Washington tried hard to play down the first U.S. visit of British Field Marshal Viscount Bernard Law Montgomery, Chief of the Imperial General Staff. Just a friendly call, said Harry Truman. Uneasy Monty, whirled through a hectic tour last week of U.S. military posts, donned his chattiest air of idle curiosity. But the yen to talk turkey about U.S.-British strategy was as plain as the eight rows of ribbons on Monty's chest.
For a man with no reputation for tact, Monty acquitted himself nobly. At West Point he studied a practice session of the Army football squad. "I hope your...