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Buchenau (suburb of Bruchsal) was destroyed by American artillery on February 2.[1]

Bruchsal itself was destroyed on March 1 by US bombers in retaliation for the killing of a pilot.[2]

French troops moved in in April 2. 600 rapes (Biddiscombe, non fraternisation)

We developed later a system known as the "Third Army War Memorial Project" by which we always fired a few salvoes into every town we approached, before even asking for surrender. The object of this was to let the inhabitants have something to show future Generations of Germans by way of proof that the third Army had passed that way. "War as I knew it" George Smith Patton,Paul Donal Harkins, p.294

In April 1945 General Eisenhower ordered that all partisans were to be shot. Contrary to Section IV of the Hague Convention of 1907, "The Laws and Customs of War on Land", the SHAEF "counter insurgency manual" included provisions for forced labour and hostage taking.

• At Seedorf north of Bremen UK forces randomly selected and burned 2 cottages on April 26 after villagers had hidden German bazookamen in their cellars.

4th Canadian was under command of General Chris Vokes that saw destruction of property as most effective reprisal policy against civilian resistance, even though he knew it violated Hague Rules, so he avoided written proclamations. (257, 258)

• At the town of Sogel the Canadian First Army evacuated the civilians from the city center whereupon it was systematically demolished. Civilians had harbored bazookamen and taken part in revolt against canadian troops on April 10. 5 Canadian soldiers died.

Mittelstein was the subject of Canadian 'punitive expedition' to be burned down, but was saved after only 3 houses had been burned down thanks to intervention by Canadian sapper unit intervention that said the population work at the sawmill was vital for the army. 258

Near Wilmershaven canadion soldier lost arm to booby trap, the houses of 3 suspects were rased with buldosers and heavy recovery tanks. 258

• In 1945, it is believed that Canadian forces set civilian houses and a church on fire in reprisal for the death of the unit's commanding officer in battle. Maj.-Gen. Christopher Vokes, commanding the 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division ordered the town to be destroyed. "We used the rubble to make traversable roads for our tanks," Vokes wrote later.Friesoythe, [3]
• Unless the citizens of the city of Stuppach within 3 hours produced the German officer that the U.S. forces believed was hiding there (or a good explanation) they were informed that: all male inhabitants would be shot, women and children expelled to the surrounding wilderness and the city razed.
• U.S. combat troops destroyed the town of Bruchsal, in retaliation for SS activities.
• At the city of Constance in the French occupation zone in mid-May 400 hostages were taken, two persons who resisted French orders had been shot, part of the city evacuated and threats were made to burn the evacuated part down.
• French forces expelled more than 25,000 civilians from their homes, "..bore a distict resemblance to the "wild expulsions" in eastern Germany. Some of them were then forced to clear minefields in Alsace.

May 15 inhabitants of six towns in jastetter tip deported for hiding army & ss straglers. 261 May 17 Most of island of Reichenau evacuated due to 'disloyal behaviour'. End of May most in Gailingen am Rheim expelled. Early June Weichs and Randen. Bavarian town Lindau. French troops frequently fired at. A 14 year old HY killed French officer May 23. Summarily executed, then collective punishment. within hours majority of population expelled to make room for french troops. French troops came from ships docked at lindau, and "freely looted the residential quarters of the town in the absence of its inhabitants". " 2Days later inhabitants allowed to return from wandering the countryside, reason Catholic and protestant ministers, and burgermeister begged for forgiveness, and also becauwse Swiss and American observers had been shocked, embarasing the French. 262,263

In a number of spots were shooting occured, such as in Markdorf and Reutlingen, the French seiced and killed hostages. 263, footnote 47

• Killing of hostages by the French took place amongst others in Markdorf and Reutlingen.
• The city of Lichtental was pillaged by the French.
• Jarmin was demolished by Soviet troops.
• At the town of Schivelbein all men were shot and all women and girls raped by Soviet troops.

At Markdorf and Reutlingen the French seized and killed hostages (263) Hillel, l'occupation francaise en allemagne, 236, hermann Tubingen 1945, 94, 96, Gorlitz, der zweite weltkrieg, 545. For firsthand account of a hostage, see Heck, the burdain of hilters legacy, 2. At Lichtenthal they sacked the town and pillaged or raped the population (263) Hillel, l'occupation francaise en allemagne, 85 In French sector Berlin, after pistols were stolen french gendarmes beat everyone in sight on streets, one of which hapened to be the burgermeister of tegel (263) fenner brockway, german diary (1946) 90-1

In 1948 American civil liberties union complained about the continued licensing restrictions and censurship regulations in western germany (265) 67

US authorities estimated several million firearms to have been hidden away, raids in us zone in july an nov 1945 uncovered 1,770 Germans with weapons. Made realisation of need for food imports. One mil gov off stated. "if they are hungry this winter, they'll dig up the guns and start shooting"(266) 70

Americans "engaged in summary executions, took hostages, and destroyed private property," 258 In spring 1945 3rd Army was given written orders to burn all houses containing SS franc tireurs.258

In northern Baden US combat troops destroyed town of Bruchsal, in response to unnamed alleged atrocity by SS. 259

In early April 1945 French army made organised attempt to whip up anti german ffeelings in its soldiers. Result was a "riot of pillage and rape once the troops rolled into southwestern Germany". Just as the Soviets, the French had to undertake severe measures to restore order. 259

At village of Krup a HJ boy killed Russian soldier raped his sister. Retaliation: 70 buildings burned, massacre of numerous civilians, boy forced to dig grave for self and parents, then all three shot. 270.

In Schivelbein a HJ with PF killed _Russian general. All local men shot, all women girls raped. 270.

Plieschnitz (upper silesia) 20 civilians executed retaliation for death soviet officer in skirmish.

In Berlin, according to Vatican report "Russian reprisals to certain reactions by the Werwolf were terrible. Using flame throwers the Russians destroyed entire blocks of houses causing the deaths of hundreds of the inhabitants" 271 footnote 98 (Kuby, the russians and berlin 238, Tittman to the secretary of state 15 oct 1945, enclosure state deppt. decimal file 1945-9, 740.00119 Control (Germany), RG 59, NA

In upper austria, scharding, hj captives were executed by americans and dumped in the Inn river 80.

According to Walter Goerlitz, at Treseburg a HJ boy killed US officer, a docen POWs were killed in retaliation p161

A Volksturm unit at Heiligthal tried to ambush US troops, but were betrayed bu german civilian. The Us was able to ambush them instead, but lost several tanks. They then took more than a hundred of the preisoners and executed them. Bodies then laid out in neat rows as warning to other partisans. p161 footnote 28

Ater entering Quedlinburg HJ shot american. They retreated an spent nifgt methodically shelling town, returning in morning warning that further "incudent" result in complete burbning of town. 162 fn 29

Near Ohrdurf civilian guerillas ambushed a 3rd army jeep with Col Robert Allen on April 7. "General Patton himself arranged for retaliation, noting in his diary that 'the town where [the attack] took place has been removed, together with, I hope, a number of the civilians. 167

Freudenstadt has been controversial, with allegations of being destroyed as retaliation for oradour. French deny this.

The French shot hostages at several locations, in one case as reprisal for an escape by German prisoners of war. p 177 footnote 83

In eraly Maj a german officer shot a us soldier in Fugen. In direkt retaliation, 20 wehrmacht men were lined up against a wall and shot. p 185 footnote 104.

In newly occupied Rohrbach a civilian killed 2 US soldiers. "a cryptic reference in the unit history of the 14th armoured division says that the formation 'cleaned that town out'" and leaves the rest to imagination. p 203 fn 11

Sudetenland, in village Totzau near Kaaden, in June 1945 czech authorities discovered weapons. Entire population was gathered, 20 men randomly selected to be beaten an then shot. p235,236

6 July explosion in Freudenthal. As a reprisal 20 prisoners in local Kz camo shot. 236

Huge massacre of Germans by czech at aussig p238, 239.

Eisenhower formally requested not to be made responsible for saving or controling the german public services. "and we feel we should not assume the responsibility for its support and control". fn3 The Brits were mortified fn4, but Ike got his wish, and policy was changed to JCS 1067. 252, 253

Taken by Force: Rape and American GIs in Europe during World War II. J Robert Lilly. ISBN 978-0-230-50647-3

p12. Estimated rapes Germany 11,040 France 3,620 p19 Despite evidence of systematic German rapes, noone was tried for rape at Nurember as "war crime under customary international law". However, in the Tokio tribunals it was prossecuted as a war crime. General Yamashita was executed, "found guilty of permitting rape". In 1946 war rape was made "crime against humanity".This was reinforced by IV GC article 27 and 147

US military haspeace time "rape differential". One study shows US air force rape only 5% of civilian rape rate. Army has almost 50%.

P29. Quotin Peter Schrijevers: "Rape became a large problem in the ETO only with the invasion of the Continent. A first big wave occured whoile the Americans broke out of Normady and rushed thorugh France in in August and September 1944. The scond wave was registered in March and April 1945, when American troops were swiftly conquering large parts of Germany. (ffotnote 75)

p115 Nazi repression: In late december 1944, almost 198 000 German men & women were in prison. footnote 49 (Forster Jurgen, et al, "Germany" in The Oxford Companion to World War II, 1995 p.460

p117. "white" soldiers comprise 49% of those convicted for rape in Germany. BOR/JAG up to sept 23 1945

P119, 120

Typical rape pattern, as described in JAG reviews: " The undisputed facts show that this case falls into the typical pattern of German rape cases" footnote 66 Descriotion of the case: "Two soldiers entered a home at night in a somewhat isolated section of town. The incident that prompted this responce occured in auerbach One of the two assailants was armed with a pistol when they proceded to the second floor where three wpomen were sleeping. One woman was the stepmother of the other two - they were sisters. The soldier armed with the pistol took one of the women, this time the stepmother, downstairs and locked the outside door. They raped the three women and left."

p120 A trend discussed by Jag was that rapes were often more brutal than in UK france. women beaten, raped in front of children, and other relatives or other witnesses. also increase in anal rape. HBO/JAG concluded "this trend reached a crescendo during the german phase"

p121. Marauders. By March 1945 a new pattern was evident, small groups of soldiers would tell others where to find the women they had already raped.

p124 who raped: 1/3 came from service units. In UK France they had accounted for 1/2.

p127 According to bor/jag records buddy rapes (more than one assailant) accounted for 36% of rapes.

p151 There is evidence that the US army was reluctant to charge its soldiers with rape.

p152 Reluctanse to charge soldiers is also found in language used. E.g. a March 14 brutal anal and vaginal attack on Mrs Anna K. aged 60, is refered to as "he pursued his desires".

p159 Although US soldiers were sentenced for rape in Germany to death, none were executed eventhough many were in France UK.

p161 Bacques book: published in 1989. Was subject to an unprecedented 3.5 page attack fully 3 months before it was published. Subject to 1990 international conference sponsored by the Eisenhower Center at University of New Orleans. Stephen Ambrose directed the Center at the time. 2 Years later he co-edited a volume of the conferences papers that claimed to assess Bacques troubling acertion by asserting that Bacque (1)misinterpreted documents accounting for disposition of German POWs, (2) Neglected important contradicting evidence (3), failed to take into account accute disruption of european economy and distribution networks, (4) ignored competing needs of millions of refugees, DPs and civilians (5) deployment of US resources to Pacific.

However, curiously, none of the contributors assessed whether Eisenhower had the power, influence, motivation, and resources necessary to effectuate Bacques thesis. "The failure to execute any US soldiers for raping German women would be consistent with Eisenhowers alleged hatred of Germans". In fairness to Eisenhower, many influential and powerful Americans went on record stating they wanted to see German military and citizens punished, with Roosevelt even stating he wanted to castrate them.

163 A possible explanation is that "the symbolic value of executing US soldiers for rapes in Germany was so low that they were in the end ignored"

"German soldiers who raped in France were punished harshly because they 'severely damaged the reputation of the Wehrmacht and the trust of the French population in it'"

References

Bibliography

• Biddiscombe, Perry (1998), Werwolf!: The History of the National Socialist Guerrilla Movement, 1944–1946, University of Toronto Press, p. 464, ISBN 978-0802008626