WASHINGTON, June 6, 1944 (UP) - General George C. Marshall, army chief of staff, whose forces now are committed to their greatest test, declared in a pre-invasion address that the final action in the European war would come in a "battle to the death for the Nazis and a battle to victory for the Allies."
His confident words were voiced at a special ceremony in the Soviet embassy last night where he was awarded the Order of Suvorov, one of the highest Russian military decorations.
An imposing list of dignitaries was puzzled when Marshall left the embassy almost immediately after the ceremony without waiting for the customary buffet supper. The explanation came a few hours later with the announcement that Allied troops were landing in France.
Soviet Ambassador Andrei A. Gromyko presented the award to the army chief of staff.