[General James M. Gavin, commander of the 82nd Airborne during WWII, talks with Dick Cavett about his experiences in Europe].

General James M. Gavin, commander of the 82nd Airborne during World War Two, talks with Dick Cavett about his experiences in Europe. Gavin critiques the Allied battle plan and notes errors in judgment that allowed two German armies to escape and resulted in the failure to occupy Berlin. He describes his relationships with and the temperament of Eisenhower, Patton, Roosevelt, and other U.S. military personalities. Gavin charges that the War Department, following the death of FDR, exceeded their authority in conducting the war and overlooked political objectives in favor of military objectives. Gavin speculates on how different Europe might have looked had the Allies been able to drive to Berlin instead of the Soviets. He also comments on U.S. involvement in Vietnam, the bombing of Hiroshima, the Battle of Normandy, the neutron bomb, and nuclear weapons.

Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Nov. 22, 1978.