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FRENCH CHECK DRIVE, GERMANS SWING TO WEST TOWARD THE CHANNEL PORTS; CAPTURE ANTWERP (5/19/40)
Microfiche-New York Times archives, McHenry Library, U.C. Santa Cruz | 5/19/40 | G.H. Archambault, Harold Denny, George Axelsson, Robert P. Post, P.J. Philip, H. Taylor Henry

Posted on 05/19/2010 4:51:12 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson

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TOPICS: History
KEYWORDS: milhist; realtime; worldwarii
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
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To: Homer_J_Simpson

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/19.htm

May 19th, 1940

UNITED KINGDOM: RAF Bomber Command: 4 Group (Whitley). Bombing - oil targets at Gelsenkirchen and Dorsten. 58 Sqn. Six aircraft. All bombed from low-level (2 - 8,000 feet). Severe opposition. 77 Sqn. Two aircraft. Both bombed, one badly damaged by Flak. 102 Sqn. Four aircraft. Extremely severe opposition, one FTR.

Churchill makes his first broadcast as Prime Minister, calling Nazism “the foulest and most soul-destroying tyranny that has ever darkened and stained the pages of history.”

NORWEGIAN CAMPAIGN: (Mark Horan) At 0800 the three carriers were at position 70.27N, 15.47E, but weather conditions were such that no operations could be flown on this date. At 1115 word arrived that Bardufoss would be ready to receive the Gladiators of 263 Squadron on HMS Furious on 22 May, while Skaanland landing ground would not be ready for 46 Squadrons Hurricanes on HMS Glorious until 26 May.

On her first patrol, U-122 transported material to Trondheim during the Norwegian campaign - one 88-mm Flak with ammunition, some bombs, 90 cbm (some 750 barrels) fuel for aircraft and motor oil. (Dave Shirlaw)

Western Front: RN: W class Destroyer HMS Whitley is bombed two miles off Nieuport on the Belgian Coast at 51 11N, 02 40E. After sustaining severe bomb damage she is beached off Nieuport and destroyed by gunfire on the same day from HMS KEITH. (Alex Gordon)(108)

The Wehrmacht High Command announced:

The Luftwaffe has effectively supported the Army advance. Its main stress has continued to be on the enemy’s rear communications, traffic installations and paths of retreat. Bombs dropped on several airfields destroyed hangars, repair sheds and aircraft on the ground.

FRANCE: The German Panzers halt near Pervine and St. Quentein. Rommel’s 7th Panzer division is near Arras.

The first discussions between London and the field commanders about possible evacuation from France occur today.

The Germans today have a pause and re-organisation. Because of this, “enemy pressure against us was not very strong”, as Billotte declared in the afternoon to Georges, and his armies carried out the withdrawal decided upon the day before without much difficulty. The Belgian Army took up positions on the canal at Terneuzen (between Terneuzen and Ghent) and on the Escaut as far as Audenarde. The British Army withdrew to the Escaut between Audendarde and the French frontier (Maulde), and the First Army to the Escaut at Conde, Valenciennes and Bouchain.

Further, on the extreme right of No. 1 Army Group, the British formed a hooked defence line facing south, in the triangle formed by Arras, Doullens, and Saint-Pol, to protect their lines of communication. The mechanised divisions of the French Cavalry Corps were ordered to re-group on the right flank of the BEF in the Arras-Douai area.

The only French offensive action is an attack by 4 Armoured Div., towards the Serre, 9 miles to the north. Colonel de Gaulle started the action at dawn with the intention of seizing the bridges at Pouilly, Crecy, and Mortiers, and cutting the Germans route to La Fere.

Meeting no opposition at first, the armoured division only came to grips with the Germans at the Serre, the crossings of which were heavily defended by Germans, supported by heavy artillery. Without infantry and sufficient artillery, the division was incapable of forcing a crossing.

GERMANY: U-357 laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)

U.S.A.: Roosevelts replies to Churchill’s request for help. He says that the loan or gift of destroyers would have to be approved by Congress and the time was not opportune.

With respect to Churchill’s other requests, he would facilitate to the utmost the Allied Governments receiving the latest United States equipment.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: MS Erik Frisell sunk by U-37 at 57.25N, 09.15W . (Dave Shirlaw)


21 posted on 05/19/2010 6:20:30 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson ("Every nation has the government that it deserves." - Joseph de Maistre (1753-1821))
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To: PzLdr; All

Interesting note for 19 May, 1940.

Erwin Rommel and a thrown-together battlegroup of his 7th Panzer (the Recon Batt. and whoever could keep up with him.), captured Cambrai on the afternoon of the 18th, and paused for the night at a town called Marquion, across the river from Arras, where french units are trying to rally.

He is so far ahead of his Headquarters and the unmotorized parts of his Division, which is still in Belgium, that his staff writes him off as dead or captured, and makes no attempt to resupply his group.

They salvage fuel and food from around Cambrai, and move forward to almost the outskirts of Arras, throwing the French Command in to dissarray. They had no idea the Germans were so close.

Meanwhile, the other divisions are sweeping past Arras to the south, and heading for the sea.


22 posted on 05/19/2010 6:22:35 AM PDT by tcrlaf (Obama White House=Tammany Hall on the National Mall)
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To: GeronL

It was a World War I era design but a long barrel 75 MM was probably the most powerful gun fitted onto a tank at that time.


23 posted on 05/19/2010 6:23:26 AM PDT by C19fan
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To: tcrlaf

24 posted on 05/19/2010 6:24:59 AM PDT by tcrlaf (Obama White House=Tammany Hall on the National Mall)
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To: Homer_J_Simpson

http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/

Day 262 May 19, 1940

At 6.31 AM, U-37 sinks Swedish MV Erik Frisell off Scotland. All 34 crew abandon ship and are picked up by the British armed trawler HMS Cobbers and landed at Stornoway. http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/320.html

While Rommel waits at Cambrai to regroup his troops and repair his tanks, Guderian resumes his charge through St. Quentin to Péronne, only 50 miles from the French coast. The Panzers are beyond the French defensive line and advance rapidly, capturing supply dumps and disrupting Allied rearguard areas. They cut the supply lines of the British Expeditionary Force and French Armies trapped in Belgium, further disorganizing their resistance. BEF commander General Lord Gort ignores orders to attack South into the German flanks and instead considers a withdrawal to the Channel ports, including Dunkirk. Colonel De Gaulle’s French 4th Armoured Division attempts another failed attack on Guderian’s flank at Montcornet.

The RAF has lost over half the aircraft deployed to France & Belgium and the German advance now threatens its airfields. Squadrons begin returning to Britain. Future fighter operations over France will be carried out from bases in southern England.


25 posted on 05/19/2010 6:26:46 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson ("Every nation has the government that it deserves." - Joseph de Maistre (1753-1821))
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To: C19fan

Maybe it was because there were three of them at a time, coming at you fast. I would think they would “look” like they were 80 tons.

Of course if they were coming at me, I wouldn’t see them. I don’t have eyes in the back of my head.


26 posted on 05/19/2010 6:26:55 AM PDT by Vermont Lt (This nation, of the people, by the people, and for the people has perished from the land.)
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To: Homer_J_Simpson

I love the maps. I would sit as a kid and just read the Atlas, looking for the names of places I heard on the news or read in books. It is a shame there is not more of that for our kids today. They have no sense of geography, or the history of “places.” It is so important.


27 posted on 05/19/2010 6:29:02 AM PDT by Vermont Lt (This nation, of the people, by the people, and for the people has perished from the land.)
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To: Homer_J_Simpson

Re: Norway and the British carriers. Wonder if SCHARNHORST and GNIESENAU have completed repairs and started firing up their boilers.


28 posted on 05/19/2010 6:30:26 AM PDT by PzLdr ("The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am" - Darth Vader)
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To: Larry381
How does one actually gain access to these archives?

Drive to University of California at Santa Cruz. Park in lot nearest McHenry Library. Hike to building. Proceed to microfiche area on first floor. Locate cabinet with desired publication and dates. Remove selected reels. Turn on microfiche reader. Load reel. Access achieved.

29 posted on 05/19/2010 6:59:26 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson ("Every nation has the government that it deserves." - Joseph de Maistre (1753-1821))
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To: Homer_J_Simpson

Sounds unpossible.


30 posted on 05/19/2010 7:01:38 AM PDT by GeronL (Political Correctness Kills)
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To: Homer_J_Simpson

I found it ironic that the Gamelin article refers to the breakthrough at Sedan as “the battle of the bulge”. Also notice that they mention Gamelin’s escape from the German’s in the World War I. This will not be his last escape from German custody.

It looks like Daladier has been pretty much cycled out of action. Not surprising considering the Reynaud and Daladier could not agree on overall strategy. I’m not sure that bringing Petain in will fix things though. I seem to remember that he was brought in during The Great War after French troops basically went on strike and refused to return to their trenches (imagine if the German’s had known this). Petain took over for Nivelle and immediate took up a defensive strategy for the French lines. Defense is what they have been doing up to this point and it’s not working.


31 posted on 05/19/2010 10:07:27 AM PDT by CougarGA7 (In order to dream of the future, we need to remember the past. - Bartov)
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To: Homer_J_Simpson
Today Prime Minister Winston Churchill gives his first official speech.

BBC - Winston Churchill's First Speech as Prime Minister

I speak to you for the first time as Prime Minister in a solemn hour for the life of our country, of our empire, of our allies, and, above all, of the cause of Freedom. A tremendous battle is raging in France and Flanders. The Germans, by a remarkable combination of air bombing and heavily armored tanks, have broken through the French defenses north of the Maginot Line, and strong columns of their armored vehicles are ravaging the open country, which for the first day or two was without defenders. They have penetrated deeply and spread alarm and confusion in their track. Behind them there are now appearing infantry in lorries, and behind them, again, the large masses are moving forward. The re-groupment of the French armies to make head against, and also to strike at, this intruding wedge has been proceeding for several days, largely assisted by the magnificent efforts of the Royal Air Force.

We must not allow ourselves to be intimidated by the presence of these armored vehicles in unexpected places behind our lines. If they are behind our Front, the French are also at many points fighting actively behind theirs. Both sides are therefore in an extremely dangerous position. And if the French Army, and our own Army, are well handled, as I believe they will be; if the French retain that genius for recovery and counter-attack for which they have so long been famous; and if the British Army shows the dogged endurance and solid fighting power of which there have been so many examples in the past -- then a sudden transformation of the scene might spring into being.

It would be foolish, however, to disguise the gravity of the hour. It would be still more foolish to lose heart and courage or to suppose that well-trained, well-equipped armies numbering three or four millions of men can be overcome in the space of a few weeks, or even months, by a scoop, or raid of mechanized vehicles, however formidable. We may look with confidence to the stabilization of the Front in France, and to the general engagement of the masses, which will enable the qualities of the French and British soldiers to be matched squarely against those of their adversaries. For myself, I have invincible confidence in the French Army and its leaders. Only a very small part of that splendid Army has yet been heavily engaged; and only a very small part of France has yet been invaded. There is a good evidence to show that practically the whole of the specialized and mechanized forces of the enemy have been already thrown into the battle; and we know that very heavy losses have been inflict upon them. No officer or man, no brigade or division, which grapples at close quarters with the enemy, wherever encountered, can fail to make a worthy contribution to the general result. the Armies must cast away the idea of resisting attacks behind concrete lines or natural obstacles, and must realize that mastery can only be regained by furious and unrelenting assault. And this spirit must not only animate the High Command, but must inspire every fighting man.

In the air -- often at serious odds, often at odds, hitherto thought overwhelming -- we have been clawing down three or four to one of our enemies; and the relative balance of the British and German Air Forces is now considerably more favorable to us than at the beginning of the battle. In cutting down the German bombers, we are fighting our own battle as well as that of France. My confidence in our ability to fight it out to the finish with the German Air Force has been strengthened by the fierce encounters which have taken place and are taking place. At the same time, our heavy bombers are striking nightly at the tap-root of German mechanized power, and have already inflicted serious damage upon the oil refineries on which the Nazi effort to dominate the world directly depends.

We must expect that as soon as stability is reached on the Western Front, the bulk of that hideous apparatus of aggression which gashed Holland into ruin and slavery in a few days will be turned upon us. I am sure I speak for all when I say we are ready to face it; to endure it; and to retaliate against it -- to any extent that the unwritten laws of war permit. There will be many men and many women in this Island who when the ordeal comes upon them, as come it will, will feel comfort, and even a pride, that they are sharing the perils of our lads at the Front -- soldiers, sailors and airmen, God bless them -- and are drawing away from them a part at least of the onslaught they have to bear. Is not this the appointed time for all to make the utmost exertions in their power? If the battle is to be won, we must provide our men with ever-increasing quantities of the weapons and ammunition they need. We must have, and have quickly, more aeroplanes, more tanks, more shells, more guns.Tthere is imperious need for these vital munitions. They increase our strength against the powerfully armed enemy. They replace the wastage of the obstinate struggle; and the knowledge that wastage will speedily be replaced enables us to draw more readily upon our reserves and throw them in now that everything counts so much.

Our task is not only to win the battle - but to win the war. After this battle in France abates its force, there will come the battle for our Island -- for all that Britain is, and all that Britain means. That will be the struggle. In that supreme emergency we shall not hesitate to take every step, even the most drastic, to call forth from our people the last ounce and the last inch of effort of which they are capable. The interests of property, the hours of labor, are nothing compared with the struggle of life and honor, for right and freedom, to which we have vowed ourselves.

I have received from the Chiefs of the French Republic, and in particular form its indomitable Prime Minister, M. Reynaud, the most sacred pledges that whatever happens they will fight to the end, be it bitter or be it glorious. Nay, if we fight to the end, it can only be glorious.

Having received His Majesty's commission, I have formed an Administration of men and women of every Party and of almost every point of view. We have differed and quarreled in the past; but now one bond unites us all -- to wage war until victory is won, and never to surrender ourselves to servitude and shame, whatever the cost and the agony may be. this is one of the most awe-striking periods in the long history of France and Britain. It is also beyond doubt the most sublime. Side by side, unaided except by their kith and kin in the great Dominions and by the wide empires which rest beneath their shield - side by side, the British and French peoples have advanced to rescue not only Europe but mankind from the foulest and most soul-destroying tyranny which has ever darkened and stained the pages of history. Behind them - behind us- behind the Armies and Fleets of Britain and France - gather a group of shattered States and bludgeoned races: the Czechs, the Poles, the Norwegians, the Danes, the Dutch, the Belgians - upon all of whom the long night of barbarism will descend, unbroken even by a star of hope, unless we conquer, as conquer we must; as conquer we shall.

Today is Trinity Sunday. Centuries ago words were written to be a call and a spur to the faithful servants of Truth and Justice: "Arm yourselves, and be ye men of valour, and be in readiness for the conflict; for it is better for us to perish in battle than to look upon the outrage of our nation and our altar. As the Will of God is in Heaven, even so let it be."

32 posted on 05/19/2010 10:10:16 AM PDT by CougarGA7 (In order to dream of the future, we need to remember the past. - Bartov)
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To: Homer_J_Simpson
Today also marks the end of the Katyn Massacre that had started the beginning of last month.

By this point in the Soviet occupation of Eastern Poland the list of killed included:

1 Admiral
2 Generals
24 Colonels
79 Lieutenant Colonels
258 Majors
654 Captains
17 Naval Captains
3,420 NCOs
7 Chaplains
3 Landowners (It's a Bolshevism thing)
1 Prince
43 Officials
85 Privates
131 Refugees

This was a pretty major slaughter and usually a forgotten one that is faded by the German atrocities that have begun on a small scale, and are soon to reach astounding levels of depravity. There is a pretty good article on the massacre on the WW2 Database - Katyn Massacre and Related Atrocities

As to the Prince listed, I believe that is Prince Hubert Lubomirska who was actually killed by the Soviets last December. I think I posted this back then, but here is an account of the event by his daughter who witnessed the event.

Young student Wanda Lubomirska describes the Soviet invasion as witnessed by her at the family estate at Aleksandrja. The following is an excerpt from her brochure of recollections "Karmazynowy Reportaz" (London 1946). It illustrates the Soviets' initial objective of "liberating" the peasantry from the "yoke of the Polish landlord," the victim in this case being Wanda's father, Prince Hubert Lubomirski.

"This summer, as always, I spent at our estate in Wolyn, at Aleksandrja near Rowno. On the 14th of August came the mobilization. At 5 o'clock in the morning my father woke me up: 'Say goodbye to the horses,' he said. 'They've been requisitioned by the army.' This was the first sign of war for me. It was difficult to part with the horses, expecially Sybila and Saliga.

From the 3rd to the 15th of September I worked as an orderly in the hospital at Rowno. After it was destroyed by German bombardment, I found plenty of work to keep me busy at home. Swarms of neighbours from near and far as well as many refugees descended upon our home.

On the 17th of September, a number of our soldiers were still quartered with us. My parents rode to Rowno, returning after a couple hours, and said: 'The Soviets are approaching but as... friends. The mayor of Rowno is maintaining calm and advising everyone to sit quietly at home. These are not the same people, the mayor has asserted. They have changed.

On the afternoon of the 17th, the Bolsheviks entered Rowno. We are cut off and cannot even use the phone. We are very worried about our uncle who stayed in Rowno with his family. The stable boys keep popping into the house. 'The prince should leave,' they shout. 'We'll saddle the horses. The car is ready.' My father did not move. 'Whoever wants to,' he said 'may leave. I'm staying.' He did not want to leave his home and the land, which he loved. The Polish soldiers left our estate and my brothers went with them. In the town of Aleksandrja all is in a mess. The Jews have taken over the duties of the constabulary. The regular policemen have been disarmed. The civic government is no longer functioning. Chaos! Now and then one hears shots. We are sitting at home, the five of us; my parents, my sister, my youngest brother and I. At 8 o'clock we eat dinner, as usual, in the dining room.

Suddenly, the stable-boy Andrew enters and says: 'This is the last chance for you to leave. The Bolsheviks are almost here.' Our hearts sank. In came the servants, the carpenter, the chauffeur and they all implored us loudly: 'Get out of here!' They're Ukrainians! I look at mother, very pale. My father is also pale, but calm, putting up a patient front. Near the chimney, a couple of refugees are sitting. The light is fading as night falls. There is a strange silence broken only occassionally by noises from outside. We hear footsteps. My hands squeeze into fists. They're coming. In come a couple of Bolsheviks. My father stood up and so did I, automatically. An officer asks our staff, in Russian:

'What kind of landlord is this one?'
'A good one!' they reply
'Has he ever done you wrong?'
'Never!' they replied in unison.

My father had always been greatly loved, respected and revered by his staff due to his kindness, piousness and fairness. I also loved him greatly. They listened for a moment to a Polish radio broadcast, which had been playing in the background, saying that all is well, that we are fighting and that we are fighting the Germans. They confiscated the set immediately.

'Do you have any weapons?' they asked my father.
'Yes, in the cabinet' was his response.
'Go!' ordered the Bolshevik

My father led the way, followed by a crowd, with me at the rear. They looked through the cabinet and took a hunting knive for boar, two Austrian style rifles and a few other firearms and cartridges.

'Do you enjoy hunting?' they asked my father.
'Yes!' was his emphatic answer.

They left behind a sporting rifle, one of the Austrian rifles and some cartidges. I simply did not understand why they left those behind. Today I feel that it must have been a trick, a set-up. At the time it made no sense. We returned to the dining room and talked with some relief in our voices while papa relaxed his patient front.

Half an hour later we could hear some shouting in the next room. Suddendly a Soviet officer, probably of the NKWD, entered the room followed by a group of Bolsheviks. One Bolshevik, fat, with a face like an animal and cold, ugly eyes. To this day I can see him.

'Where is the prince!' he yelled.
'Here' said my father as he stood up.

The Bolshevik handed a rifle to one of the staff and ordered him to shoot my father. The boy declined so the Bolshevik handed the rifle to a second who also declined. The fat brute reeled in anger. He looked around the room and said to papa:

'Give me 100 zlotys.'
Father calmly removed the money and gave it to him.
'Give me more!'
'I'll have to go to the cabinet. The money is in a cash-box' replied my father.
'Go' ordered the gruff, disgusting and drunken voice.

My father led with the Bolsheviks in tow. In the traffic I somehow lost my mother and the others. I found myslef in the midst of the loud, gesticulating crowd. Finally I made it to the cabinet. I can hear the voice of the officer rising and I feel that all is not well. My father responds calmly. I can see him. He is holding a rosary in his hands. I am standing in the hallway, by the door, leaning on the wall when I suddenly hear shots... one... then another. My heart stopped. Sudden silence. One can hear only the shuffle of legs leaving. They belong to the horrified staff. I know nothing and feel nothing. I do know only that papa... is dead. I saw it clearly, how he fell. The smell of alcohol woke me from my trance. I look up and see the animal face of that Bolshevik! Despair and anger overtook me.

'The Beast! What has he done!'

If only I had could get my hands on something! Instead I clung tightly to the wall and listened to the hoarse voice: 'Well and now what?' he asked me shamelessly as I felt the revolver barrel at my temple.

'I don't know. You're an idiot' I answered clearly and calmly.

It didn't matter anymore. Let him kill me, at least I will have peace and join papa. He made a disappointed and surprised face then lowered his revolver. He began to leave but at the doorway he spun around and raised his revolver once again, aiming at me. I waited. The shot came but the bullet missed my head by a mere two centimetres. 'What an idiot!' I thought to myself. 'He couldn't hit me?' I am full of contempt for him. He walked away, taking with him a most wonderful father and a most wonderful human being.

I can still hear his voice as he shouts orders to the Jewish militia: "Take them to the bridge and shoot them! ...'

(The militia took them instead to a shed, then released them after the Soviets had left the estate. The family was able to bury the prince before being evicted from their property. The prince's older brother in Rowno, Adam, was arrested and died in a local prison in 1940. )

I had copied this account from a website for the Katyn area to use in a discussion for a class I was taking on the Holocaust and have lost the link to the original site, so I apologize for that.

33 posted on 05/19/2010 11:14:54 AM PDT by CougarGA7 (In order to dream of the future, we need to remember the past. - Bartov)
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To: CougarGA7
"7 Chaplains"

The total of Christian clergy who died in the war is usually put around 3,000.

But somewhere I read there were actually more Catholic priests who died as chaplains in the German Army than were killed in Nazi concentration camps.
I didn't see the numbers, but am sure that being clergy was in no way a "safe" occupation, no matter which side they served.

34 posted on 05/19/2010 1:30:57 PM PDT by BroJoeK (a little historical perspective...)
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To: BroJoeK

There were plenty of clergy that were killed in the war. This is only in reference to those killed by the Soviets from the time of their occupation of Eastern Poland to today.

As for the Nazi’s there was no safe class to be in (well, maybe “fanatical Nazi” was the safest bet). Many of the clergy who wished to voice their protest against the current euthanasia program were very guarded about how they did so since it could mean getting shipped to a concentration camp if they did. It didn’t keep some of them like Reverend Fritz von Bodelschwingh from speaking up. In fact it was this month, sometime in May 1940 that Bodelschwingh took his case to Matthias Göring asking him to beg his cousin Hermann to put a stop to this program, or at least narrow its scope. Bodelschwingh worked with epileptics and wanted them excluded from the program.

Certainly many of Christians suffered the same fate as the Jews did based on the fact that they were simply non-Aryan.

In this case though, since the Soviets are the perpetrators, there is the class considerations that came into play too. The soldiers that were killed were done-in to reduce the threat of partisan activity, but from there there were many cases like what happened to the good Prince here where his only crime was being a successful land owner. Stalin was a murderous one himself, and at least up to this point he is still a potential enemy to the allies. We are still over a year away from our uneasy alliance with them.


35 posted on 05/19/2010 1:59:36 PM PDT by CougarGA7 (In order to dream of the future, we need to remember the past. - Bartov)
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To: CougarGA7

I believe in both World Wars, the French Army drafted both priests and ministers?


36 posted on 05/19/2010 2:08:59 PM PDT by investigateworld (Abortion Stops A Beating Heart)
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To: investigateworld

Anywhere there is death, you will want a priest or religious equivalent. It’s pretty natural for an army to have ministers in their ranks.


37 posted on 05/19/2010 2:23:47 PM PDT by CougarGA7 (In order to dream of the future, we need to remember the past. - Bartov)
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To: CougarGA7; BroJoeK
Photobucket "God is with us."
38 posted on 05/19/2010 7:31:17 PM PDT by henkster (A broken government does not merit full faith and credit.)
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To: PzLdr
Wonder if SCHARNHORST and GNIESENAU have completed repairs and started firing up their boilers.

And loading up with beans and bullets. Isn't that how the navy boys put it?

39 posted on 05/19/2010 9:37:16 PM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson ("Every nation has the government that it deserves." - Joseph de Maistre (1753-1821))
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To: henkster

Now my tired eyes that have been up this late working on a school project for my daughter read that as:

Got Mittens?

I’m going to bed.


40 posted on 05/20/2010 1:14:14 AM PDT by CougarGA7 (In order to dream of the future, we need to remember the past. - Bartov)
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