JCSM Shareware Collection 1996 September

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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * THE WAR IS FINALLY OVER * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Viewed a half century later, the end of the war in Europe was a surrealistic tragedy. As April drew to a close, German resistance on the western front disintegrated. It continued, however, on the eastern front, in order to allow as many Germans as possible to escape Russian control. In the meantime, a weird drama unfolded in Berlin. In order to get in and out of Berlin, it was decided to convert a street in the Tiergarden, a wooded area west of the Brandenburger Gate, into a landing strip. At one point, this precipitated an argument in Hitler's bunker over whether it would be necessary to cut down a number of the trees! After some wrangling, Hitler ordered the trees be spared. This scene was not only absurd but ironic, since Berliners later cut down all the trees in the Tiergarden to keep warm. The Allies rejected an offer from Himmler to surrender German forces in the West but not in the East. Goering, who had left Berlin, enraged Hitler by offering to replace him. These spectacles were followed by a series of melodramatic events. Italians murdered Mussolini and his mistress Clara Petacci and left them hanging by their heels. Hitler, in a last minute display of domesticity, married his mistress Eva Braun. He proclaimed that the German people had failed him and appointed Admiral Doenitz his successor. He and Eva Braun then killed themselves on April 30, and their aides burned their bodies. The next day Goebbels and his wife killed their six children and themselves. With the world collapsing about him, Admiral Doenitz declared his intention to save the German people from Bolshevism. In his negotiations with Eisenhower he stalled for time, to permit as many Germans as possible to escape to the West. Eisenhower, in another controversial decision, ordered Patton not to take Prague. In the meantime, he negotiated surrender terms simultaneously with Allied capitals and the Germans. After a week of tension, the war finally officially ended on May 8. Fighting in the East continued for a short while but then ceased. Having fought Hitler's war, the German generals still expected mercy, if not from the Russians at least the western Allies. After signing the Act of Military Surrender, General Alfred Jodl, Chief of Staff of the Doenitz government, made a brief statement. Noting how much the Germans had suffered, he concluded, "In this hour, I can only express the hope that the victors will treat them with generosity." Eisenhower and other Allied officers appropriately greeted this statement with silence. Throughout this whole procedure and afterwards, none of the German generals or admirals showed any sign of remorse. The western allies were later generous to the German people, not because they were feeling charitable but out of fear of the Russians. This benevolence did not, however, extend to Jodl. After his trial at Nueremberg, he finished his days at the end of a rope. VE-DAY IN REGENSBURG With the end of the fighting, I breathed a great sigh of relief. May 8 found us in Regensburg, with the Danube on our doorstep. My reaction and that of those immediately around me was indicated by a letter home. Dear Folks, May 14, 1945, Germany It was inevitable that it should come, but many times it seemed very far away, and we tired of anticipating it. But, now, peace has come for a time to Europe. And we are all very happy indeed. This means an end to what for many of us has been long months of struggle and hardship. It is a reward richly gained. The manner in which the battle fell apart precluded any sudden feeling of hilarity for us. For weeks before the end it was plainly coming. The only question was the exact day and hour. Then, that arrived. The war in Europe is over. VE night was a quiet one. Everyone had one drink, and we went to bed. There may have been wild celebrating in the States and in places over here, but for the people who have fought the war and the Germans who have endured it, the end could never be a climax. For the first time in a year, I prayed. There was simply nothing else that seemed proper. But all that is behind now. New days lie ahead. This past is better if forgotten or only half-remembered. Real work faces us. The war is yet to be won, and meantime there is the readjustment to peace to be made here. Neither will be easy. For myself, I'm relaxing and having a good time. We are located just now on a very beautiful river. A mile away are forty nurses, who are likewise resting. It is quite natural, then, isn't it, that I take advantage of this? The object of my attentions just now is a Ruth Chastaine, from Massachusetts. Small, brunette, very attractive. We have very good times together. Just the other night the officers gave a party. We are billeted in a beautiful home - formerly that of a German general - and it was ideal for the affair. The lilacs are in bloom and they gave real atmosphere to the living room and dining room, the latter being used for dancing. We had punch and other drinks, a light dinner at 2200, dancing etc. It was really a very nice party, and everyone had a grand time. For many this was their first in a year. This is poorly written I know, but I just cannot settle down to letter writing just now. Love, John Soon after writing this letter, the 29th FA Battalion moved to Gunzenhausen, a small town south of Nuernberg, as an occupation force. Shortly after we arrived there, Tommy asked me to scout around and see how the Germans were reacting. In the course of my inquiries I came upon an elderly American woman who had spent the war there. I do not recall all she said, but one thing made a strong impression. "Captain, many people you will talk to here will tell you that they did not support Hitler. This is pure nonsense. As long as things were going well, they were enthusiastic about Naziism. It is only recently, when defeat became certain, that they changed their tune." Shortly after arriving in Gunzenhausen, I received a letter from my father saying that my mother was ill. There had been hints of this before, but I had pushed them aside. Even now I was unwilling to admit to myself that it might be serious. Hence, in a letter to my father I said, "I hope this letter finds my dear mother feeling better." Preoccupied with myself, I then turned to a long discussion of my chances of getting out of the Army. AN UNPLEASANT DUTY From time to time, I had served on military courts, as prosecutor, defender, or judge. None of these trials, however, involved serious crimes. In Gunzenhausen I was selected to defend an enlisted man in another unit against the charge of rape. As a result, I made a trip to interview the woman who had brought the charges, as well as witnesses. Dear Folks, May 25, 1945,Gunzenhausen, Germany Yesterday I took a trip to the south. A Mr. Lee, of the division judge advocate office, an interpreter, and I had to travel to a small village called Thanning, which is east of Wolfratshausen. It was concerning an alleged rape case. You see, I'm defense counsel for the accused. As one gets south of Munich, the Alps many miles to the south can be seen. They make a very beautiful sight. The interview with the German people was slow and tedious as they always are when you must use an interpreter. Such cases are always rather unpleasant and sordid. Sorry to hear that mother is still none too well. As you say, with summer coming on, things should improve. Oh, yes, I'm Special Service Officer now. My job includes recreation and athletics. As you can imagine, this keep me busy. We have movies about every three days. Then we fill in with shows, concerts etc. or nothing. Our swimming pool should be open in a day or so. Then when it warms up, we'll have something else to offer the men. Love, John The visit to a farm near Thanning was a chilling experience. While the alleged rape was taking place, there were a number of people in the room, including a man. He maintained that the soldier had threatened him with a gun. On the other hand, he went out of the house in the course of these events to milk the cows. Everyone agreed that the enlisted man had been drinking heavily. When I asked the woman who had brought the charges if she understood that the soldier could be condemned to death, she replied, "Yes, I know that. He should have thought of that before raping me." The court found the enlisted man guilty and sentenced him to fifteen years. The evidence against him was very strong, but I felt sorry for his wife and children in the US. When the trial ended, he turned to me, shook my hand, and thanked me for defending him. While I had done the best I could, it seemed to me improper to put an amateur like me up against a prosecutor who was a professional lawyer in such a serious case. That, however, was the system at that time. Since the war, it has been changed to provide professional attorneys for defendants. (In doing research for this book, I have learned that this man got off relatively lightly. According to a report of the Headquarters, Communications Zone European Theater of Operations, nineteen men were executed for rape between July 30, 1943 and February 25, 1945.) The question inevitably arose as to how firmly we would enforce the orders against fraternization. To expect the enlisted men to ignore the girls in the town was wishful thinking. Nothing was ever made explicit, but a solution emerged. There were woods near the town, and the battalion officers managed to stay out of them. These problems and our pleasant life had a short duration. In early June we received word that the 4th Division was returning to the US - on its way to the Pacific.