Allowed to keep shelling...

[Max Wünsche]

I read of heard somewhere that an american unit observed German artillery from across a river contiue to fire against the Russians... They did nothing to stop this...

has anyone else heard of this...?

[Simon H]

This certainly occurred during the German retreat to the Elbe in April '45, the Germans understandably wanted to surrender to the US Forces on the Western bank of the river but the Soviets were closing in from the East.

Also typical of the fighting and competition at this time was the respective Soviet Army commanders - Koniev and Zhukov trying to outdo one another - to such an extent that on several occasions the Russians shelled their own troops as neither was entirely sure where the other was!!!

That's war folks!

[PaulJ]

... an american unit observed German artillery from across a river contiue to fire against the Russians... They did nothing to stop this...

That's a good example of the sort of story that has to be treated with extreme caution.

The implication, I suppose, is that a US unit had it within their power to stop a German unit from killing Russians, and deliberately choose not to do so, in order to allow the Germans to continue killing Russians.

Aside from the obvious questions about who said this concerning exactly what units and what action, what does "did nothing to stop this" mean? Does it mean that some US unit observed some Germans, and that subsequently no artillery, air strikes or other action befell those Germans in a way that was clearly linked to the troops who first observed the target? If so, that's hardly remarkable. Availability of resources, decisions about where to concentrate resources, time-lines of response ... a thousand possible reasons for an alleged lack of response come immediately to mind.

This does sound like the sort of "urban legend" that circulates.

[German Born]

I read of heard somewhere that an american unit observed German artillery from across a river contiue to fire against the Russians... They did nothing to stop this...

has anyone else heard of this...?

Yes I saw this event on a documentary and after advancing Americans coming from one side and the Russians were coming from the opposite side the Americans allowed the Germans to fire at the advancing Russians. They did eventually stop the Germans from firing and took them prisoner.The impression I got for the Germans to do this was because of the fear of being captured by the Russians and tried to hold on until the Americans came because if they were to be captured and placed in a POW they would rather spend it in an American POW.Maybe somebody has another view on this?

[Cott Tiger]

Many American units quickly saw the Russians were a horrible evil. They had liberated a Paris that was relatively well fed and witht the buildings intact. They then liberated a Germany whcih they saw the Russians had raped, murdered, a drank there way straight across.

TS Allen

Not quite sure what you are getting at here, but I can hazard a guess.

I didn't realize American units liberated Germany from Soviet control. They did however liberate literally hundreds of villages atowns and citys across Europe that had been systematically destroyed and pillaged not to mention of course removed of all their Jewish inhabitants.

[Helmut Von Moltke]

Many American units quickly saw the Russians were a horrible evil. They had liberated a Paris that was relatively well fed and witht the buildings intact. They then liberated a Germany whcih they saw the Russians had raped, murdered, a drank there way straight across.

TS Allen

Not quite sure what you are getting at here, but I can hazard a guess.

I didn't realize American units liberated Germany from Soviet control. They did however liberate literally hundreds of villages atowns and citys across Europe that had been systematically destroyed and pillaged not to mention of course removed of all their Jewish inhabitants.

maybe Taylor was perhpas talking about places where the Red Army advanced and had to withdraw because of Yalta confrence boundaries, etc. just my 2 cents....

helmut

[sniper1shot]

Yes, Urban legends do start from somewhere.
I have READ only once of an account of a German unit being captured by Americans... then having to pull out. The Americans placed the Germans in the trucks...still armed and made it out through a Russian roadblock. Huge arguments and weapons being pointed but no one fired and the Russians let the American unit pass through to American lines with their German POW's

Like I said, I only read it.

[German Born]

Yes, Urban legends do start from somewhere.
I have READ only once of an account of a German unit being captured by Americans... then having to pull out. The Americans placed the Germans in the trucks...still armed and made it out through a Russian roadblock. Huge arguments and weapons being pointed but no one fired and the Russians let the American unit pass through to American lines with their German POW's

Like I said, I only read it.

Urban Legends are just that,urban legends....But this was Live footage real event real soldiers real bridge....I didn,t just read about it I saw it.German troops firing on the Russians until the American senior officer decided it was enough and told the germans to stop.Surely someone has this film somewhere.