on december 20, 1940, the czechoslovak government in exile in london ordered the creation of a second version of the czechoslovak war cross. it was created and issued not as a general service medal, but as a meritorious decoration for those had provided great service to the czechoslovak state during the years of world war ii. the award was mainly intended for persons who had helped liberate czechoslovakia from the rule of nazi germany. several american officers received the award, such as dwight d. eisenhower or george s. patton, and the decoration was also bestowed to national heroes, such as the men who had assassinated reinhard heydrich in operation anthropoid.