Foreign Leaders at ACW Battlefields

[Sheltowee]

@Scottish Rebel started a nice thread on US presidents who have made speeches at ACW battlefields.

In searching out some answers- discovered that Carter, Sadat, and Begin visited Gettysburg in 1978.

So yeah- I'm gonna piggyback off Scottishrebel's original post.

What other foreign leaders have made notable visits to our battlefields?

Three world leaders arrived at Gettysburg in 27-vehicle convoy, vintage photos

President Jimmy Carter, President Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Prime Minister Menachem Begin of Israel had been at Camp David trying to settle a 30-year-old Arab-Israeli conflict.

www.pennlive.com

 

[Cavalier]

I believe Montgomery took a tour of Gettysburg with Eisenhower at one time.

John

 

[roberts]

Winston Churchill visited a number of Virginia battlefields in 1929 an wrote an article for the London "Daily Telegraph" entitled "Old Battlefields of Virginia."

He also visited Gettysburg in 1932 and penned a fictional alternate history where R.E. Lee won the battle. In this made up "what if" Lee supplants Jeff Davis and lays open a "fair future for the world." Churchill imagines that Lee frees the slaves as well.

 

[JeffBrooks]

I believe Montgomery took a tour of Gettysburg with Eisenhower at one time.

No doubt he gave Eisenhower an interminably long lecture about how Lee would have been destroyed if only a certain general named Bernard Montgomery had been in command.

 

[JeffBrooks]

Churchill imagines that Lee frees the slaves as well.

Beginning a long tradition in Civil War alternate history literature. I, for one, think Lee would have stayed as far from politics as humanly possible.

 

[edgeworthy]

No doubt he gave Eisenhower an interminably long lecture about how Lee would have been destroyed if only a certain general named Bernard Montgomery had been in command.

If we are What Iffing that one The Army of the Potomac would at least have been better organised.
(And he would have demanded carte blanche on assuming command)

As did Grant, Montgomery would have cut the number of Corps to a more manageable number. As a side effect enabling him to get rid of some of his less well regarded subordinates.
And there would have been a rigorous training regime with realistic conditions imposed.

(And Montgomery was far more aggressive than Meade. He would have probably counterattacked on the third day.)

 

[MAJOR DUNDEE]

@Scottish Rebel started a nice thread on US presidents who have made speeches at ACW battlefields.

In searching out some answers- discovered that Carter, Sadat, and Begin visited Gettysburg in 1978.

So yeah- I'm gonna piggyback off Scottishrebel's original post.

What other foreign leaders have made notable visits to our battlefields?

Three world leaders arrived at Gettysburg in 27-vehicle convoy, vintage photos

President Jimmy Carter, President Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Prime Minister Menachem Begin of Israel had been at Camp David trying to settle a 30-year-old Arab-Israeli conflict.

www.pennlive.com

"At right is park ranger Robert Prosperi. "...he looks like Pawn Stars Historical artefacts expert, Mark Hall.

 

[SWS]

I recall that in the same trip, Churchill attempted to eat his sweet Virginia ham with mustard, offending his hostess in the process.

 

[Library Lady]

When Montgomery took over in North Africa, didn't he have a talk with his people re: Rommel that was quite similar to the talk Grant had with his people when he came East re: Lee; that is, "You need to stop thinking about what he's going to do to you and start thinking about what you're going to do to him"?

 

[JeffBrooks]

I recall that in the same trip, Churchill attempted to eat his sweet Virginia ham with mustard, offending his hostess in the process.

It is well known that no gentleman eats a ham sandwich without mustard.

 

[rpkennedy]

It is well known that no gentleman eats a ham sandwich without mustard.

In fairness, he was English. And as everyone knows, they are renowned foodies.

Ryan

 

[roberts]

I believe Montgomery took a tour of Gettysburg with Eisenhower at one time.

John

Not only Monty but he also guided De Gaulle and Krushchev through the battlefield when they visited him at his farm.

 

[LoyaltyOfDogs]

@Scottish Rebel started a nice thread on US presidents who have made speeches at ACW battlefields.

In searching out some answers- discovered that Carter, Sadat, and Begin visited Gettysburg in 1978.

So yeah- I'm gonna piggyback off Scottishrebel's original post.

What other foreign leaders have made notable visits to our battlefields?

Three world leaders arrived at Gettysburg in 27-vehicle convoy, vintage photos

President Jimmy Carter, President Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Prime Minister Menachem Begin of Israel had been at Camp David trying to settle a 30-year-old Arab-Israeli conflict.

www.pennlive.com

President Carter told this story many years later, when Ken Burns interviewed him for a documentary on the enduring nature of the Gettysburg Address.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1826727039149478194