Real History, Dwight Eisenhower, and Churchill’s War Extracts from General Dwight D Eisenhower’s letters to his wife Mamie. David Irving dictated these extracts in Abilene in about 1976. They may contain phonetic or transcription errors. We invite comments, corrections and expansions. Please give date of letter referred to. [ comment ]
On January, 3rd 1945 he wrote, ‘. . . Possibly I’ve been remiss about writing the past two weeks, although I’ve sent two or three teletypes. From your papers you will understand that we have been under some stress, and you’ll understand that it has been hard to sit down and to compose thoughts applicable to a letter to one’s best only girl. . . Yesterday my senior naval officer, and my great friend, Admiral [Bertie] Ramsay , was killed in an accident.
His plane went into a stall on take off I haven’t heard any explanation. Such things are most saddening. . .’
On January, 7th (?) he wrote, ‘It always distresses me when I get a message from you indicating anxiety or impatience because I have failed to write. Please, please understand that I do go through periods when I simply cannot sit down and write a note. To hold a pen is sometimes sheer mental, almost physical, agony. . . These are trying days. I keep as fit as can be expected but exercise is out of the question.
There are always guards, snoopers etc. there is even a guard in my upstairs hall. (For Lord’s sake don’t tell anyone that! they’d think I was scared. Actually, I permit it only to satisfy you ‘Security’ people. In Africa I could occasionally ride a horse. I even got a few chances in England. But never here. ‘Today Butch [former naval aide, Harry C Butcher ] came out.
He is looking fine, after a long trip including a visit to the South of France on some public relations business. . . His latest promotion gives me a bigger money allowance, but no other increases. I found that there was a big bother in trying to make changes in allotments, so I’ll just send you a check each month for about 225.00 dollars. Please be on the look out for these. . .’ ‘I’ve had about three different sets of instructions on insignia I’m to wear.
Now looks as if it will be a very small circle of five stars and a miniature seal of the U.S.’
On January, 11th 1945 he write, ‘Not long ago a Polish General came to my main office to pin on me a Polish decoration. Because the photographer happened to catch the corner of my office that has the picture of yourself, Johnny and my mother, I’m sending along a copy.’. . . ‘This noon I ran down to the dispensary to denote a bit of blood. The medics had a dickens of a time getting a needle into my vein either my veins are old and tough or he had just had a dull needle.
The business itself amounts to nothing! We’ve had a lot of visitors lately much interest is being taken in our affairs at the moment. We’ve had a hectic few weeks. The so-called holiday season was particularly so.
On January 15th, he writes about the weather: ‘The winter that you and I spent in France was nothing like this one. For the past two weeks we’ve been blanketed in snow. It’s difficult to travel by road and the low lying fogs make airplane almost impossible. Certainly you can not plan a trip on the basis of using a plane. . . Not long ago I saw [General] Everett [S Hughes ], who is in fine health. . .
I often wonder how you’re getting along; what you do and so on. . . As a matter of fact I’ve had very few letters from you this past month. That’s probably because you’ve gone to Benning and cannot find time to write while you are traveling.’ And he adds a postscript: ‘You’ve never said anything about the perfume I sent you or the 1,000 francs note in a wallet I sent for John. Did you ever receive them?’ NOTE: A thousand francs is equivalent to twenty dollars. It never arrived.
Mamie wrote to him concerned that about the rumours relating to the security of General Eisenhower.
On January, 18th he replied, ‘I am distressed that rumours get about that can disturb you so much. . . I know what a burden you have to carry and I must say I wouldn’t put it past a fanatical Nazi prisoner to try to harm you. . . Anyway you be careful. How I hope this new Russian offensive keeps on going into the heart of Germany. In any event its’ initial successes must be a shock to the Germans.’ On January, 29th 1945, ‘Enclosed is a note that puzzles me. Has the lady made a mistake?
I cannot remember ever having been in Middleton, Connecticut. I’ll send her an acknowledgment, but I must say, my memory is a blank so far as she is concerned.’ Around this time news reached Eisenhower that his son John was being sent out to his theater. He wrote to Mamie,
on January, 30th 1945: I’ve been cudgeling my brains as to the best way of getting John up here for a visit. When his unit lands I suppose he will want to make sure his men are comfortable, well taken care of and so on. So I’m afraid I’ll have to leave it up to him as to when he can come. The best I can do is to make sure transportation is standing by so no time will be lost when he can get away.
I’m so anxious to see him but I feel like a June bride ten days before her wedding that is I think I do, although I am not certain how she’d feel. . . The doctor dropped by the other day to give me a checking up. Except for a stinging lecture he gave me on the number of cigarettes I smoke, he seemed pleased with my condition. B.P. was 138/82. Then, of course, I’m eight pounds over weight.’ On the morning of February, 4th 1945 he went away for several days.
Meanwhile Lee went to the fought to meet John. He wrote on 3rd February, ‘I think I know the particular job J. is going to get and it will be one to burden and instruct, him, and at the same time will be one where I can see him reasonably often. I cannot tell you how eagerly I am looking forward to seeing him. We’ll probably talk ourselves to death. . .’
On February 11th he wrote, ‘This has been an irritating morning. I had to do a sound movie, and because the equipment got soaked I had to do it twice. Very naturally I was annoyed, so the second effort was not so spontaneous or natural as the first. John and I sat up until very late eve. During the day he went