged if it should further the principal task. . . .

Frequent changes of position in the operational areas will create uncertainty and will restrict enemy merchant shipping, even without tangible results. A temporary departure into distant areas will also add to the uncertainty of the enemy.

If the enemy should protect his shipping with superior forces so that the direct successes cannot be obtained, then the mere fact that his shipping is so restricted means that we have greatly impaired his supply situation. Valuable results will also be obtained if the pocket-battleships continue to remain in the convoy area.

With all this wisdom the British Admiralty would have been in rueful agreement.

Winston S. Churchill, The Gathering Storm

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Stilwell is named in the final paragraph. Colonel Lloyd Fredenhall, the last named, will be replaced by Patton after the fiasco at Kasserine Pass.

Danzig crisis update at reply #2.
Kriegsmarine update at reply #3.

[wordsofearnest]

Vinegar Joe bump

[henkster]

Of all the generals named, only Fredendall and Stillwell played a significant role in the war. As you noted, Fredendall’s role was brief, and significant only in that he showed that peacetime merit didn’t always translate well into combat effectiveness.

Stilwell was the other.

The other guys? Never heard of them.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Ping.

[Mikey_1962]

Gen Keyon A Joyce

He joined the Army as a Private during the Spanish-American War and rose through the ranks to Major General. He was wounded by a grenade in World War I and thereafter did not have use of one hand.

He was commander of Fort Myer, Virginia, (adjacent to Arlington) from 1933 to 1937 and he supervised the construction of the Chapel from which his own funeral was conducted following his death in San Francisco on January 11, 1960. He was buried in Section 30 of Arlington National Cemetery.

Rose from Private to Major General!

[quikdrw]

>>Rose from Private to Major General!

that is impressive.

[RVN Airplane Driver]

Rose from Private to Major General! that is impressive..

Not as impressive as General Tommy Franks who went from private to 4 star General!

[PzLdr]

Interseting mixed bag. Stillwell went on to fame in China and Burma, with a somewhat mixed record. Fredenhall went on to Kasserine Pass as II Corps CG. Relieved, and shipped stateside, where, I believe, he may have been promoted again.

[Tainan]

Thanks Homey...Vinegar Joe gets the nod to Brigadier. A great Soldier and an even greater Staff Officer. He led from the front.

[AmericanVictory]

Roosevelt appointed Generals to preserve and protect the Constitution and win the coming war. The One appoints czars to undermine and destroy the Constitution while losing the war we’re in. Is it a contrast or what?

[Tainan]

Its pretty damn clear what “the ones” agenda is.

Even if he’s removed from office...the clean-up is going to be even messier. He’s put moles into so many places and dug in so deep he makes the Clinton* regime look like amateurs.

[unkus]

FYI: Google “Generals of World War II” and it gives a concise view of individual generals careers.

[quikdrw]

How did Tommy Franks get his commission? I don’t think I ever heard.

[RVN Airplane Driver]

I think he was an Artillery OCS graduate...he was an artillery spotter in RVN, logging lots of time in be back of a bird dog.

[dfwgator]

This just in, Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still alive.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Informed circles said he might go in October.

Informed squares said he might not.

[quikdrw]

WOW, that is impressive.