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Posted: 3/6/2021 8:07:14 PM EDT
Fred Smith has done some research on the US killing of enemy combatants after their surrender was accepted. My own research confirms it (I discuss it in three pages of my book) and Fred & I agree that it's universal. Every WW II belligerent is guilty of it and no one has clean hands. Not to condemn anyone who did it (except the SS), but under the stress of combat and ability to keep prisoners or set them free, the choice was pragmatic. Anyway, here is a link to Fred's collection of data:
https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/65329152/killing-after-combat |
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Posted: 3/6/2021 8:11:35 PM EDT
[#1]
Thanks for the info
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Posted: 3/6/2021 8:23:25 PM EDT
[#2]
I’m certain that sometimes it was pragmatic and other times it was just revenge.
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Posted: 3/6/2021 8:26:56 PM EDT
[#3]
I saw a story a few years ago about toward the end of the war.
The Germans would wait on the side of the road, blow away a tank with a panzerfaust, then surrender. After that happened a couple of times, we started shooting them as they surrendered. We were willing to do what was needed to fight the war back then. Now we're so..."human". |
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Posted: 3/6/2021 8:30:29 PM EDT
[#4]
War....
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Posted: 3/6/2021 9:06:36 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Ryan_Scott: I’m certain that sometimes it was pragmatic and other times it was just revenge. Like GD, both. |
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Posted: 3/6/2021 9:38:38 PM EDT
[#6]
Nowadays what do you do? Are you out of action until they can be handed over to a designated unit?
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Posted: 3/6/2021 10:08:21 PM EDT
[#7]
In Fred's research is the story of one Army nurse whose jeep was hailed by two Germans. They wanted to surrender to a woman b/c they figured they were less likely to be killed by a woman. She told them to get into the back and she and the driver took them as prisoners.
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Posted: 3/9/2021 3:18:16 PM EDT
[#8]
I had a neighbor who was a B-24 bombardier.
Two airmen from his group were captured and lynched by townspeople in some tiny rural burg in Germany. He said whenever possible they would save a bomb for that town on their return trip. |
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Posted: 3/9/2021 3:27:23 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Screechjet1: Two airmen from his group were captured and lynched by townspeople in some tiny rural burg in Germany. He said whenever possible they would save a bomb for that town on their return trip.  Any confirmed hits there? |
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AL, USA
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Posted: 3/9/2021 6:00:25 PM EDT
[Last Edit: aplomado]
[#10]
There's a story I heard second hand about my great uncle's service in Europe.
Shortly after he arrived, he was assigned to guard some German prisoners. Another American soldier shot them in front of him. I did not hear what happened to killer, if anything. |
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Posted: 3/9/2021 8:11:26 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Riter]
[#11]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Screechjet1: I had a neighbor who was a B-24 bombardier. Two airmen from his group were captured and lynched by townspeople in some tiny rural burg in Germany. He said whenever possible they would save a bomb for that town on their return trip. Good. I would too. BTW, how do they stop a bomb drop and save one for that burg? Second, how did they learn of the lynching? German newspaper, radio or newsreel picked up by intelligence? I read plenty of books where the airman wanted to be in the hands of the military instead of the townfolk I blame Goebbels and the Nazis who labeled our flyers as terrorfliegers. OK for the Luftwaffe to level Rotterdam, "blitz London" or incinerate Stalingrad (most of the area west of the industrialized section was housing fabricated of wood and that burnt w/in the first few bombings) but not OK for payback? |
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Posted: 3/9/2021 9:08:13 PM EDT
[Last Edit: KitBuilder]
[#12]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 4v50: Good. I would too. BTW, how do they stop a bomb drop and save one for that burg? Second, how did they learn of the lynching? German newspaper, radio or newsreel picked up by intelligence?  I had the same questions as you, so I'm glad you asked. I'm not knowledgeable regarding B24 bomb release mechanisms, but I found this video: https://www.facebook.com/B24Werribee/videos/356535998239962/ Looks like it would be possible to manually retain one to five bombs (5 was a whole section), or simply de-select from the total using the bombardier's quantity dial (which was part of the Norden bombsight setup for automatic electro-mechanical release). |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 3/19/2021 2:54:30 AM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Ryan_Scott: I’m certain that sometimes it was pragmatic and other times it was just revenge. It was fairly well understood by both sides that certain actions led to losing your right to quarter...for example snipers were almost universally executed out if hand. Machine gunners that fought until they ran out of ammo or were outflanked were also often refused surrender. SS were executed out if hand by some Allied units (the Canadians, of all people were notorious for this, although they had a pretty good reason). Also, by far the most likely time to be killed was during the actual surrender act or immediately after. Once the MPs had you it was exceptionally rare for the Allies to execute prisoners. Not so much for prisoners of the Germans. |
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Posted: 3/19/2021 3:04:05 AM EDT
[#14]
My Uncle was a WWII Combat Veteran, he said that after Malmedy, his unit never took another German POW. |
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Posted: 3/19/2021 4:59:05 AM EDT
[#15]
Capt. Miller let steamboat willie go.
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Posted: 3/19/2021 10:19:20 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Screechjet1]
[#16]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By KitBuilder: Might need to @Screechjet1 I had the same questions as you, so I'm glad you asked. I'm not knowledgeable regarding B24 bomb release mechanisms, but I found this video: https://www.facebook.com/B24Werribee/videos/356535998239962/ Looks like it would be possible to manually retain one to five bombs (5 was a whole section), or simply de-select from the total using the bombardier's quantity dial (which was part of the Norden bombsight setup for automatic electro-mechanical release). Honestly, I’ve had people tell me stuff that could be construed as war crimes and I would never ask how they did it. All were interested in telling me why. Some were frankly mercy killings, others terrible mistakes, others revenge. But all of these people were also what I’d consider good, decent men, carrying a burden from war they’d take to their graves. |
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Posted: 4/4/2021 3:51:43 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 4v50: Good. I would too. BTW, how do they stop a bomb drop and save one for that burg? Second, how did they learn of the lynching? German newspaper, radio or newsreel picked up by intelligence? I read plenty of books where the airman wanted to be in the hands of the military instead of the townfolk I blame Goebbels and the Nazis who labeled our flyers as terrorfliegers. OK for the Luftwaffe to level Rotterdam, "blitz London" or incinerate Stalingrad (most of the area west of the industrialized section was housing fabricated of wood and that burnt w/in the first few bombings) but not OK for payback? Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 4v50: Originally Posted By Screechjet1: I had a neighbor who was a B-24 bombardier. Two airmen from his group were captured and lynched by townspeople in some tiny rural burg in Germany. He said whenever possible they would save a bomb for that town on their return trip. Good. I would too. BTW, how do they stop a bomb drop and save one for that burg? Second, how did they learn of the lynching? German newspaper, radio or newsreel picked up by intelligence? I read plenty of books where the airman wanted to be in the hands of the military instead of the townfolk I blame Goebbels and the Nazis who labeled our flyers as terrorfliegers. OK for the Luftwaffe to level Rotterdam, "blitz London" or incinerate Stalingrad (most of the area west of the industrialized section was housing fabricated of wood and that burnt w/in the first few bombings) but not OK for payback? If some country was bombing us and we caught some of their downed pilots? |
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Posted: 4/4/2021 4:02:38 PM EDT
[#18]
I remember Stephen Ambrose said of around 2000 US WW2 veterans he interviewed, one third said they saw GIs shoot prisoners, but only two said they themselves shot prisoners.
I think this sort of thing was a lot more common than is known and while not pleasant it was just the way it was, especially when taking SS and after Malmedy. I suspect it is things like this that gave so many veterans the desire to not talk about their time in the service and the things that were done 'over there'. |
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Posted: 4/4/2021 4:33:26 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By GonvilleBromhead: I think this sort of thing was a lot more common than is known and while not pleasant it was just the way it was, especially when taking SS and after Malmedy. I suspect it is things like this that gave so many veterans the desire to not talk about their time in the service and the things that were done 'over there'. My grandfather didn't really talk about WWII, other than to occasionally say he saw a lot of men killed & wounded on those beaches. He served in the USN on an LST, and drove Higgins boats to most of the islands landed on from 44-45. The Japanese weren't really big on surrendering anyway, so he may have never seen an enemy POW. I agree that it likely was a fairly common occurrence in the ETO, Italy, etc. |
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Posted: 4/4/2021 8:59:39 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Freakinout: If some country was bombing us and we caught some of their downed pilots? I’d make the assumption to treat them as well as our guys who were POWs. |
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Posted: 4/4/2021 9:46:29 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By GonvilleBromhead: I remember Stephen Ambrose said of around 2000 US WW2 veterans he interviewed, one third said they saw GIs shoot prisoners, but only two said they themselves shot prisoners. I think this sort of thing was a lot more common than is known and while not pleasant it was just the way it was, especially when taking SS and after Malmedy. I suspect it is things like this that gave so many veterans the desire to not talk about their time in the service and the things that were done 'over there'. If I knew the POW's where going to sit out the war in the US midwest tending to their gardens while I had to continue fighting with a high probability of not making it back in one piece, I might be a little trigger happy. |
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Posted: 4/4/2021 10:59:06 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Screechjet1: I had a neighbor who was a B-24 bombardier. Two airmen from his group were captured and lynched by townspeople in some tiny rural burg in Germany. He said whenever possible they would save a bomb for that town on their return trip. Reminds me of a story when I was a kid. This Vet use to come visit my neighbor. He was a POW bomber crew member WWII. He said the Germans pulled all his teeth out as punishment for what he did. One tooth everyday. Ive never heard anyone with a story like that. I dont doubt that its not true. |
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Posted: 4/4/2021 11:41:28 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Tango: Reminds me of a story when I was a kid. This Vet use to come visit my neighbor. He was a POW bomber crew member WWII. He said the Germans pulled all his teeth out as punishment for what he did. One tooth everyday. Ive never heard anyone with a story like that. I dont doubt that its not true. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Tango: Originally Posted By Screechjet1: I had a neighbor who was a B-24 bombardier. Two airmen from his group were captured and lynched by townspeople in some tiny rural burg in Germany. He said whenever possible they would save a bomb for that town on their return trip. Reminds me of a story when I was a kid. This Vet use to come visit my neighbor. He was a POW bomber crew member WWII. He said the Germans pulled all his teeth out as punishment for what he did. One tooth everyday. Ive never heard anyone with a story like that. I dont doubt that its not true. I don’t think that ever happened... |
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Posted: 4/4/2021 11:50:36 PM EDT
[#24]
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Posted: 4/4/2021 11:52:13 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By QCMGR: I don’t think that ever happened... I dont know why he would make that up. He wasnt bragging about it. |
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Posted: 4/5/2021 12:01:17 AM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Tango: I dont know why he would make that up. He wasnt bragging about it. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Tango: Originally Posted By QCMGR: I don’t think that ever happened... I dont know why he would make that up. He wasnt bragging about it. Who knows, People make up all sorts of stuff. |
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Posted: 4/5/2021 9:40:48 AM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By QCMGR: Who knows, People make up all sorts of stuff. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By QCMGR: Originally Posted By Tango: Originally Posted By QCMGR: I don't think that ever happened... I dont know why he would make that up. He wasnt bragging about it. Who knows, People make up all sorts of stuff. If the teeth were removed while in captivity it's more likely they were pulled as a result of an initial trauma rlther than as systematic torture. There were guys who got a rifle butt to the mouth which would require tooth removal, but unless the guy was a spy in Gestapo custody I don't see a Luftwaffe or Heer POW facility taking the time to remove one tooth a day as torture. People tell tall tales all the time, and that story sure sounds better than they lost all their teeth because they never brushed or flossed... here we are decades later still talking about it. |
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Posted: 4/14/2021 8:38:19 PM EDT
[#28]
On pages 200-1 of The G. I. Journal of Sergeant Giles, it talks about Luxembourg familes that were slaughtered by the Germans. Their crime? They were too friendly with the Amis. "Two small childdren actually had their heads smashed in. Men were dismembered and shot. One pregnant woman had been cut open and left to die This scene was viewed by hundreds of GIs.
It filled the GIs with rage. The engineers bridged the river and the Germans were waiting on a hilltop with their machineguns. The infantry held back and the tanks went forward and shelled the Germans before overruning their foxholes. Prisoners were rounded up and those dressed in American clothes and boots were stripped practically naked and marched through the liberated town. They were then forced to go into the cellar to see the massacred civilians and "[f]rom there they were marched through the town into a wooded section, from whence shortly came the sounds of much shooting." |
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Posted: 4/15/2021 8:37:06 AM EDT
[#29]
A friend bought a Cossack sword from an elderly American veteran and got the story of how it was captured. In 1945 the GIs unit met up with the Russians. After a short celebration they parted ways. The Russians went into a German village and started raping the women. The Americans were alerted, went to the village and killed a battalion of drunk Russians. No report was made.
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Posted: 4/15/2021 9:01:47 AM EDT
[#30]
My grandfather was a combat medical in one of the MASH type field hospitals. He recalled wounded Germans occasionally being knifed in their sleep, and “nobody saw anything”. He said it was sad as the doctors did so much to patch them up, but the GIs recovering around them had easy access to get some revenge.
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Posted: 4/15/2021 9:13:06 AM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Freakinout: If some country was bombing us and we caught some of their downed pilots? I've actually given that some thought in the past. I'd take pictures if his face and any ID he wore (name tag, unit patches, etc). and hand him over to the local cops. Then I'd post the pics on 4Chan or Reddit or both and let "his people" know he was alive on that date. Whatever happens to him after that isn't my problem. Enemy or not the guy almost certainly has a family who'd want to know. |
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Posted: 4/15/2021 11:30:13 AM EDT
[#32]
Originally Posted By Ryan_Scott: A friend bought a Cossack sword from an elderly American veteran and got the story of how it was captured. In 1945 the GIs unit met up with the Russians. After a short celebration they parted ways. The Russians went into a German village and started raping the women. The Americans were alerted, went to the village and killed a battalion of drunk Russians. No report was made. Only an idiot would file a report on that. Read an account where a Soviet raped a German girl and the GI's protested to the Russian officer. The Officer lined up his men and had the girl ID the suspect. She pointed him out. The Soviet officer shot the perpetrator on the spot. Originally Posted By GrayGhost15: My grandfather was a combat medical in one of the MASH type field hospitals. He recalled wounded Germans occasionally being knifed in their sleep, and “nobody saw anything”. He said it was sad as the doctors did so much to patch them up, but the GIs recovering around them had easy access to get some revenge. Yikes. I read of an account where one German had killed several Americans before being wounded and captured. The sergeant was so pissed he hit the German in the face and the buttstock almost cut off the ear. The German went to the field hospital where the doctor patched him up. The GI was wounded shortly after that German was captured and found himself in the cot adjacent to the German. He told the surgeon who that German was and the Surgeon tapped on his temple and told the GI, "Tell the sergeant next time put a bullet here. We used a lof of plasma to save that guy." |
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TN, USA
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Posted: 4/15/2021 11:45:36 AM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By myitinaw: My Uncle was a WWII Combat Veteran, he said that after Malmedy, his unit never took another German POW. An in-law me a similar story, but about SS soldiers. The guy had unit citations that showed a lot of combat. |
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Posted: 5/19/2021 7:53:05 AM EDT
[#34]
My Uncle landed on Saipan and fought to take it, then remained to repair aircraft radios and electronics for the Air Force during the war. After a battle near the airfield they had a dozen or so Japanese prisoners loaded into the back of deuce and a half to take down to the prison area. He grabbed a Thompson and bandolier of mags and hopped in the cab and volunteered to to take them to the camp. The CO told him to get out of the truck, he was taking them no where. I don't know what he saw or happened but he hated the Japanese and would kill every one he saw over there. In this case they were safely delivered to the camp. Had the CO not seen what what going on they would have never made it. So yes, it could happen.
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Posted: 5/19/2021 9:06:02 AM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Freakinout: If some country was bombing us and we caught some of their downed pilots? |
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Posted: 5/19/2021 9:18:47 AM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By cosmo05: My Uncle landed on Saipan and fought to take it, then remained to repair aircraft radios and electronics for the Air Force during the war. After a battle near the airfield they had a dozen or so Japanese prisoners loaded into the back of deuce and a half to take down to the prison area. He grabbed a Thompson and bandolier of mags and hopped in the cab and volunteered to to take them to the camp. The CO told him to get out of the truck, he was taking them no where. I don't know what he saw or happened but he hated the Japanese and would kill every one he saw over there. In this case they were safely delivered to the camp. Had the CO not seen what what going on they would have never made it. So yes, it could happen. Granny was raised by a family after her mom died in childbirth and her dad was a man whore who left her with this family. So I have uncles/aunts/cousins and I have "uncles"/"aunts"/"cousins" (only kin because Granny said so). Several of them fought in WW2 and in the 2000s one of them was told he had cancer. He came home from the doctors, wrote a note about how he knew he'd never get into Heaven for the things he did during the war and blow his head off. I don't know if we can ever truly understand the 2 world wars and the effects it had on the people who fought it. They were indeed much stronger and sturdier stock than people to day are. |
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Posted: 5/19/2021 1:33:35 PM EDT
[Last Edit: cosmo05]
[#37]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Spiffums: I had a Great Uncle who wouldn't buy a Japanese made item of any kind because of what he saw/had done to him in WW2. One of this grandkids brought home a tuner car (Honda or Nissan whatever) and you never heard a better cussing than that kid got. We all learned new words that day as he was spitting and foaming at the mouth. He hated the Japanese till his dying day. Granny was raised by a family after her mom died in childbirth and her dad was a man whore who left her with this family. So I have uncles/aunts/cousins and I have "uncles"/"aunts"/"cousins" (only kin because Granny said so). Several of them fought in WW2 and in the 2000s one of them was told he had cancer. He came home from the doctors, wrote a note about how he knew he'd never get into Heaven for the things he did during the war and blow his head off. I don't know if we can ever truly understand the 2 world wars and the effects it had on the people who fought it. They were indeed much stronger and sturdier stock than people to day are. All pictures from Saipan. First image, dead Japanese in back of deuce and a half to be taken to burial spot, Uncle is top center.  Second Image, My Uncle Louie Mazzagatti from Crabtree PA.  Third image, Japanese dead after battle.  He survived and came home and opened an electronics store near his hometown. |
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Posted: 5/30/2021 10:00:24 PM EDT
[Last Edit: SrBenelli]
[#38]
Back in WW11, we'd firebomb an entire city to make a point....
....today, we pay an Afgan sheep herder $1000 because we accidentally offed one of his flock. We live in different times....  By the way, I'm currently reading "Fatal Crossroads" by Danny Parker. So far, an EXCELLENT book on Malmedy. |
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Posted: 5/30/2021 10:18:04 PM EDT
[#39]
Danny Parker's The Battle of the Bulge is an excellent book too. I'm citing it in the bibliography of my new book.
The Malmedy Massacre was just one of many killing of American PoWs by the Germans. A lot of Airborne guys were lined up and shot in Normandy. Our guys found them. In a lesser known incident in the Bulge, there was a massacre of eleven American black heavy artillery crew (333 Field Artillery) at Wereth too. |
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USA
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Posted: 6/6/2021 7:49:43 PM EDT
[#40]
Ive been on a german side audio book thing lately and the majority have been armor...only 1 ss...but they all said at some point in time Soviet soldiers were shot as prisoners...just how germans were shot also
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Posted: 6/6/2021 10:18:53 PM EDT
[#41]
Presently reading For the Motherland! For Stalin! and the author discusses the execution of prisoners. Sometimes it was not practical to take a prisoner Who escorts him to the rear? Who guards him? Not that execution is right, but it happened with all sides. No side is innocent.
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Posted: 6/6/2021 10:33:52 PM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 4v50: Presently reading For the Motherland! For Stalin! and the author discusses the execution of prisoners. Sometimes it was not practical to take a prisoner Who escorts him to the rear? Who guards him? Not that execution is right, but it happened with all sides. No side is innocent. Interestingly enough... the same reasons Peiper's personnel were given to not take prisoners... ...were ALSO given to US paratroopers jumping into Normandy. |
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IN, USA
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Posted: 6/15/2021 7:07:18 PM EDT
[#43]
I’ve only seen the video once, but it was of a US submarine that sank a German ship. The sub surfaced, then sailors started machine-gunning the survivors in the water, with some using Thompsons. Was pretty brutal to see the bullet impacts around the survivors.
Different times and philosophies. |
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Posted: 6/16/2021 7:02:33 PM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By NotMrWizard: I’ve only seen the video once, but it was of a US submarine that sank a German ship. The sub surfaced, then sailors started machine-gunning the survivors in the water, with some using Thompsons. Was pretty brutal to see the bullet impacts around the survivors. Different times and philosophies. German or Japanese? That sounds more like what would happen in the PTO rather than ETO. |
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Posted: 6/16/2021 8:54:27 PM EDT
[#45]
In 1985 I was a Buck Sergeant Infantry Team leader.
We were conducting Squad Ambush training with an emphasis on SSE and prisoner handling. Using Role players as OPFOR we would execute the ambush and assault forward through the OBJ and set security. Then my team would begin securing the prisoner and grabbing intel, weapons etc. Several repetitions into this and during SSE we got counterattacked. I was covering a prisoner while my guy was securing him. At the shots, I told my private to move and I fired a burst into the captive, "killing" him. "Apparently this is frowned on in this establishment " My CO at the time was a ring knocker and hauled me in, demanding to know why I'd murdered a prisoner. I told him simply that a surrender that can't be enforced doesn't have to be accepted. We had an unsecured enemy soldier in our perimeter while his buddies were attacking us. I hadda get it on. My Platoon Sergeant, First Sergeant and CSM(all Vietnam vets) looked at the Captain and said "He's 100% right" Privately they told me that the CO should have known that, but the role player's CO made a fuss. The best part of the incident was the look on the OPFOR face when I pulled the trigger. He actually screeched "You can't do that !" |
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Posted: 6/16/2021 9:09:46 PM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By myitinaw: My Uncle was a WWII Combat Veteran, he said that after Malmedy, his unit never took another German POW. My father said the same thing |
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Posted: 6/16/2021 10:18:20 PM EDT
[#47]
I was told by a vet that survived Iwo Jima that they didn't take prisoners. They couldn't as conditions were so bad they couldn't spare people to escort them back to the beach. He survived but was shot under his eye and the bullet exited behind his ear.He had serious health problems after returning. Rip Roy H.
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FL, USA
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Posted: 6/17/2021 9:53:49 AM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By redleg13a: German or Japanese? That sounds more like what would happen in the PTO rather than ETO. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By redleg13a: Originally Posted By NotMrWizard: I’ve only seen the video once, but it was of a US submarine that sank a German ship. The sub surfaced, then sailors started machine-gunning the survivors in the water, with some using Thompsons. Was pretty brutal to see the bullet impacts around the survivors. Different times and philosophies. German or Japanese? That sounds more like what would happen in the PTO rather than ETO. Japanese vessel - the Buyo Maru, sunk by the USS Wahoo on 26 January 1943. The ship was a transport (carrying PoWs, unknown to the Wahoo). After sinking that ship (and another), the Wahoo surfaced, reportedly to recharge her batteries, and encountered survivors in around 20 lifeboats. Of the approximately 1100 souls aboard the Buyo Maru, 195 Indian PoWs and 87 Japanese crew and escorting troops were killed, though it is unknown how many were killed as a result of the sinking itself vs the attack on the surface. Mike |
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Posted: 6/17/2021 10:00:10 AM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By GonvilleBromhead: I remember Stephen Ambrose said of around 2000 US WW2 veterans he interviewed, one third said they saw GIs shoot prisoners, but only two said they themselves shot prisoners. I think this sort of thing was a lot more common than is known and while not pleasant it was just the way it was, especially when taking SS and after Malmedy. I suspect it is things like this that gave so many veterans the desire to not talk about their time in the service and the things that were done 'over there'. Unfortunately veteran interviews are a ridiculously inaccurate primary source, especially 50 years later. |
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Posted: 6/20/2021 10:02:05 AM EDT
[#50]
Thomas Taylor's The Simple Sounds of Freedom about 506 PIR Joe Beyrle who was captured in Normandy, escaped a PoW camp and fought with the Russians tells of his return home with other former PoWs. They went to a stateside camp where German PoWs were serving food. It was steak, potatoes and all the trimmings. When the Germans refused some Americans seconds, one American noted some SS tattoos. A fight broke out and some Germans were killed with steak knives and food trays.
Not quite combat condition killing of PoWs, but something never reported in the local papers and quietly hushed up. See p309. |
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