PART I

 GREAT TIDES OF WAR

Chapter One

SHAEF Headquarters, England. June 5, 1944.

 The sole responsibility for deciding whether the allied invasion of France would commence the following day, June 6, 1944, was vested in the Supreme Commander of the European Theater of Operations, General Eisenhower. At the moment, spring storms in the English Channel were a greater enemy than the armies of Nazi Germany. On June 3, the invasion had been launched and the weather had become so foul, the gigantic invasion force of 5,000 ships had to be ordered back from half way across the English Channel.

 A large number of the soldiers making up the invading forces had been living in over-crowded misery aboard the transports and LSTs since June 3. For some, the tension of waiting to hear whether the invasion would go forward or be aborted was almost unendurable.

 A British meteorologist completed his weather report for the assembled top brass. His report wasn’t what they wanted to hear. His best estimate of the weather for the next 36 hours was a possible window of calmer weather. However, everyone in the room was aware of the treacherously changing weather common in the English Channel.

 This storm was a large one and it appeared there was definitely more to this storm front than they had experienced so far. There was a large element of risk to committing the invasion force again on June 6. Failure to launch would result in an uncertain future for the invasion force. Any further delay would mean a return of the troops for food, lodging and re-fuelling 5,000 ships. Such a result was almost unthinkable.

 General Montgomery made a short argument for launching D-Day on the basis of the troops were ready and further delay could be disastrous. All eyes were now on General Eisenhower, who was the only man who could make the decision to begin the invasion of Normandy.

After a quiet moment General Eisenhower made his fateful decision. D-Day would be launched on June 6. Excitement rippled through the gathering.