Ike: The War Years

The mini-series premiered May 3, 1979, six months, almost to the day, before the death of President Eisenhower's widow, Mamie Eisenhower, on November 1, 1979. Some people who knew her said the mini-series brought her considerable stress, but Mrs. Eisenhower did not comment publicly about the program.

Immediately following the scene where Ike (Robert Duvall), traveling with General George S. Patton (portrayed by Darren McGavin), in Patton's command car, steps out of the car, and is seen physically taking a step across the German border, after saying "It's been a long, long time since an Eisenhower returned to Germany," an on screen caption states "Ohrdruf, Germany April 13, 1944." Ohrdruf is a small town in south central Germany, the infamous site of the Ohrdruf forced labor and concentration camp, a subcamp of the Buchenwald concentration camp, and famously was the first concentration camp liberated by U.S. troops, specifically the 4th Armored Division of Patton's Third Army, and was visited in person by Eisenhower, Patton, and Omar Bradley April 12-13, 1945. This was ten months and six days after D-Day (June 6, 1944). The on-screen caption is correct as to the location, but incorrect as to the date, since it could not have happened on April 13, 1944, which would have been almost two months before D-Day.

Edited into Ike: The War Years (1979)