World War II’s Strangest Battle: When Americans and Germans Fought Together

The Daily Beast ^ | 5/12/13

[Kartographer]

The most extraordinary things about this truly incredible tale of World War II are that it hasn’t been told before in English, and that it hasn’t already been made into a blockbuster Hollywood movie. Here are the basic facts: on 5 May 1945—five days after Hitler’s suicide—three Sherman tanks from the 23rd Tank Battalion of the U.S. 12th Armored Division under the command of Capt. John C. ‘Jack’ Lee Jr., liberated an Austrian castle called Schloss Itter in the Tyrol, a special prison that housed various French VIPs, including the ex-prime ministers Paul Reynaud and Eduard Daladier and former commanders-in-chief Generals Maxime Weygand and Paul Gamelin, amongst several others. Yet when the units of the veteran 17th Waffen-SS Panzer Grenadier Division arrived to recapture the castle and execute the prisoners, Lee’s beleaguered and outnumbered men were joined by anti-Nazi German soldiers of the Wehrmacht, as well as some of the extremely feisty wives and girlfriends of the (needless-to-say hitherto bickering) French VIPs, and together they fought off some of the best crack troops of the Third Reich.

[BigCinBigD]

Needs to be made!

[KoRn]

I really like what I’ve read of it so far! Of all of the History and Military Channel WWII shows I’ve watched, I can’t believe I haven’t heard about this!

[Nailbiter]

“Needs to be made!”

Never happen the good guys won

[Nailbiter]

for want of a comma

[Southack]

http://www.historynet.com/the-battle-for-castle-itter.htm

[njslim]

Why would Hollywood make such a film....?

Could not blame America as greedy imperialist war mongers....

[Kartographer]

Lee himself summed it up best. A few months before his death in January 1973, he was asked by a reporter in Norwich how he felt about the long-ago incident. Lee thought for a minute, then replied, “Well, it was just the damnedest thing.” - See more at: http://www.historynet.com/the-battle-for-castle-itter.htm#sthash.9Xf2kwEm.dpuf

[alfa6]

FYI

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[Sivad]

“Needs to be made.”

Fine. I say it’s right up Quentin Tarantino’s ally. The untold WWII
story which should be made into a feature film is the Los Banos
Raid. Over 2100 starving, mostly American civilians were rescued
from a Japanese prison camp on Luzon by a company of US
paratroopers (B Co511PIR/11th AB), 11th AB Recon, Filipino
guerillas and transported to safety across a very large body of
water on 23 Feb ‘45. All of the 150 prison guards were killed or
dispersed w/out losing a prisoner. The rescue took place 30 mi
behind Japanese lines as the battle for Manila raged. A force of
8K Japanese was camped w/in a 2hr march of Los Banos while
the rescue was taking place.

If you are thinking this is the subject of the movie The Great
Raid starring Benjamin Brat (?) a few years back then you would
be wrong. It received scant attention at the time because it
happened the same day as the raising of the US flag on Mt
Surabachi on Iwo Jima by US Marines.

[Tainan]

There has been a movie about this action. I hope someone will post the further info about it. It is one of the RANGER tribute films.

[trubolotta]

There are so many untold stories that unfortunately, I believe will remain untold since they contradict the anti-American narrative of the left. The ignorance of the under-40 crowd today regarding anything prior to their birth is profound. They have been denied knowledge of their heritage in public education and by the media because it does not suit the portrayal of America the left wants to take hold. It is a post-war crime perpetrated for the sake of a political agenda.

[MikeSteelBe]

The movie about the US Army Rangers rescuing the prisoners from the Cabanatuan Japanese POW camp is called “The Great Raid”.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0326905/?ref_=sr_1

[Northern Yankee]

Fascinating story.

[ken5050]

He expanded his article into a book...good for him..I just finished the book..excellent read..

[ken5050]

Hollywood would turn it into a small scale “Bridge at Remagen.” George Segal was SOOOOOOOOOOO miscast in that role..

[ArtDodger]

The Germans were a practical bunch. Once many of them realized the war was lost to their side, they looked for ways to ‘switch sides’ or get captured safely. Unlike the Japanese who fought to the death.

[Chainmail]

WW II ping!

[Resolute Conservative]

The Germans were mainly good folk who sat by and let their country be taken over by the fascist because they were complacent. They then were forced to do what “the country” was doing or be an enemy of their own state.

See any similarities with what is happening today?

[JCBreckenridge]

It’s good that you’ve written us all off as good-for-nothings. ;)