… if it became known that American logistics and American strategy had been instrumental in bringing the autumn campaign to a standstill and, what was more, prolonging the war, a political row would ensue just at the time of the presidential elections.

…

Back in Washington, when [Marshall] had set in train the investigation into logistics in the European Theatre of Operations … , he sent a signal to Brooke expressing his confidence that Eisenhower would be able to finish the war in 1944. Brooke wrote to Montgomery expressing his amazement:

Discussed with planners the wonderful telegram from Marshall in which he seems to consider that if we really set our heart on it we ought to be able to finish the war before the end of the year.

Despite that piece of Marshall window-dressing, Somervell had despatched Major-General Lucius Clay to sort out the Normandy Base Area and Major-General Henry Aurand to investigate the ammunition supply in France.

So wrote Dominick Graham and Shelford Bidwell in their book Coalitions, Politicians and Generals

Tag words: General George Marshall; European Theatre of Operations; Major-General Henry Aurand; Dominick Graham; Shelford Bidwell; Coalitions, Politicians and Generals; Carlo d’Este; General Dwight D Eisenhower; Eisenhower – A Soldier’s Life; Russel Weigley; Eisenhower’s Lieutenants; Hank H Cox; The General Who Wore Six Stars; SHAEF; Martin Creveld; Supplying War; COMZ; General JCH Lee; Patton; POL; ammunition; David Irving; The War Between the Generals; Bradley; General Somervell; John Kennedy Ohl; Supplying the Troops; Beetle Smith;