Figure 1.--Here American GI's are showing British boys how to play baseball. Men at often aided schools and children's centers located near their bases. We do not have the details of this particular group.

The Anglo-American alliance had a huge impact on the war. It was perhaps the most important alliance in human history. But something else very important occurred at the micro level. It brought Americans and Brits together together in large numbers for the first time since the Revolution. America had of course joined the Allies in World war I, but the AEF went to France where the War on the Western Front was fought. Reklarively few American servicemen were stationed in Britain. This was not the case in Wirld War II. After Pearl Harbor, large numbers of American servicemen were rushed to Britain. The powerful 8th Air Force was established in Britain and soon operatring from fields all over the country. The Army also built up in Britain. The first Army units were committed to Operation Torch in North Africa (November 1942). But throughout 1943 and early-1944 men and material arrived in enormous quantities. It was here that the famous expression developed, "Over paid, over sexed, and over here." Probably the origin was the world War I song, "Over There" by Irving Berlin (1917). There were tensions, often among the higher ups. Here one of General Eisenhower's great achievements was how he managed the military alliance, with little help from commanders like Mobntgomery and Patton. For the most part the GI's and the British people hit it off. British children had seen Hollywood films and thought of both gangsters and cowboys and Indians. Most met their first real American during the War. Most were enchanted by the optimistic, informal, gum chewing GIs and their Yankee slang. The children sought out the GIs and the inevitable exchange of gum and Hershey bars. The GIs would show up at schools and children's centers to cheer up children, especially the children separated from their parents. The girls were also impressed and because most young men were in the services, the friendshio forms would lead to many GI marriages. Many British families invited the GIs into their homes. Some were billited with families. The GIs for their part weren't impressed with the food and weather, but liked the British people. A lot of Americans had anti-British attitudes before the War. After tghe War, the only major group with anti-British attitudes were Irish-Americans.

Personal Relatioships

The Anglo-American alliance had a huge impact on the war. It was perhaps the most important alliance in human history. But something else very important occurred at the micro level. It brought Americans and Brits together together in large numbers for the first time since the Revolution. America had of course joined the Allies in World war I, but the AEF went to France where the War on the Western Front was fought. Relatively few American servicemen were stationed in Britain. This was not the case in World War II. Not only were more Americans deployed overseas and for longer times, but the largest number were deployed in Britain. This was part of the Allied strategy of Germany first which centered on a cross-Channel invasion from Britain.

Army and Air Force

After Pearl Harbor, large numbers of American servicemen were rushed to Britain. The powerful 8th Air Force was established in Britain and soon operatring from fields all over the country. The 8th Air Force was only one of the air formations established world wide. It was, hiowever, the largesr and single most-importanht of the Allied strategic air forces. The Army also began its massive buildup in Britain. The Navy was also opresebnt, but in much smaller numbers. Like the 8th Air Fiorce, the Army firmatiions in Britain woukld constitute the oprimary Americvan ground effort in the War.

War Department Pamflet

The United States was a nation of immigrants, but by the 1940s few Ameeicans had experiences in foreign countries. It was very expensive to travel abroad at the time. Thus they were generally unfamiliar about living in other ciountrie and interacting with foreigners. The War Department issued a pamphlet to every GI arriving in Britain. It was called, 'Instructions for American Servicemen in Britain'. The purpose was to acquint the arriving soldiers and airmen to what life was like in Britain. It addressed history, culture, and even British lingo. The War Department pamphlet encouraged the GI's to get along with the British people as part of the effort to defeat the NAZIs. It offered advise as to how to do this. There were tips like �Don�t be a show off,� �NEVER criticize the King or Queen,� and �The British don�t know how to make a good cup of coffee. You don�t know how to make a good cup of tea. It�s an even swap.� At the end the War Department makes a point that made good sence and was easily understandable. They told the GIs what their mothers probably told them growing up, "that while in Britain, their primary thought should be �It is always impolite to criticize your hosts". The War Department added a little additional military advise, "it is militarily stupid to criticize your allies.�

Operation Torch (November 1942)

The first American Army units were committed to European Theater as part Operation Torch in North Africa (November 1942). Troop transports and supply ships sailed from both American and British ports. The troops from Britain included both British and American troops. It was a major operation, but the Allies somehow managed to keep it secret, a reflection on the Abwehr intelligence operations. Many of the Army troops sent to Britain were committed at thus time. There were fears of U-boat attacks, but all the troop ships got through. Both the Gerans and Italians as well as Vichy were surprised. The Allies landed (November 9). Rommel and the Afrika Korps furher east were already in full retreat after El Alemain. All this occurred just as Hitler was convinced he had finally taken Stalingrad. Than the Soviets sprung Operation Uranus trapping the 6th Army in Stalingrad (November 19).

Continued Build-up (1943-44)

For 2 1/2 years there were Americans all over Britain. They began arriving soon after Pearl Harbor (January 1942). Doughboys in World War I had mostly landed in France. World War II GIs arrived in Britain. Many of the men arriving in 1942 were committed to the North African Torch landings (November 1942). The American troops sailing from Britain to participate in Operation Torch were soon replaced by more GIs arriving from the States. General Marshall named General Eisenhower commander of the European theater of operations. Eisenhower arrived in England to take up his assignment and began preparing for Overlord (June 23, 1943). After the invasion of Italy (Septenmber 1943), the American focus shifted from the Mediterranean to Britain. Most of the American men and material went to Britain. Throughout 1943 and early-1944 men and material arrived in enormous quantities. Wags worried that Britain might sink. Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) planners prepared to commit 39 divisions to Operation Overlord--the D-Day Normandy landings: American (20 divisions), British (14 divisions), Canadian (3 divisions), French (1 division), and Polish (1 division), as well as hundreds of thousands of service troops--predominately American. The actual Normandy landings would be the high-water mark for the British World War II effort. Following the landings, the American participation would steadily expand and becone the dominant coalition partner. American servicemen in Britain reached 0.8 million (January 1944) and 1.5 million (May 1944). This is the largest number of Americans that had ever been present in Britain, before or since. Some even lived in British homes, ironic because billiting Red Coats in American homes was one of the cuses of the Revolution. There were very few Brits who did not have some contact with Americans. American units had much larger logistical train than any other World War II units. Along with the GIs came 16 million tons of food and supplies; 137,000 jeeps, trucks, and half-tracks; 4,200 tanks and tracked vehicles; 3,500 artillery pieces; 12,000 aircraft; and huge quantities of other items such as landing craft to support the men and invasion operation. The landing craft were the last piece of thec puzzel to fall into place. Facilities to house all these men and their equipment sprang up all over Britain, especially southern England from which they could feed into Channel ports. The Amerucans tried to convince the Germans that the Allies would attempt to cross the Channel at the Pas de Calais from Kent. The U.S. First Arny Group (FUSAG) diversion was staged there. In fact in was to the west in rural Somerset and Cornwall that many of the staging areas were constructed. Peaceful farms were converted into armories for amunitiin dumps. Britain's Channel ports were jammed with ships loaded to the gunnels with supplies. Had the Allies not defused the German V-1 program. the German buzz bombs might have done serious damage.

Positive Experiences

For the most part the GI's and the British people hit it off. The GIs were a real hit with the kids. British children had seen Hollywood films and thought of both gangsters and cowboys and Indians. Almost all of the children met their first real American during the War. Most were enchanted by the optimistic, informal, gum chewing GIs and their Yankee slang. The children sought out the GIs, especially when they learned about the inevitable exchange of gum and Hershey bars. The British mnaged to maintain caloric intake during the War, but the diet with little meat, fats, and sugar was very dull. Thus the attraction of sweers was a real draw. The GIs would show up at schools and children's centers to cheer up children, especially the children separated from their parents. The young women were also impressed and because most young men were in the services. The fun-seeking Americans eager to dance and make lady friends found many young women also inteested in having a good time. The friendshio forms would lead to many GI marriages. Many British families invited the GIs into their homes. Some were billited with families. The GIs for their part weren't impressed with the food and weather, but liked the British people. A lot of Americans had anti-British attitudes before the War. After the War, the only major group with anti-British attitudes were Irish-Americans.

Tensions

It was here that the famous expression developed, "Over paid, over sexed, and over here." Probably the origin was the world War I song, "Over There" by Irving Berlin (1917). There were tensions, often among the higher ups. Here one of General Eisenhower's great achievements was how he managed the military alliance, with little help from commanders like Montgomery and Patton.

D-Day (June 1944)

The Western Allies on June 4, 1944 in a dareing amphibious and airborn operatrion opened the long awaited second front on the Normandy beaches which as become known as D-Day. The invasion of Normandy, code named Overlord, was the single most important battle fought by the Western Allies in World War II. It was made possible by arguably the most successful military deception campaign in history. The opening of the second front finally releaved pressure on the Red army in the east. The D-Day invasion, however, meant much more. On the outcome of the battle hinged no less than the future of democracy and Western civilization in Europe. Failure at Normandy would have meant that the future of Europe would have been settled by the titantic struggle in the East between Hitler and Stalin, cerainly the two most evil men in European history. An invasion of France had been the primary goal of American military planners and President Roosevelt since the entry of America into the War in December 1941. Churchill was less convinced. And largely at urging, the first joint Allied offensive was in the Meditteranean. The invasion was an enormous risk. All Allied victories in Europe were achieved by the weight of overwealing superority of men and material to badly over streached German forces. In France, the Allies faced some of the strongest units in the Gernany Army who would until several weeks into the battle be able to amass far superior forces. The Allies had to plan on naval and air superiority to protect the inital beach lodgements until powerful land forces could be landed and deployed. For over two years the Allies had been building a massive force in England which on June 6 was unleased on Hitler's Fortress Europe. The Allies struck withbthe largest armada ever assembled. First paratroop landings inland and then at after dawn came British, Canadian, and American landings on five Normandy beaches. It was a complete surprise, an incredible accomplishment for an operation of this scope and magnitude.

Created: 7:06 AM 7/7/2010
Last updated: 3:18 AM 3/24/2013