JCSM Shareware Collection 1996 September

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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * THE ALLIES ARE SUSPICIOUS OF EACH OTHER * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Once we were on the east side of the Rhine, we hoped for an early end to the war. It was, however, not to be this easy. Although we never ran into a coherent German defense line in southern Germany, it soon became clear that the war would only be over when we had occupied all the country. Furthermore, there was the continuing concern that Hitler would make a last stand in the Alps. Although Eisenhower had decided that Berlin was not a useful military objective, the debate about it continued. It only ended on April 16, when the Russians launched their final offensive. Relations among the Allies during this period was characterized by paranoia. As a result of the contacts between various Germans and Americans, Stalin became suspicious that Roosevelt and Churchill would negotiate a separate cease fire. The British were concerned that, having denied them the forces to take Berlin, the Americans were secretly planning to have this honor. Since de Gaulle was unsure whether the Big Three would give France an occupation zone, French forces were busy seizing one in southwestern Germany. (Eisenhower was primarily concerned that US forces get to Hechingen, the German atomic center, before the French.) Although these suspicions caused tensions, what really threatened to sour the coming victory most were the brutal Soviet actions in eastern Europe. After Roosevelt's death on April 12, President Truman and the people around him decided on an increasingly firm stand. Some people date the beginning of the Cold War from that month. In the meantime, Washington was locked in a debate over the future of Germany. Led by Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau Jr., there was a group of officials who favored a Draconian peace. They wanted to strip Germany of a great deal of its industry and leave it largely a pastoral land. While fighting the war, Allied forces found themselves devoting ever increasing resources to coping with the disorder behind their lines. In addition to the millions of displaced persons, they also had the responsibility for seeing that Germans did not starve. During April, the infantry was running into scattered resistance, but there were no battles like those to the west of the Rhine. After crossing the river, the 4th worked its way east toward Wuerzburg and then headed south toward Augsburg and Munich. When there was firing from a town, we would dump a lot of artillery shells on it. At the fire control center, however, I had more spare time than when I was with the infantry. Hence, my parents got a flood of letters, particularly about my reaction to the German people. There were so many that to use them all would strain your patience. I will, therefore, only quote excerpts. THE GERMANS DO NOT ACCEPT DEFEAT GRACEFULLY Dear Folks, April 2, 1945, Germany And when I say Germany, I do mean Germany (the Reich). Time was when we Americans fooled around where there were still a few people who speak French, but no more. These people are genuine, dyed-in-the-wool square heads (Nazis). Oh, they don't all love Adolf. As a matter of fact, there are a few who suggest a dislike of this well known personality. Yesterday in a town that was captured, an oil painting of Hitler was taken out of a local party headquarters. Some civilians saw it, and a little crowd collected. They all started to laugh. One got hold of it, tore it to pieces, and then stamped on it, to the cheers of some. I won't say this is frequent, but it does happen occasionally. Most of the people just stare at us, sullenly. They aren't pleased, but neither are they belligerent to the extent of giving any trouble. It is difficult for the American soldier not to be friendly, to laugh and joke with adults, give candy to the children. The people here are often friendly. They are curious about us and try to start conversations. In this respect, it is a good thing only a few of us speak German. But they do not understand - and it will be difficult to convince them - that we have defeated their armies and conquered their land. For example. We are not supposed to be billeted with German civilians. If we want to use their homes, we are to move them out. In one town a home at one end had been evacuated by civilians. When we approached they feared we would shoot it up a bit. We moved our CP into this building. When all the noise had died down, back came the civilians. With them were an English speaking man and woman. I told them they would have to find some place else to live in town; we were going to use their home. But couldn't they use a few rooms to live in? "No!" "But what of the children?" "You'll have to find room with friends in town." "That's difficult. All are crowded with refugees. Can't we use the basement?" "No!" "Do you really need all those rooms?" "Madam, our orders forbid our living in the same house with German civilians." "Oh, then can we get some clothes?" "Yes, but get all you want now, since once we occupy the house, no one will be allowed inside." Some other officers asked me why I didn't tell them that a lot of French and Belgians had no homes either. But, no, I said, that's not the way. You mustn't argue with them. Just tell them what's what; then don't budge an inch. Be polite, but be firm. But they are a hard-headed people. Thirty minutes after they've been overrun they expect to be given the best of treatment. This is especially true of the towns where the armor just sweeps through without resistance. My best, John Dear Folks, April 7, 1945, Germany And most Americans continue to treat war as a game. Just now our anti-aircraft shot down a Ju-88, and most of the men around here were outside watching the show. It crashed about a thousand yards away and burned. Everyone was enthusiastic about it, as much as a good shot at a basketball game. Even now they're standing about me, talking. "Too bad it burned. There go five good Lugers." "There's five good Jerries." "Why the hell do you think they continue to come over?" "Don't have a chance, do they?" And so it goes; war has become a game. Especially when you're shooting and not being shot at. No one really likes it, but there are moments when events appeal to one. Saw a good movie today. "Meet Me in St. Louis." Did you see it? Many of the incidents certainly brought back memories of similar circumstances in our family life. Taking the sister to the dance. Looking forward to moving from the home town. The first kiss. Trying to impress the girl next door. Halloween. All the things that happen in every family's life. I laughed over and over again. My love, John Dear Dad, April 10, 1945, Germany Of late I have been concerned with some of the questions and problems that arise with being in an enemy country and that will come up in the future should we occupy Germany. As one who has been through much of this as an enlisted man, perhaps you can at least give me a view of it from his view, if not from the officer's side. First - fraternization. You know, it's more than a rule this war. The Supreme Command has said that it intends to see that the rule is enforced. To do this, proper punishment has been prescribed and insisted upon. All commanders have been urged to enforce the orders. The order states that no allied soldier will have anything to do with a German civilian - he will not speak, drink, or eat with him. Only on official business will there be any contact with the enemy. Your son, John Dear Folks, April 12, 1945, Germany More and more one tends to lose respect for the German people, at least those we are encountering now. When one comes up against the German soldier, he must admire his army as a very efficient organization. The civilians in the areas where we fought heavily showed great courage and stamina. But what we see now is not at all admirable. Citizens of a town plead with the German soldiers not to defend it to avoid having their homes destroyed. Others come over to our lines to surrender their towns. For us this is good. No question. And we do feel the continued resistance of the Wehrmacht is a waste of lives. But, still, when the soldiers are willing to surrender their lives for their country, it speaks poorly for the civilians to want to do less. Surely the soldiers who might want to fight on must be very unhappy. Then the civilian's reaction when occupied. He cries and complains constantly. No doubt he is somewhat surprised that we are as firm as we are, but this doesn't excuse being such a "baby." When we move them out of their houses to quarter our troops, some act as though we were robbing them. All kinds of excuses are invented why we shouldn't displace them. No doubt they have never considered before what it is like to be "displaced" - as 12,000,000 slave laborers are in Germany today. If he wants to return to his home across the country or visit a nearby town, he is wounded when we give a flat "no." Doesn't he understand that in war an army can't permit enemy civilians to wander all over the place? At first I said, "Be polite - but firm." Bradley said it better recently, "Just - but firm." Those who wondered about the carefree American soldier - in the States and in Paris - would be amazed at the discipline at the front. Well, dad, when I guessed it might be necessary to defeat the last German company, it has proved more accurate than your guess that it wouldn't be necessary to cross the Rhine. But you're not to blame. You and many other misinformed Americans just don't understand that we are not fighting a nation of very human people but a tough, unreasoning group of fanatics. Convinced that their only hope is in fighting - which is accurate - they will fight as long as there are troops left to command. My love, John A GI TAKES REVENGE While the infantry generally treated German soldiers who fired at them and then surrendered as prisoners of war, civilians were another matter. One day I heard a commotion outside the building I was in. Looking out the window, I saw a GI shoving a civilian along. The GI was crying and loudly accusing the civilian of having killed his friend. The civilian was terrified and trying to move away from the GI. Shortly later, I heard a shot. Those of us in the room I was in looked at each other and then went back to what we were doing. FDR IS DEAD Dear Folks, April 13, 1945, Germany We are listening on the radio to what many people all over the world are saying about the death of our president. The news came first on the midnight newscast last night, when most of us were already asleep. This morning we were awakened by an officer telling us, "President Roosevelt is dead." There were no eulogies to the president by the common soldier. If they thought any, each kept it to himself. But they did talk. Above all, the question all asked was, "Can Truman do the job?" For the first time they were realizing that last November they had elected a president - not a vice- president. Frankly, many expressed doubt. Most don't know, don't pretend to know. The war did not miss a beat. It went on. The only time spent in talking about the president's death was the time normally spent discussing fraternization. For myself I'll just say this. Such events must be fitted into history. The president's death at this time cannot help but change the course our history was taking. What this may mean will only be realized in the days to come, in the years that follow. Let us pray that our fates will be not unkind. The radio says the world is stunned. No doubt it is. But we, we have now been shocked so deeply and so many times by all that is about us that perhaps we do not know our own sorrow. Somehow our world has not changed. The war goes on. As you at home cannot know what tragedies the men here see each day, they cannot arrange their thoughts here to mourn as you do. My love, John Dear Dad, April 19, 1945, Germany A friend who is on a speaking tour in the states says the workers laugh when he says the war in the Pacific will very likely take two more years to end. They just don't understand, do they? They don't understand the huge amounts of materiel and many casualties required to defeat an able enemy. They can't see what lies ahead in winning a war in China, the Indies, Burma, and on the Japanese home islands, if the Japanese go on as the Germans have, as they certainly shall. Ernie Pyle is dead. What a pity. This is a very cruel war. A great little man who hated and feared war, one who never gloried in victories but could see only the filth, death, and little humors that accompany them. We moved side by side on the St. L breakthrough for four days. The scenes he described were those I saw, the first time such printed accounts have been accurate and unexaggerated to my knowledge. Mr. Pyle was convinced he would get killed. He told me he couldn't take much more of it. I wasn't surprised when he went home after we got to Paris. He also told me that when he got home, he'd stay a few weeks and then possibly go to the Pacific. What a decision this must have been for him to make. It's OK for those who like to fight, but for a man who fears war, it's not. But as it must to every infantryman if he stays with it long enough, death came to Ernie Pyle. All the men who knew and sincerely loved him mourn his going. They have lost a friend and a spokesman. My love, John Dear Dad, May 2, 1945, Germany As I've told you before, I've been corresponding with four or five female acquaintances rather regularly for some months. Of late I've noticed that they are suffering from acute cases of loneliness. But now this has taken another turn. Two now have intimated very strongly that this has turned to a loneliness for me. One of the girls wrote to me in a letter, "At first I was disappointed at your letters, an affectation of style and philosophy, but that was long ago.... (Now) a man has emerged." Love, John Although my letters home during April were primarily concerned with myself and my reaction to the German people, I was not unaware that the war was finally drawing to an end. Before going into this, however, I want to tell you about two events which took place during April. They were our capture of Ellwangen, a town in southern Germany, and my visit to a death camp near Landsberg.