I’m feeling guilty, I must confess. Not.
Too bad the Russian Gulags couldn’t have been liberated and the commie apparatchiks get what they deserved.
My dad was with Patton’s army at that point in the war. He was in the artillery, but I recall him mentioning members of the SS being killed if they were at the camps.
We sit quietly while ISIS does the same today.
War crime my ass. They should have been given medals for service to humanity.
They could have just handed-out some guns to the prisoners, and let them take care of it. Problem solved.
“little was made of the episode”
And rightly so. It was a little episode.
I’ve been wondering how someone us ugly as Hitler could ever have thought himself genetically superior. Slightly off subject but just wondering.
These days our soldiers would be tried for war crimes for much less. Things are going down hill fast.
Some dandy general from the 42nd Div. and newspaper reporter tried to enter the camp and take over even though the 45th Div. already had the camp occupied and secure. He was also stirring up the inmates and opened the gates to them.
Sparks threw him out. He then tried to get court-martial charges against Sparks. In the meantime, 7th Army HQ had been shut down and the matter passed on to Gen. Patton as military governor. Here is Sparks' account of his interview with Patton:
The following morning I reported to General Patton's Chief of Staff and arranged for an appointment with the general that afternoon. At the appointed time, I reported to the general. He then said to me: "Colonel, I have some serious court-martial charges against you and some of your men here on my desk. " I replied that I had never been advised of any specific charges but that I would like to offer an explanation of the events that took place at Dachau. The general paused for a moment and then said: "There is no point in an explanation. I have already had these charges investigated, and they are a bunch of crap. I'm going to tear up these goddamn papers on you and your men." With a flourish, he tore up the papers lying in front of him and threw them in a wastebasket. He then said: "You have been a damn fine soldier. Now go home. " I saluted and left. The whole interview lasted perhaps three minutes. I then rejoined the regiment in Munich and heard nothing further about the matter.
The truth is those battle hardened men were furious at what they found and a very few lost control and shot some of the SS guards, approximately 30. Sparks quickly put a stop to it and restored order. There was no "war crime," although in today's wimpified Army they probably would have been sent to Leavenworth.
Sparks went on to a distinguished career as a Justice of the Colorado Supreme Court and Commanding General of the Colorado National Guard. I have personally heard his account of Dachau and he has never wavered in defense of his men and himself and shouldn't even have had to do that.
Good ole 45th Division. “ It was General George S. Patton, Jr. who said, “The 45th is one of the best, if not actually the best division in the history of American Arms.”
Bfl
Even back then some sympathized more with the perps than the victims.
Read the article.
My response: So what?
War is hell.
My father had a few stories about liberating the Italian POW camps. And how there was an understanding of how normal people react in abnormal situations.
Thirty odd years ago I saw some photos of the German prisoners being killed at the camp. Army photographers recorded it. The krauts were lined up in one long row and gunned down by tripod mounted air-cooled Browning machine guns. Can never understand why people just stand there and accept their murders instead of trying to at least run.
Also, I don’t think these were not the regular camp guards but unlucky dumbasses snagged into being guards when the real vermin scum had taken off.
I know what I'm saying is wrong - but THANK YOU AMERICAN SOLDIERS.... THANK YOU FOR KILLING THE MONSTERS.
They should have all gotten a silver star. Sometimes you can see something that is so horrible you just lose it.