World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseIn the winter of 1944-1945 Air Chief Marshal Arthur Tedder, accompanied by Major General Harold Bull and Bragadier General T. J. Betts, visited Moscow to confer with Russian military commanders on the western Allies' plans for the coming spring, and to inquire Russians plans for the same period. "Russian military authorities received them with the utmost cordiality and there was a full and accurate exchange of information concerning future plans", said Dwight Eisenhower based on the reports that reached his desk. The western Allies were told that the Russian forces would continue to launch relentless offensive to, at least, preoccupy the German forces so that the German troops on the Russian front would not be able to be idle and be sent to the western front as reinforcements. Methods to identify American, British (and Commonwealth), and Russian forces were also discussed so that as the two fronts drew near, incidences of friendly fire could be minimized.

ww2dbaseThis delegation sent by Eisenhower was later criticized by Winston Churchill. Churchill believed that Eisenhower had overstepped his boundaries as a military commander by sending a diplomatic delegation to Moscow without the approval of the western political leaders (namely, Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt). Eisenhower, however, protested that the meeting was purely military in nature.