Friday Smiles 385: More from the Eisenhower Museum

It's Friday, so let's join Annie (at A Stitch in Time) along with the wonderful ladies who also participate in Friday Smiles. I'll feel silly if we ever get a man to join us and I start with these words.

This is where we left off last time.

Battle of the Bulge was also called Battle of the Ardennes.  It was the last major German attempt to push the Allies back from the western front.

The plan of the German counteroffensive was to break through to Antwerp, Belgium, to cut off the British army from American forces as well as from its supplies, and then crush the isolated British.

Patton's army became part of the offensive.  The Battle of the Bulge had been a profitable operation for Germany, for, even though it fell short of its objectives, it upset Ike's preparations and was the largest and bloodiest single battle fought by the United States in World War II. Viewed in relation to the whole situation, however, the counteroffensive had been a fatal operation.
 By late January 1945, U.S. forces, with British, Canadian, and French allies, had regained the territory lost in December’s Battle of the Bulge and resumed their drive eastward. Only one major obstacle stood in the path of their advance and that was the Rhine River, whose many bridges had been blown apart by retreating German armies. That forced the Allies to make an amphibious assault.  This strategic crossing of the Rhine river was also known as Operation Plunder.

Ike decided that several simultaneous crossings would have the greatest chance of success. His plan was to cross the Rhine, then drive into the Ruhr Valley to encircle a large part of the German army and effectively end German resistance.  He began the massive mobilization and movement of engineers, soldiers, equipment, and supplies across one of the most important river crossings of WWII.  The attack was both amphibious and airborne.

The Situation Map was one of several used at Ike's temporary headquarters in Europe.

Ike had been told about the Concentration Camps, and insisted on visiting one.  He asked that journalists from the U.S. and Britain visit and document what they saw.  He had others take photos because he wanted the world to never forget what had happened in these camps.  He was afraid that unless it was so well documented, some might claim it was merely propaganda and not fact.

Ike was deeply moved by the atrocities he saw in the camps at Gotha.

Ike made sure everyone possible knew about the camps

and the evidence could not be hidden.

After Ike's troops took Berlin, the Germans surrendered.  The war in Europe was over.  Although it was called Victory in Europe Day, it was soon shortened to V-E Day.

You can't read this, so I took a better photo.

Ike demanded full surrender.  As a result, the Germans surrendered on May 7, 1945 and "the world celebrated V-E Day on May 8."

Ike learned about the atomic bomb in July, 1945.  He was opposed to the idea of using such deadly force, but President Truman decided it was the best and only way to end the war in the Pacific.  The first bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, then the second on Nagasaki on August 9.  On August 14 (or 15 depending on the time zone), Japan officially surrendered.  V-J Day was both August 15 (U.K.) and September 2, 1945 (U.S.), when the surrender document was officially signed aboard the U.S.S. Missouri in Tokyo Bay, Japan.

I'm not sure why I was so taken by this car, but I took tons and tons of photos of it.

I'm so short, I couldn't really see into the car because it was behind glass, as you can see.

Lots of memorabilia and photos,

but I couldn't get close enough to see them.

Apparently, Ike received lots of accolades and awards for his planning of D-Day.

But now the war was over

and Ike was home with Mamie and John.  Perhaps the next few installments of the photos in the museum will be more to everyone's liking, especially those of you who oppose war.

I think this is a great place to stop.  The war is over, the world is safe for a few months and Ike is home where he can continue to expand his career.


Now for a few funnies:

I had to look up Banff and learned from reading my dear friend Birgit's blog it is definitely in Canada.  I learned it is in Alberta, Canada and in the Canadian Rockies.  Some interesting facts are it's located within a national park and was the first community to do so.  It is west of Calgary about 126 km (78 mi).  Ready for these jokes I found?

Actual Questions Asked by Banff Park Tourists at the information kiosks manned by Parks Canada staff.

 

How do the Elk know they’re supposed to cross at the “Elk Crossing” signs?

At what elevation does an Elk become a Moose?

Tourist: “How do you pronounce ‘Elk’?”

Are the Bears with collars tame?

Is there anywhere I can see the bears pose?

Is it okay to keep an open bag of bacon on the picnic table, or should I store it in my tent?

Where can I find Alpine Flamingos?

I saw an animal on the way to Banff today.  Could you tell me what it was?

Are there birds in Canada?

Did I miss the turnoff for Canada?

Where does Alberta end and Canada begin?

Do you have a map of the State of Jasper?

Is this the part of Canada that speaks French, or is that Saskatchewan?

I hope you are like me and don't have to live in Canada to appreciate these.  More next week.

Now let's head over to Annie's because she knows how to put a smile on everyone's faces.  And whatever you do, please don't forget to start your weekend off right with a few Friday Smiles of your own.  And remember, if you would like to play along, Annie would love to have you join us.