1. MYTH: D-Day was predominantly an American operation
REALITY: For many people, D-Day is defined by the bloodshed at Omaha -- the codename for one of the five beaches where Allied forces landed -- and the American airborne drops. Even in Germany, the perception is still that D-Day was a largely American show; in a German TV mini-series shown in recent years, "Generation War," there was a reference to the "American landings" in France.
But despite "Band of Brothers," despite "Saving Private Ryan," despite those 11 photographs taken by Robert Capa in the swell on that morning of June 6 1944, D-Day was not a predominantly American effort. Rather, it was an Allied effort with, if anything, Britain taking the lead. Yes, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, the supreme Allied commander, was American, but his deputy, Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder was British, as were all three service chiefs. Air Marshal Sir Arthur "Mary" Coningham, commander of the tactical air forces, was also British.
The plan for Operation Overlord -- as D-Day was codenamed -- was largely that of Gen. Bernard Montgomery, the land force commander. The Royal Navy had overall responsibility for Operation Neptune, the naval plan. Of the 1,213 warships involved, 200 were American and 892 were British; of the 4,126 landing craft involved, 805 were American and 3,261 were British.
Indeed, 31% of all U.S. supplies used during D-Day came directly from Britain, while two-thirds of the 12,000 aircraft involved were also British, as were two-thirds of those that landed in occupied France. Despite the initial slaughter at Omaha, casualties across the American and British beaches were much the same. This is not to belittle the U.S. effort but rather to add context and a wider, 360-degree view. History needs to teach as well as entertain.
2. MYTH: American forces were ill-prepared
REALITY: By the end of World War II the United States had the best armed services in the world. The 77-day Normandy campaign did much to help them reach this point.
Northern France was a showcase for American tactical and operational flexibility. At the start of the campaign, the Americans found themselves fighting through the Norman "bocage," an area of small fields lined with thick, raised hedgerows and narrow, sunken lanes. They hadn"t trained for this; instead they expected that the Germans would quickly retreat after a successful Allied landing.
For the Germans, the bocage offered cover and ambush opportunities for mortar teams and machine guns. Even the American 30-ton Sherman tanks couldn"t get through these hedgerows. Then a U.S. sergeant came up with the ingenious solution of attaching a hedge-cutting tool built from German beach obstacles to the front of a Sherman. Gen. Omar Bradley, the U.S. First Army commander, was impressed; within a fortnight, the device had been fitted to 60% of all U.S. Shermans in Normandy.
This was but one example. During the campaign huge developments also were made in close air support, as well as in coordination between infantry, artillery and armor. Medical services advanced so much that one in four casualties returned to the battlefield after treatment, remarkable for 1944.
3. MYTH: The Allies became bogged down in Normandy
REALITY: In the pre-invasion estimates for the Normandy campaign, the Allies expected to be roughly 50 miles inland after 17 days, based on German retreats in North Africa and Italy. But Adolf Hitler ordered his forces to fight as close to the French coast as possible and not give an inch.
On paper it seemed that the Allies weren"t making much progress, but in reality the German strategy worked to the Allies" advantage as they pounded the enemy with offshore naval guns. For by 1944 the Allies had realized that German tactics -- which dated back more than 100 years -- were rigidly predictable. Striking back once the enemy had overextended itself was central to German DNA throughout World War II. The Allies soon realized that this penchant for counterattack meant that the Germans would eventually move into the open and get hammered.
By the end of the Normandy campaign the Germans were hemorrhaging men and machines, with two armies all but destroyed. True, a handful of Germans did escape the attempted encirclement around Falaise, but it was still a massive Allied victory. In the rapid advance that followed, the Allies moved more quickly than Germans had in the opposite direction four years before, during the invasion of France.
4. MYTH: German soldiers were better trained than their Allied counterparts
REALITY: At the start of World War II the best German units were more than a match for their Allied opposition -- but by 1944 that had changed radically. There were a few exceptions, such as the Panzer Lehr, but come D-Day most German units were not as well trained as the Allies.
Some Allied units in Normandy had been preparing for four years for this campaign. In contrast, many German troops had had little more than a few weeks" notice. The German ad hoc battle groups known as kampfgruppen are traditionally regarded as showcasing tactical flexibility, but even these were borne of extreme shortages and desperation toward the end of the war.
The German paratroopers, or fallschirmjger, were acknowledged to be among the best of their armed forces, yet one veteran I interviewed recalled how he had barely any training, save a few route marches and practice at laying mines. He never trained with a tank, had no transport and had to march 200 miles from Brittany when sent to the front. His case was not atypical: All infantry divisions in Normandy were expected to move by either foot or horse-drawn cart. The veteran I spoke to reached Saint-L, a major Normandy town, on June 12 with a company of 120 men. When he was captured on August 19 he was one of just nine men still standing.
The Germans had a doctrine during World War II called auftragstaktik -- best described as the ability to use one"s initiative -- which has been hailed as what set their soldiers apart. But the paratrooper I spoke to knew nothing of it. By that stage of the war, German training was so skimpy that it was impossible to implement.
5. MYTH: The Germans had stronger tactical skills
REALITY: The dogged determination of the Germans to fight during D-Day is often confused with tactical skill. It shouldn"t. The best analogy is with more recent conflicts like Afghanistan or even Vietnam, when Western forces had the best training and kit yet struggled to defeat a massively inferior enemy. As the Taliban have shown, it is very difficult to completely defeat your enemy if they don"t want to be defeated. The only way to do that is to kill them all.
This is why the Germans took so long to be defeated in Normandy and, subsequently, despite a lack of training, they were still a very dangerous and deadly enemy with plenty of powerful weapons and a fierce determination to keep fighting. This was for a number of reasons: n**i indoctrination, a profound sense of duty and the threat of execution for deserters. In World War I the Germans executed 48 men for desertion; during World War II that figure rose to 30,000.
6. MYTH: America and Britain got off lightly in World War II
REALITY: Allied frontline troops suffered horrifically during World War II. Democracies such as Britain and America tried to achieve victory with as few casualties as possible. For the most part, they did this very successfully using technology and machinery to shield lives wherever they could.
However, short distances still had to be won by the infantry, tank units and artillery. Although technology meant the Allies needed fewer forces than a generation earlier, those in the firing line still pulled the very short straw. Losses to frontline troops were proportionally worse during the 77-day Normandy campaign than they were during the major battles along the Western Front during World War I.
James Holland is a historian, writer and broadcaster, whose books include "Fortress Malta," "Battle of Britain," and "Dam Busters." He has written and presented BAFTA-shortlisted documentaries for the BBC and is currently working on a film about Normandy in 1944. A fellow of the Royal Historical Society, Holland is also co-founder of the Chalke Valley History Festival: several of his World War II interviews are available at griffonmerlin.com. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his. This article was originally published in 2014.
Following a 10-day time-out for bad behavior, veteran Chicago radio personality Dan McNeil returned to Hubbard Radio classic hits WDRV FM 97.1 on May 23. But since then, youd hardly know hes back.
To listeners of the morning show he had co-hosted with Pete McMurray since March 2015, McNeil has become a nonentity. These days he turns up once an hour to deliver a straight three-minute sportscast and thats it. He is never mentioned during the rest of the show, and he no longer interacts with McMurray or producer Scott Miller, who has assumed a larger role on the air since McNeil was cut back.
With McNeil, 54, believed to be pulling down $250,000 a year, its a cinch hes making more per minute of airtime now than anyone else in town.
If Hubbard Radio is trying to get him to quit by turning him into The Invisible Man, the strategy isnt working so far. As long as the mercurial McNeil keeps his cool and continues showing up to do his hourly sports reports, he will continue collecting his paycheck. The company could always buy out McNeils contract and send him home, but his bosses may be reluctant to do that as long as his association with The Drive can still generate revenue.
Dans a well-known personality in the marketplace, one insider said. Hes still worth money to us because of the advertisers and the sponsorships he brings to us. He does have a lot of people that like him in this market.
To others its clear that McNeil and The Drive are on a slow-motion collision course.
The dispute became public last month after Hubbard Radio forced out longtime corporate programming chief Greg Solk, the Chicago radio legend credited with creating The Drive and recruiting McNeil and McMurray as the morning team. McNeil was told he couldnt talk about his friend Solks departure on the air, sending him into a rage against program director Rob Cressman.
The whole thing was totally unnecessary and terribly mishandled, said a witness to the hallway confrontation. If theyd just let Dan say a few words about Greg at the end of the show, probably no one would have heard it and no one would have cared. . . . They had to know it would set him off and thats just what happened.
The combination of McNeils famously foul temper and his growing frustration with the direction of the show came to a head that Thursday morning, May 12. Meetings with management ensued, and McNeil was off the air the next day and the whole week after that. He also was conspicuously absent from The Drives 15th Birthday Concert May 20 at the Rosemont Theatre, the stations premier event of the year.
For once the normally talkative McNeil isnt talking. Like everyone else at The Drive, hes now under orders not to communicate with the media. While the muzzling of employees may be standard procedure for repressive companies like iHeartMedia or Cumulus Media, its unusual for Hubbard Radio, long known for openness and honesty with the press.
John Gallagher
John Gallagher, vice president and market manager of Hubbard Radio Chicago, insisted that the no comment edict is nothing new. I tell everybody and theyve known that from the day I walked in the door that you dont disclose internal information to anyone outside of the building about whats going on here without clearing it with management, he said.
Gallagher downplayed the issues with McNeil, saying The Drive was working on finding the right mix of personality and music for its morning show. The personality part is down and the music part is up, he acknowledged, but that could change.
Right now we have a golden opportunity to increase ratings on The Drive, he said. And were gonna try some different things and do some different things to make that happen. During the experiment, the last thing I want to do is give my competitors a heads up on what were trying to do. Id rather keep them guessing.
The pairing of McNeil and McMurray, two Chicago radio pros whod never worked together, was a risky proposition from the start. It marked a clear shift from the music-intensive morning show that defined the station for 14 years. The Drive has maintained a dominant classic rock position in the market for many years, Gallagher said at the time. The departure of [former host] Steve Downes offered us the opportunity to reevaluate our mission and once again bring something unique to mornings.
By the two metrics that matter most revenue and ratings its been a bust.
Last year revenue for The Drive dropped 11.2 percent to $12.1 million, the sharpest decline for any of Hubbard Radios three Chicago stations. (Hot adult-contemporary WTMX FM 101.9 remains the companys cash cow, with revenue up 3.1 percent to $31.8 million.)
Ratings for the morning show under McNeil and McMurray have been especially disappointing. In the last Nielsen Audio survey, The Drive ranked eighth overall with a 3.4 percent share of all listeners, while mornings tied for 15th with a 2.5 share. In the target demographic of men between 25 and 54, The Drive ranked second overall with 5.0 share while mornings were ninth with a 3.6 share.
A new Nielsen Audio survey, covering the period from April 21 to May 18, will be released Tuesday. Of the ratings, Gallagher said: Were monitoring them very closely.
Uber is often at odds with the very population that drives its business. To assuage resentment, the company announced a series of new features for its drivers today.Among the new features:
A product tested earlier this year in San Francisco, called "instant pay," allows drivers to replenish an Uber-provided debit card with their cash earnings whenever they want.
Drivers can pause an influx of ride requests to take a break, as well as locate riders while en route to a certain destination.
Drivers will now get paid for waiting on riders that take more than two minutes to hop in the car.
Uber is adding more physical locations where drivers can get in-person assistance from Uber staffers.
The app updates may not be enough to soothe riled drivers. For instance, Uber runs a car-leasing program for drivers with bad credit that theMotley Fool recently likened to predatory payday loans. The company"s penchant for slashing fares to beat out the competition also does a disservice to drivers by reducing their earningsa fact they"re keenly aware of. RR
Under the theme "Alliance for the Future," the two countries have organized 120 projects and more than 1,000 individual events in 13 Mexican cities in order to strengthen ties between Mexico and Germany.
A concert by the German and Mexican youth philharmonic orchestras in Mexico City is being held during Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier"s visit to Mexico to mark the "Year of Germany in Mexico." The initiative aims to strengthen cultural, educational, scientific, economic, tourism and scientific relations.
Other events underway include "The Beautiful Language of the Maya" at the Gropius Bau museum in Berlin and an exhibition of the expressionist painter Otto Dix at the National Museum of Art in Mexico City.
A goal of the "Dual Year" is to give greater visibility to Mexican-German relations.
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto had visited Berlin in April to mark the start of the yearlong series of events in Germany.
Steinmeier visiting Teotihuacan, the ancient site near Mexico City
On Sunday, Steinmeier went to the the pre-Aztec city of Teotihuacan, 48 kilometers (30 miles) northeast of modern-day Mexico City. In the first half of the 1st millennium AD, Teotihuacan was the largest city in the pre-Columbian Americas.
Mexican archaeologists recently discovered a tunnel with huge monolithic green stones under the "Temple of the Moon," the largest structure in Teotihuacan.
Patricia Espinosa, Mexico"s ambassador to Berlin, launching the "Year of Mexico in Germany."
German and Mexican cooperation
Germany and Mexico cooperate across a range of issues at the bilateral and international level. Germany is Mexico"s fifth-largest trading partner, and Mexico is a major center of investment and production of German automobiles.
As part of the yearlong events being organized, Mexican professor of math and computer science at the Free University of Berlin, Raul Rojas, is to provide 10 Mexican universities with scale models of self-driving cars developed by his team. The two sides will then work to further develop this cutting-edge technology. Projects like this will help to further cooperation between Mexico and Germany in the automotive industry.
Matthew Florjancic, WKYC5:58 PM. EST June 05, 2016
Kevin Love says the Cleveland Cavaliers must take advantage of their chances in Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors. (Photo: Bob Donnan, Custom)
CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Cavaliers held the Golden State Warriors starting backcourt to just 20 points and the jump-shooting team to just nine of 27 from three-point range, but even that was not enough to seize a road victory at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California.
The Cavaliers surrendered 45 points to Golden States bench and committed an uncharacteristic 17 turnovers that resulted in 25 points in a 104-89 Warriors win in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
We had our chances, Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love said. We got it to a six-point game at the end of the third and we got off to a good start to start the fourth quarter, so we thought we had some good momentum.
We were making good plays and took the lead at one point in the third quarter, but we couldnt get over the hump. They played well here and we will have to come out and match their intensity coming into Game 2.
After momentarily taking a lead, the Cavaliers trailed the Warriors by just three points late in the third quarter of Game 1, but a foul by Matthew Dellavedova against Andre Iguodala sparked a run that put the game out of reach.
After attempting to reach in and jar the basketball loose from Iguodala, Dellavedova hit the veteran guard below the belt and a skirmish ensued that required a several-minute review. Once play resumed, the Warriors went on a 13-2 run and used that momentum to claim the win over the Cavaliers.
In transition, we just have to match up with them, Love said. We had breakdowns when we needed to get stops. We definitely have to look at the film and clean that up. We felt we did a good job on the perimeter, but some of the transition attacks that they hit ahead ultimately helped them to keep pushing the lead up.
In the lead-up to Game 1 of the NBA Finals, the Cavaliers answered a multitude of questions about how they intended to stop two-time MVP Stephen Curry and hot-shooting guard Klay Thompson from wreaking havoc on their defense.
However, the Cavaliers were outscored by Golden States bench, 45-10, and for Cleveland to improve on that production and even up the NBA Finals at 1-1 before returning to the North Coast for Games 3 and 4 at Quicken Loans Arena this week.
They really thrive off their bench, Love said. Their second unit comes in, plays well, and when they do like they do, we did well on them and they were still tough.
Its seldom seen that they will have a night like that, so we need to be even better come Sunday. We know that we need to neutralize them as much as we can, and its easier said than done. Also, their bench was great, primarily Livingston giving them a big lift, and thats something that we will need to look at.
LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love Press Conference Win vs. Raptors | 2016 NBA Playoffs
Photo: Photo Courtesy Of Jen Beyrle
As childhood friends in Oregon, Klay Thompson (bottom left) and Kevin Love (back row, third from left) played together on the Lake Oswego Lakers" Little League All-Star team in 2001.
As childhood friends in Oregon, Klay Thompson (bottom left) and Kevin Love (back row, third from left) played together on the Lake Oswego Lakers" Little League All-Star team in 2001.
Photo: Photo Courtesy Of Jen Beyrle Klay Thompson (11) drives around a defeding Kevin Love (0) in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena in Oakland on June 2, 2016. The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers 104-89. less Klay Thompson (11) drives around a defeding Kevin Love (0) in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena in Oakland on June 2, 2016. ... more Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle
Golden State Warriors" Klay Thompson shoots over Cleveland Cavaliers" Kevin Love in the third quarter during Game 1 of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena on Thursday, June 2, 2016 in Oakland.
Golden State Warriors" Klay Thompson shoots over Cleveland Cavaliers" Kevin Love in the third quarter during Game 1 of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena on Thursday, June 2, 2016 in Oakland.
Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Kevin Love (0) runs into the Warriors defense lead by Draymond Green (23) in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena in Oakland on June 2, 2016. The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers 104-89. less Kevin Love (0) runs into the Warriors defense lead by Draymond Green (23) in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena in Oakland on ... more Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Klay Thompson (11) shoots a three-point shot in the first half as the Golden State Warriors played the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Saturday, May 28, 2016. less Klay Thompson (11) shoots a three-point shot in the first half as the Golden State Warriors played the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma ... more Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle
Golden State Warriors" Klay Thompson stops Cleveland Cavaliers" LeBron James from scoring in 3rd quarter of Game 1 of NBA Finals at Oracle Arena in Oakland on June 2, 2016.
Golden State Warriors" Klay Thompson stops Cleveland Cavaliers" LeBron James from scoring in 3rd quarter of Game 1 of NBA Finals at Oracle Arena in Oakland on June 2, 2016.
Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle Warriors" Andrew Bogut, (12) gives a pat on the head to his teammate Klay Thompson, (11) after he made a three pointer late in the fourth quarter, as the Golden State Warriors went on to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in game 1of the NBA Championship 104-89 at Oracle Arena in Oakland on June 3, 2016. less Warriors" Andrew Bogut, (12) gives a pat on the head to his teammate Klay Thompson, (11) after he made a three pointer late in the fourth quarter, as the Golden State Warriors went on to beat the Cleveland ... more Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle Kevin Love (0) shoots over Festus Ezeli (31) in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena in Oakland on June 2, 2016. The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers 104-89. less Kevin Love (0) shoots over Festus Ezeli (31) in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena in Oakland on June 2, 2016. The Warriors ... more Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle
Cleveland Cavaliers" Kevin Love is guarded by Golden State Warriors" Klay Thompson and Draymond Green in the third quarter during Game 1 of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena on June 2, 2016 in Oakland.
Cleveland Cavaliers" Kevin Love is guarded by Golden State Warriors" Klay Thompson and Draymond Green in the third quarter during Game 1 of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena on June 2, 2016 in Oakland.
Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle
Golden State Warriors" Klay Thompson scores over Cleveland Cavaliers" J.R. Smith (5) and Kevin Love in 2nd quarter during NBA game at Oracle Arena in Oakland on Friday, January 9, 2015.
Golden State Warriors" Klay Thompson scores over Cleveland Cavaliers" J.R. Smith (5) and Kevin Love in 2nd quarter during NBA game at Oracle Arena in Oakland on Friday, January 9, 2015.
Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle
Klay Thompson, Kevin Love go from Little League to NBA Finals
The intertwining paths of Klay Thompson and Kevin Love trace back to a baseball field in a Portland, Ore., suburb.
Long before the NBA All-Stars faced each other on their current sports biggest stage, they shared a Little League team. Thompson was the speedy leadoff hitter, Love the hard-throwing pitcher. Even then, while playing a sport that wont figure in their legacy, the preteens recognized in one another the potential for greatness.
Klay always had a quiet confidence about him, Love said Saturday before his Cavaliers practiced for Game 2 of the NBA Finals. There was something about Klay that separated him from the rest of the group.
Said Thompson of Love: He was a phenom as a kid. To be on the world stage with him, its really cool. Its something I dont take for granted.
Fifteen years ago, a group of parents in Lake Oswego, Ore., hatched a plan: They would pool the best local kids for an All-Star team capable of reaching the Little League World Series. The centerpieces were a husky sixth-grader named Kevin and a soft-spoken fifth-grader named Klay.
Standing almost 6 feet, Love overpowered his peers. He whizzed fastballs past befuddled batters when he wasnt crushing home runs. As a smooth-hitting shortstop, the rail-thin Thompsons game was more finesse than dominance.
It was this potent tandem that powered the Lake Oswego Lakers to the 2001 state title before they narrowly missed a berth in the Little League World Series. Three years later, at the urging of his former-NBA-player father, Stan, Love quit baseball to focus on basketball. Around the same time, Thompson, whose dad also played in the NBA, moved with his family to Orange County.
The two childhood friends blossomed into high school basketball standouts. In summer 2005, at an AAU tournament in Portland, Love watched Thompson wow crowds with his silky jumper and advanced ballhandling.
I knew he was good, Love said. I didnt know he was that good.
By the time he graduated from Lake Oswego High School, Love had solidified his status as one of the greatest high school players in Oregon history. His 2,628 career points were a state record. In each of his final three seasons, Love guided the Lakers to the state championship game. He was named the Gatorade National Male Athlete of the Year after averaging 33.9 points and 17 rebounds per game as a senior.
Love cant help but wonder how great those Lake Oswego squads could have been had his former Little League teammate not moved. Surely South Medford High, led by future NBA player Kyle Singler, wouldnt have beaten Lake Oswego in the state championship Loves senior year.
We couldve done a lot of damage, Love said.
Two summers ago, after six seasons in Minnesota without a playoff appearance, Love was desperate for a fresh start. The Timberwolves offered the Warriors a trade they figured would suit all parties: Thompson and David Lee for Love and Kevin Martins toxic contract.
But Golden State wasnt willing to part with Thompson, who had quickly emerged as one of the NBAs top shooters. It stands as one of the most important non-moves in franchise history. Thanks largely to the Splash Brothers Thompson and Stephen Curry the Warriors are three wins from their second straight NBA title.
Love, who missed the Finals last year with a dislocated shoulder, poses a major frontcourt challenge. Lost in Clevelands underwhelming Game 1 performance was yet another double-double (17 points, 13 rebounds) from the big man.
More than a decade ago, on a Little League diamond in Lake Oswego, Thompson could have never predicted this. All he understood at that time was Love was destined for greatness.
Everyone knew he was special, Thompson said.
Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cletourneau@sfchronicle.com Twitter: Con_Chron
