What was Omar Bradley's impact on World War 2?

Answer 1

Omar Nelson Bradley (born 2/12/893) (Died on 4/8/1981) was one of the main US Army field commanders in Europe and North Africa during world war two. He was also the last surviving of the five star general

Answer 2

In order to understand Omar Nelson Bradley's impact on the United States Army and our Nation, one would have to go back to his roots. He was a solid "All American" young man. He was raised in rural America the turn of the 19th century, and was given a set of values that made him a man of courage, fiber and compassion. Graduated with honors from his high school and as the captain of his Baseball and football team. His father, whom he lost at age 13, instilled in him the love for books and sports in that order.

Upon completion of high school, he had to go to work to make a living. Went to work as a boiler maker for the Wabash Railroad. A man of faith who attend the Central Christian Church in Moberly, Missouri. His Sunday school teacher encouraged him to take the entrance examination for the United States Military Academy at West Point. He took the second place in the exam and went to study at West Point . He graduated as 44th from a class of 164.

In the inter-war years he studied war as an applied science, realized that the future of war was in mobility and not the trench warfare and was instrumental in the formation of armored units in the US Army, the training and use of Airborne troops, and most importantly the creation of an officers candidate school (OCS), where Americans with talent, regardless of background could receive the training to become commissioned officers in the United States Army. The Officers Candidate School had a tremendous impact on the US Army; we can feel the benefits of OCS today.

After operation Torch, he went to Tunisia to be Eisenhower's eyes and ears in the African theater. Seeing the need to refit, reconstitute and retrain the II Corps he used his influence to ensure that the Corps was ready to complete the Tunisian campaign. After General Patton move up for bigger and better things, General Bradley took command of the II Corps and lead the Corps through the Tunisian Campaign and the invasion of Italy. The impact was notable; he was instrumental on the US Forces victory during the African Campaigns.

He had also an impact on the Victory over Germany. Leading a broad front offensive that covered territory from the Netherlands to the Lorraine, against a skilled enemy, he moved on onward toward the Ardennes and doggedly pursued the German Wehrmacht. One must note that the Wehrmacht was a worthy opponent. During World War II there was a saying that "he who has not fought the Germans, does not know war."

After the war he was assigned to the Veterans Administration where he is credit for doing much to improve health care and helping veterans get their education through the GI bill.

He became the Chief of Staff of the Army in 1948 and after assuming command, he found a military establishment in shambles. In his words: "This Army cannot fight its way out of a paper bag!"

In summary, General Omar Nelson Bradley had impact on the formation and establishment of armored formation, on airborne training, the establishment of the Officers Candidate School, the refitting, reconstituting and retraining of the II Corps after the disaster in the Kasserine Pass, the invasion of Italy, the Victory over Germany, the Veterans Administration, and the retraining of the Army after 1948.