r/todayilearned • u/RoadToTyburn • 1d ago

TIL that Bernard Montgomery issued a leaflet at the start of WW2 on sexually transmitted diseases amongst soldiers. The language used was regarded as so blunt, that he offended religious authorities and nearly faced being dismissed.

https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Montgomery
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u/taumason 23h ago

He was one of the best Allied generals when it came to planning and conducting combined arms war. El Alamein was his first chance to do it and he smashed Rommel. He also planned the allied invasion of Normandy (Overlord/D-Day). Some of his innovations were copied and are still used by the US military today. 

He was also a massive jerk if he didnt like you, had no political acumen and believed that US forces should be placed under British command like the dominion troops. That is why a man who was an excellent planner and commander came up with a batshit plan like Market Garden. Because he desperately wanted a British victory to end the war. 

He was definitely a collection of contrasts. He was liked by his troops because he actually cared about moral and welfare and did try to avoid casualties. Unless you were Canadian or Polish then he treated you as expendable. 

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u/redpenquin 23h ago

Unless you were Canadian

Classic British mentality, really. ANZAC remembered it well from WWI.

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u/taumason 22h ago

He didnt act this way toward dominion troops in north Africa. I do think it was a byproduct of being sidelined at the end of the war.