Letter, H. R. Bull to Hanson Baldwin

PEANS la September 12, 1946 Mr. Hanson Baldwin, New York Times liew York City, 1. Y. Dear Baldwini As General Eisenhower directed I have exanined all available recorda in an effort to deternine the recorded time of General Eisenhower's directive to Narshal Montgomery assigning him respon- sibility for the North flank in the Ardennes Battle. For your information my exanination of available records re- veals thatt- 1. While no recording of the telephone comversation with the Field Marshal either on the 19th or 20th can be found, other offi- cial messages indicute that the oral directive was transmitted to him late on the 19th of December as indicated to you by General Eisenhowere 2. A message dated 20 December at 1252 hours included the statement that "Field Marshal Mont gomery has been placed in charge of the Northern flank". 3. The confirmatory directive to all Aray Group Commandera setting forth the boundaries, missions and assignment of forces in- cluded the statement "This directive is in confirmation of verbal in- structions already issued" and was dated 20 December at 1836 hours. 4. General Iisenhower's report of 20 January covering progress of operations since 28 October includes the statement - "On 19 December - I realized that it would be impracticable for one Commander to handle the American Forces both North and South of the large salient that was being created. *** I therefore fixed a boundary running east and wost through the breach in our lines and placed all forces North of it *** under the operational command of C-in-C lorthern Group of Arnies and The tining of these official messages, while not as conclusive as you might like, does, it appears to confirm General Eisenhower's Retand