Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 022, folder 08: Bernard Montgomery

MONTGOMERY, Field Marshal Sir Bernard Box 22, #8

August 14, 1958 Dear Field Marshal Montgomery: I shall always regret that I was unable to take advantage of your kind offer of an interview on August 11, but I hope you will realize that it was not impertinence on my part; I had simply become ensnared in the coils of my own brutally tight schedule. [following sentence scratched out:] By remaining one more week in Europe, I would have upset the careful planning of a number of vital appointments which had been arranged months before. [end of sentence] I had tried in England to arrange an interview with you in the previous months but it was obsiously impossible at that time because you were traveling. I am extremely grateful, however, that you have agreed to answer a few questions for me. For almost ten years I have been collecting research on D-Day in the hope that one day I would be able to find the time and the resources to write a book on just the twenty-four hours of that momentous day, plus the highlights of the few days leading up to the assault. [crossed out: itself] A year ago the [ crossed out: two years ago] READER'S DIGEST agreed to back the project; and in the months which passed I have been interviewing D-Day veterans from privates to field marshals in Britian, Canada, the United States, France, and Germany. It has been and continues to be an enormous project—I suppose in all I have been in contact with almost five thousand people since I began work on this book. In england alone we have been in touch with over three hundred and fifty key people. Naturally, the book would not be complete without your comments. [crossed out: Indeed, I would not have bothered you but for the fact that ] Although, through the good offices of General Maxwell B. Taylor I have been allowed to use the American after—action reports and through Bonn, the German war diaries, I have not been able to get the War Office to declassify for me the British war diaries for that day. Thus I have not been able to find the messages which you [crossed out: must have] sent that day or, indeed, to trace your actions. As you were in command of the entire assault, I need hardly tell you that the book would not be complete without this information. So while realizing that you are an extremely busy person, could you help me by answering the following questions: Question No. 1 After the final 4:15 a.m. conference on the morning of June 5 when you and General Eisenhower decided that the assault must go in on the morning of June 6, where did you go? Did you and General Eisenhower talk privately together after the meeting? Did you stay in the same headquarters with Eisenhower? Or did you drive back to London? In view of the fact that you had the entire responsibility for the success or failure of the assault and while fully appreciating that as its commander, there was little else you could do but “allow the film to unwind," how did you feel as you realized the enormity of it all? Question No. 2 Could you tell me what you did on June 5th [sentence crossed out: (I am searching, you will notice in all these questions, for the human and emotional reactions of each person) Were there more conferences? If so, with whom? Is it possible for you to remember any of the little things which you may have done—say perhaps, like Eisenhower, trying to relax by reading.

I planned to write not a study in strategy

It would not be another strategic history, but would stress [crossed out: rather an account] human and emotional events. [crossed out: that made up the ]

Question No. 3 On D-Day itself according to Eisenhower’s book, CRUSADE IN EUROPE, you went across the Channel in a destroyer and remained off the beaches— what was the name of the destroyer? When did you board it ? And when you got off the beaches can you tell me how you felt or can you remember any conversations that took place between you and any of your staff officers? Question No. 4 Could you tell me what was the most critical moment of D-Day for you? Question No. 5 Can you tell me some of the messages which you received and some of the messages which you sent that day? Question No. 6 How did you feel about the entire operation at the end of the day? Question No. 7 Were you distressed that you had not taken Caen-- even though it had always [crossed out: almost] been an ouside bet from the onset ? Question No. 8 Were there any messages between you and General Eisenhower that day? Question 9 Where were you at midnight on June 6th? I realize that I have asked many questions here; some of which may be impossible for you to answer. But these are the same questions which I have asked everybody, and I do hope that you will answer if not all of them at least some of them. Yours respectfully,

August 20,1958 Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery Dear Field Marshal Montgomery: I shall always regret that I was unable to take advantage of your kind offer of an interview on August 11. But I hope you will realise that it was not impertinence on my part; I had simply become ensnared in the coils of my own brutally tight schedule. 1 had tried in England to arrange an interview with you in the previous months, but it was obviously impossible at that time because you were traveling. I am extremely grateful, however, that you have agreed to answer a few questions for me. For almost ten years I have been collecting research on D-Day in the hope that one day I would be able to find the time—and the resources—to write a book on just the twenty-four hours of that momentous day plus the highlights of the few days leading up to the assault. It would not be another strategic history but would stress human and emotional events. A year ago the READER'S DIGEST agreed to back the project; and in the months which have passed I have been interviewing D-Day veterans from privates to generals in Britian, Canada, the United States, France, and Germany. It has been and continues to be an enormous project—I suppose in all I have been in contact with almost five thousand people since I began work on this book. In England alone we have been in touch with over three hundred and fifty key people. Naturally, the book would not be complete without your comments. Although, through the good offices of General Maxwell B. Taylor, I have been allowed to use the American after-action reports and through Bonn, the German war diaries, I have not been able to get the War Office to declassify for me the British war diaries for that day. Thus 1 have not been able to find the messages which you sent that day or, indeed, to trace your actions. As you were in command of the entire assault,1 need hardly tell you that the book would not be complete without this information. So while realizing that you are an extremely busy person, could you help me by answering the following questions: