[colorado tanker]

I also think that Devers now has a geography problem, similar to the one Patton has had on occasion. Devers has taken some very important territory to the French, but all there is on the other side of the Rhine is the Black Forest, pretty good defensive terrain for the Germans.

On the other hand, Patton is at the edge of the Saar, smaller than the Ruhr, but still an important industrial district. Bradley also needs Patton to take the Saar to protect his flank as 1st and 9th Armies attack the Ruhr, the taking of which would end Germany's ability to wage war in the long term.

Ike and Marshall held firm to go with Devers' invasion of the South of France when Churchill pulled out all the stops to try to persuade Roosevelt to keep those troops in Italy to pursue his dream of running forces up the Ljubljana Gap into Austria and Hungary.

So, I don't think it was entirely personalities, but it's pretty clear these guys rubbed each other the wrong way.

[henkster]

I’ve been part of the same discussion regarding Devers’ options on another forum. On the one hand, I agree that crossing the upper Rhine near Strasburg was sort of a dead-end. On the other hand, if there’s nobody home over there, go get yourself a brideghead. If nothing else the Germans will freak out and waste resources trying to bottle it up or eliminate it.

Elsewhere in that chapter, Devers argues with Ike about having 3rd Army transferred to him, and leaving Bradley with 1st and 9th Armies. I’ve often seen the logic of this arrangement, as it’s pretty clear that Patch and Patton are not making coordinated efforts because of the chain of command. Also, the Ardennes naturally splits the front and there should be unified commands on both sides.

But it was pretty clear that in the sibling rivalry between Bradley and Devers, Bradley was the favorite son and would win out every time.

[Ecliptic]

It appears to me that Devers wanted to cross the Rhine with his group and not just aid Patton in his crossing the Rhine. Plus, I think Devers saw himself as in charge of more of the war fighting than Patton. All 3 of the Generals involved in the arguments should have had better soft interpersonal skills. In some situations it is good to be able to yell and jump up and down on your desk to get things done, but those times are for your lower ranks than you. I certainly set lower ranks straight when I was in the Army. I just don’t think the argument was do to jealousy of Ike.