“WITH BEST WISHES TO A FORMER COMRADE-IN-ARMS”: SCARCE FIRST EDITION OF EISENHOWER ON WAR AND PEACE, INSCRIBED BY EISENHOWER

(EISENHOWER, Dwight D.). Eisenhower on War and Peace. [Washington, D.C].: Interim International Information Service, [1945]. Slim octavo, original gray stiff paper wrappers, staple-bound as issued; pp. 36. Housed in a custom clamshell box.

First edition of a scarce collection of Eisenhower’s WWII proclamations, orders, broadcasts and addresses (1942-1945), along with the Citation accompanying Truman’s award of a second Oak Leaf Cluster to Eisenhower for his Distinguished Service Medal, inscribed on the cover, “For Robert A. Wilson, with best wishes to a former comrade-in-arms, Dwight D. Eisenhower.”

This early collection of Eisenhower’s WWI speeches, orders and press conferences, inscribed by him, features his June 6, 1944 Order to the Allied Expeditionary Forces, proclaiming, “You are about to embark upon the great crusade,” and the same day’s Proclamation announcing the D-Day landing—calling “upon all who love freedom to stand with us.” This scarce work also contains his November 7, 1942 Proclamation, his August 17, 1943 Statement, his November 5, 1943 and January 1, 1944 Messages; his December 22, 1944 Order; his March 15, 1945 Address to the 101st Airborne in honor of its citation “for gallantry in action”; his May 8, 1945 Commander’s Proclamation on Germany’s surrender, along with the same day’s Victory Order of the Day and Broadcast After the Surrender; his June 12, 1945 Address at the Guildhall; his Speech before the Lord Mayor on June 12, 1945; the text of his Final Shaef Press Conference on June 15, 1945, his June 18, 1945 Address to the United States Congress; his July 13, 1945 Message to the Allied Troops and that same day’s official Order of the Day, as well as the June 18, 1945 Citation accompanying President Truman’s awarding of a second Oak leaf cluster to Eisenhower for his Distinguished Service Medal. Issued by the Interim International Information Service, which was established “to cover certain functions of the Office of War Information and of the Office of Inter-American Affairs.” It was abolished at “the close of business December 31, 1945 (U.S. Department of State). With eleven black-and-white photogravures, including a double-page image of Eisenhower with American parachute troops just prior to D-Day. OCLC lists 25 copies, including Harvard, Princeton and Wesleyan.

Text fine, expert reinforcement to spine fold of original fragile wrappers. A scarce about-fine inscribed copy.