My favorite cocktail.
http://www.sheknows.com/recipes/montgomery-martini
Montgomery Martini
This cocktail is named after the famous WWII British general, Bernard Montgomery, who refused to attack the Germans unless he was assured victory by outnumbering his opponent at least 15 to 1. That same ratio is used for the gin and dry vermouth in this mixed drink.
Ingredients
2 ounces gin
1/8 ounce dry vermouth
Green olive to garnish
6 ice cubes
Directions
Place a martini glass into the freezer for 5 minutes to chill.
Put the gin and the vermouth in a cocktail shaker, add the ice and stir or shake the mixture for 30 seconds until chilled.
Strain the mixture into the prepared glass and garnish with 1 green olive; serve immediately.
I love the Little Joe Goebbels article. “Hey guys if we don’t get this world domination thing done right now, it’s no more Mr. Nice Guy next time.”
Carlo D’Este’s “Decision in Normandy” has an excellent discussion of Montgomery’s strategy in Normandy. From all the sources he reviewed, it appeared that before June 6, Monty planned on a steady advance through various phase lines until the Seine was reached on D +90. And other than clearing Brittany, he thought the Americans would advance more or less even with the British.
However, as of today’s date the Allies are clearly behind that schedule, and are bogged down. Hanson Baldwin’s excellent piece today discusses the reasons for it.
D’Este writes that faced with this situation, Montgomery’s real brilliance as a commander showed through. He realized what the situation was, and adapted. For about the past two weeks, he has used the British Army to deliberately draw in as much German strength as he can, and pin it down. That allows the Americans to break out in the west against weaker German forces. And looking at the maps for the past week that seems evident. And will continue for the next week or two...
So when Operation Cobra comes, it’s success will have been as much the result of Monty’s strategy as American operational planning. What D’Este then cites is Monty’s greatest shortcoming as a great military commander, and that was his towering and easily bruised ego that blinded his retrospective outlook. In his memoirs, Monty wrote that this was his strategy all along when he began planning the invasion back in January. He made it sound like everything worked out just like he planned it. The historical evidence does not support this. And it’s sad, really. D’Este says Monty would have been viewed better by history if he’d just told the truth; that he saw a changed situation and adapted. And adapted brilliantly.
That’s what great commanders do. He should have been proud of it.