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objections to Operation Anvil. Though the Americans continued to insist that Anvil should and would take place, they finally accepted that this kind of operation in southern France could not happen until many weeks after the Overlord invasion. Ultimately, the debate had been one more cross Eisenhower had to bear, one more source of unrelenting aggravation that took precious energy away from the primary issue at hand. After so many months of meetings, the logistics and strategies for the Allied invasion of Normandy had finally jelled into a coherent plan, the machinery rolling inexorably forward. With only short weeks remaining until the D-Day that Eisenhower had chosen, it was finally time to reveal the strategy that so many Allied commanders had given so much to create.

ST. PAUL’S SCHOOL, HAMMERSMITH, LONDON

MAY 15, 1944

They filed in slowly, some in dress uniforms, some fresh from their offices in far more casual dress. They’ll regret that, Eisenhower thought. But it couldn’t be helped. No one could advertise the fact that King George himself would be here.

It was bitterly cold, unusual this late in the spring; most of the men were wrapped in coats and jackets, the vast lecture hall offering little warmth. The room itself was a dark and dismal place, built for function, not ceremony. But the cavernous size was necessary to accommodate the throng of officers and officials. He watched them carefully, mostly familiar faces, some officers he didn’t know. The men of higher rank moved forward, toward a single row of armchairs at the front of the room, close to the stage. Behind them, the protocol was less severe, men filing down the rows of seats, some finding friends and casual conversation, others holding themselves silently inside the warmth of their coats, focused on the large map that stood on the stage, colorful and detailed. A map of Normandy.

Eisenhower saw men focusing on him, some offering a smile, others acknowledging his rank with a curt nod of respect. He stood close to the stage, beside a chair he would occupy, knowing the most important people had not yet arrived. He stared toward the back of the lecture hall, the crowd swelling even more, low voices increasing, a hum of chatter. From the far side of the stage, Montgomery appeared, nattily dressed in his battle uniform, unusual, and Eisenhower acknowledged him with a single word: “General.”

Montgomery was unsmiling and formal, as he walked up onto the stage. Eisenhower turned again toward the back of the room, watched the open doorway and thought of Monty’s uniform, no sign today of the beret or the ridiculous turtleneck sweater. He couldn’t help thinking of Patton—yep, George would be happy that Monty dressed for the occasion. Eisenhower had heard the grumbling before, Montgomery’s casual dress a particular thorn to Patton, who had often punished men in his command who failed to wear a tie. Monty probably has no idea, he thought; if he did, he’d wear his damned turtleneck on purpose. Stand out in a group by being too casual. Amazing. Never saw a man who so loved the spotlight. Except for Patton himself, of course. God help us.

The show would be Eisenhower’s to start, but the briefings would come from a long list of senior officers and, of course, the two most notable civilians: Churchill and King George. The venue had been chosen by Montgomery. St. Paul’s School was in fact Montgomery’s headquarters, so the gathering here was a subtle hint of his own critical importance to the overall plan. Montgomery had always demonstrated an amazing talent for annoying every officer around him, yet despite claims that Montgomery had ridden hard on the backs of more deserving commanders, in North Africa, he had ultimately accomplished what no one else could do: He had defeated Rommel. As the senior ground commander, Montgomery would hold the rein over both Bradley’s Americans and the British forces under General Sir Miles Dempsey, a wonderfully capable veteran of Montgomery’s campaigns in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. Long criticized for embracing details over