General Eisenhower War Bond Pitch

October 23, 1943

3:18

[title]

Early on, victory was anything but certain for the Allies, and one of the least assured battlefronts was North Africa, where a series of attacks, counterattacks, and "tactical withdrawals" had been taking place since the British mounted their first offensive in December 1940. America's involvement was limited at first to offering supplies, then providing air support, and finally landing combat troops for "Operation Torch," the allied invasion of North Africa in November 1942. Finally routing the Axis from North Africa in 1943 produced one of the Allies' first great victories, and one of America's first heroes, General Dwight Eisenhower. Capitalizing on both his victory and popularity, Eisenhower made this pitch for war bonds from Algeria on October 23, 1943. Two months later, Eisenhower would be named Supreme Commander of Allied Expeditionary Forces, and lead the D-Day invasion that following June.