Before taking part in the planning of Operation Overlord, which World War II general led U. S. forces in North Africa?

A. George S. Patton

B. George Marshall

C. Douglas MacArthur

D. Omar Bradley

Letter D would be best correct.

The context of the North African Campaign from 1942 to 1943

General George C. Marshall was the U. S. Army's chief of staff at the time. In early 1942, the american strategic thinking was to defeat Nazi Germany before turning to the Pacific, where japanese conquests were increasing at a concerning rate. For Mashall, the top priority should be to achieve a successful lodgement on the European continent as soon as possible. The British military leaders, led by Field Marshal Alan Brooke, didn't agree so due majorly to most of the military burden of such an attempt falling onto the British forces and the lack of military power of both UK and US together to overwhelm the germany forces in european territory. Instead Brooke believed that the priority should be to 'clear' the Mediterranean to open a path for the supply ships from French north Africa and ally convoys.

This standoff lasted until U. S. President at the time, Franklin D. Roosevelt intervened and gave his generals the direct order to support the British in landings along the North African coast. This led to the incursion of the British and American forces by November of 1942, code-named Operation 'Torch', under the command of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, later to be President of the U. S.

Commandant Omar Nelson Bradley, was nominated head of the II Corps for the North African campaing under General George S. Patton. In this role, he managed to capture Bizerte, in Tunisia by May 1943, which was decisive for the fall of Tunisia. Later in 1943 he was sent to Great Britain, where he commanded the U. S. First Army under the British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, where he finally took part in the planning of the Operation Overlord, popular known as the D-Day, or the Normandy Invasion.

General Douglas MacArthur was an exquisite american commandant with outstanding deeds during the WWII, and the most condecorated in the history of the U. S., but never took part in the North African campaing.

Before taking part in the planning of Operation Overlord, the following general of World War 2, led US forces in North Africa:

D. Omar Bradley.