Posted on 03/25/2015 4:22:41 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
I’m thinking that the Hun is in a bit of trouble.
The disintegration is happening on the Eastern Front, too. Not surprised the Hungarians are finally throwing in the towel, but now it looks like the Germans realize the war is over, too. They don't want to fight but they aren't keen on surrendering to the Soviets either.
However, there is something even worse between the lines of this blurb. The Germans who have lost confidence aren't just the ordinary burned-regular army divisions. The report about collapsing morale comes from the four elite SS Panzer Divisions of 6th Panzer Army. They are finished with the war.
While it's easy to blame the whole war on Hitler (because he deserves it) it's pretty clear that from today onward, every death is senseless. And squarely the responsibility of Adolph Hitler, the one man who refuses to accept the reality known to everyone else in the world.
Just posted something on that.
The scientists realized they’d let the genie out of the bottle, and thought they could control it instead of the politicians. Noble, yet naive.
These maps will be interesting in the next week. The roof is about to cave in on the Germans in the west.
Keep posting them if you can.
I’ll try.
They’re really very clear and precise.
Free Republic University, Department of History presents The Cold War Plus 70 Years: Seminar and Discussion Forum
First session: September 3rd, 2015. Last date to add: December 31st, 2060
:-)
Reserve does not mean that they were not on active duty. The Navy consisted of the Regular Navy and Navy Reserve. I assume that the Marines had the same. The Army consisted of Regular Army, National Guard, and Army Reserve. More than 95% of the men in WWII were classified as Reserves.
The murder of Franz Oppenhoff by the SS. [March 25, 1945]
Background: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Oppenhoff
Operation Carnival
Oppenhoff was considered a traitor and a collaborationist by the Nazi regime, and his assassination, codenamed Unternehmen Karneval (”Operation Carnival”), was ordered by Heinrich Himmler, planned by SS Obergruppenführer Hans-Adolf Prützmann, and carried out by an assassination unit composed of four SS men and two members of the Hitler Youth.[3]
The unit was commanded by SS Untersturmführer Herbert Wenzel, who was a training officer at Prützmann’s Werwolf training facility at Hülchrath Castle; Wenzel arranged the necessary equipment and decided on methods. Unterscharführer (Sergeant) Josef Leitgeb, also a training officer at Hülchrath, was second-in-command. Ilse Hirsch, 23-year old, a Hauptgruppenführerin (Captain) in the BDM (League of German Girls) was supposed to provide supplies but turned out to play an important part in the operation. Wenzel also picked a Werwolf trainee from Hülchrath to accompany them, 16-year old Erich Morgenschweiss.[4] Two former members of the Border Patrol completed the team, to act as guides in the area around Aachen.[3]
The unit parachuted from a captured B-17 bomber into a Belgian forest on March 20, 1945. They killed a Belgian border guard at the frontier, then moved on to set up camp near the target. Hirsch became separated from the rest and made her own way to Aachen, where she contacted a friend in the BDM and discovered Oppenhoff’s whereabouts.
The rest of the unit arrived in Aachen on March 25. Wenzel, Leitgeb and one other confronted Oppenhoff on his own doorstep after he had been fetched from a party at his neighbours’ house. They pretended to be German pilots who were looking for the German lines. Oppenhoff tried to persuade them to surrender. Wenzel hesitated, and Leitgeib shouted “Heil Hitler” and shot Oppenhoff in the head. Just before a US patrol arrived to check the telephone line which Wenzel had previously cut, the three assassins scattered.[3]
While making their escape from the city, Hirsch activated a landmine which injured her and killed Leitgeb.
Following the war, the surviving members of the assassination squad, with the exception of Wenzel, were tracked down and arrested. At their trial in Aachen in October 1949, all were found guilty and sentenced to between one and four years in prison, and Hirsch and one other member were set free.
Leo Szilard thinks that the atomic bomb, still untested, is his invention and wants to dictate to FDR when and if it should be used.
WW2: Surrender of Military & Civilians in Engers and Germersh, Germany (March 25, 1945)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_drjQY6OEQ
Heh. Yeah.
A Japanese tank wedged between banks of solid earth was very difficult for US Marines to see or attack from the front, Iwo Jima, Mar 25, 1945.
American troops crossing the Rhine under fire at Sankt Goar, Germany.
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill looking over the Rhine River from the ruins of the west end of the bridge at Wesel, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, circa 25 Mar 1945
Hadrian glider flying in support of Operation Varsity against Wesel, Germany
Large group of German prisoners of war sitting together in a compound after being captured by the Western Allies, 25 Mar 1945
P-51D Mustangs of the 531st Fighter Squadron lined up at South Field, Iwo Jima, Mar 25, 1945
Winston Churchill and American generals on a balcony watching Allied vehicles crossing the Rhine River into Germany, 25 Mar 1945
Winston Churchill on the east bank of the Rhine River, south of Wesel, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, 25 Mar 1945
Thanks for the explanation. I had seen a similar refence in an obituary this morning which I thought was strange.
Hon. Donald W. Cushing, Sr., 90
. . .
Following high school, Donald completed naval training at Purdue University and honorably served his country in World War II and as a Lieutenant in the Naval Reserve. Donald was one of 13 children, nine of whom served in the War - a patriotic contribution which was recognized when his mother was honored with the privilege of christening a Navy ship.
He is listed here as Hon. because he was a probate judge in NH for 26 years.
There were 24 obits in my local newspaper today in a area that covers about 500,000 people. Half were men who died and half of those refence WW II service.
I checked out the map for the Ruhr campaign that goes forward to April 4. The roof is indeed about to cave in.
http://www.westpoint.edu/history/SiteAssets/SitePages/World%20War%20II%20Europe/WWIIEurope80.gif
Today’s map shows Patton has 4th Armored across the Rhine. Katy bar the door!
Thanks for that link. I might use the online maps instead of my copy and scan versions.
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