То что эта история играет на руку отрицателям холлокоста ИМХО не свидетельствует о том что это не правда
То что это неправда свидетельствует тот факт, что нет _никаких_ документальных свидетельств убийства 500+ человек (более того, есть документы противоречащие этому, ибо байки про 500+ убийств упоминают что всех эсесовцев в лагере убили сразу, а это не так). Нет _никаких_ документальных свидетельств вытаскивания медсестр за волосы и их расстрела, или убийств солдат в санитарном поезде.
Стало быть вместо "неприятного факта, которые педалируется отрицателями Холокоста" мы имеем "пронацистскую ложь, которая педалируется отрицателями Холокоста" -- разница понятна, да? И эта ложь и впрямь педалируется "ревизионистами", в том числе и в рунете (ссылок давать не буду, нефиг им траффик генерировать). Цель оной лжи -- надавить на эмоции с помощью вымышленных преступлений американцев с "жареными" подробностями, тем самым попытаясь как бы слегка оправдав страдания заключенных, мол все стороны в той войне были зверями.
Ну и дабы оная тема не была только сборищем ревизионистских баек. Вот summary доклада расследования инцидента в Дахау, проведенного американской армией вскоре после указанных событий. Задокументировано тридцать убийств эсесовцев, ну и нет никаких "тасканий медсестр за волосы и их расстрела",
внезапно.
HEADQUARTERS SEVENTH ARMY
Office of the Inspector General, Seventh Army (CP)
APO 758, US Army
JMW/iw
8 June 1945
SECRET
SUBJECT: Investigation of Allied Mistreatment of German Guards at Dachau.
TO: Commanding General, Seventh Army (CP), APO 758, US Army.
I. AUTHORITY
1. This investigation was conducted by Lt. Colonel Joseph Whitaker, IGD, Assistant Inspector General, Seventh Army, pursuant to the directive of the Commanding General, Seventh Army, issued by the Chief of Staff 2 May 1945.
II SUBJECT MATTER
2. German guards at the Concentration Camp at Dachau, Germany, were alleged to have been mistreated at the hands of American troops, and such is the subject matter of this report (Exhibit "A")
III FACTS
(NOTE: Numbers in parenthesis at ends of paragraphs refer to supporting evidence, a list of which follows the last page of this report.)
3. The German Dachau Internment Camp was overrun 29 April 1945 by elements of the 3d Bn, 157th Infantry, 45th Infantry Division. A small party of the 42d Division also entered the area from the front at approximately the same time. (1)
4. At the entrance to the back area of the Dachau prison grounds, four German soldiers surrendered to Lt William P Walsh 0-414901, in command of Company "I" 157th Infantry. These prisoners Lt. Walsh ordered into a box car, where he personally shot them. Pvt Albert C. Pruitt, 34573708, Company "I", 157th Infantry, then climbed into the box car where these Germans were on the floor moaning and apparently still alive, and finished them off with his rifle. (2)
5. After entry into the Dachau Camp area, Lt Walsh segregated from surrendered prisoners of war those who were identified as SS Troops. (3)
6. Such segregated prisoners of war were marched into a separate enclosure, lined up against the wall and shot down by American troops, who were acting under the orders of Lt Walsh. A light machine gun, a BAR, carbines and either a pistol or a submachine gun were used. Seventeen of such prisoners of war were killed and others wounded. (4)
7. Lt Jack Bushyhead, 0-1284822, executive officer of Company "I" participated with Lt Walsh in the handling of SS men and during the course of the shooting personally fired his weapon at the prisoners.
8. Lt Daniel F Drain, 0-2006047, acting under the orders of Lt. Walsh, directed men under his command to set up the machine gun which was used, but did not personally fire or give orders to fire. (6)
9. Lt. Howard E. Buechner 0-435481, Battalion Surgeon, visited the area and saw the bodies after the shooting. He observed that some were still alive, but made no examination to determine whether or not their lives could be saved, and did nothing to aid them. (7)
10. Lt. Drain witnessed physical abuse of prisoners of war by released inmates of the Camp and did nothing to stop it. ( 8 )
11. After entry into the camp, personnel of the 42d division discovered the presence of guards, presumed to be SS men, in a tower to the left of the main gate of the inmate stockade. This tower was attacked by Tec 3 Henry J. Wells, 39271327, Headquarters Military Intelligence Services, ETO, covered and aided by a party under them by the guards in the tower. A number of Germans were taken prisoner; after they were taken and within a few feet of the tower from which they were taken, they were shot and killed. (9)
12. Considerable confusion exists in the testimony as to the particulars of this shooting; however Wells, German interrogator for the 222d Infantry, states that he had lined these Germans up in double rank preparatory to moving them out; that he saw no threatening gesture; but he shot into them after some other American soldiers, whose identities are unknown, started shooting them. (10)
13. Lt Colonel Fellenz was entering the door of the tower at the time of this shooting, took no part in it, and testified that he could not have stopped it. (11)
14. After the camp was taken and was somewhat settled down, two Germans were shot by inmates who used the service rifle of Pfc Peter J. Demarzo, 42175967, Company "L", 157th Infantry, 45th Division, who was then on guard duty. Although his company commander, Lt. Lawrence R. Steward, Jr, 0-1060658, was informed of such a happening, no investigation has been made in the company to determine the facts or whether or not such soldier or other members of the guard should receive disciplinary action. (12)
IV DISCUSSION
15. Troops entering this camp area passed the famous train with its cars of dead bodies. Inside the camp other indications of Nazi treatment were evident. The sight of these numerous victims would naturally produce strong mental reaction on the part of both officers and men. Such circumstances are extenuating, but are the only extenuating facts found. (13)
16. Lt Walsh testified that the SS men were segregated in order to properly guard them, and were then fired upon because they started moving towards the guards. However, the dead bodies were located along the wall against which they had been lined up, they were killed along the entire line, although Lt Walsh only claims those on one flank moved, and a number of witnesses testified that it was generally "understood" that these prisoners were to be shot when they were being segregated. These facts contradict the defensive explanation given by Lt Walsh (14)
17. The bodies of the dead Germans in two instances showed severed finger [sic], in other instances crushed skulls. There is no evidence that the SS men were mutilated before they were shot. When the Inspector viewed these bodies numerous inmates of the camp had access to yard and grounds where they were; it is probably that they had such access at all times subsequent to the liberation of the camp and possible that the crushed skulls and severed fingers observed by the Inspector resulted from visits of such persons after the shooting. (15)
18. It is obvious that the Americans present when the guards were shot at the tower labored under much excitement. However, Wells could speak German fluently, he knew no shots had been fired at him in his attack on the tower, he had these prisoners lined up, he saw no threatening gesture or act. It is felt that his shooting into them was entirely unwarranted the whole incident smacks of execution similar to the other incidents described in this report (16)
19. The Inspector was unable to identify other persons who also fired in this killing. The confusion of evidence surrounding the tower incident also extends to the number killed there, and the witnesses gave widely varying estimates. The Inspector counted six bodies in a group at the tower on 3 May 1945, and at least one other body in accounted for as having been washed away in the canal, making a tentative total of seven. (17)
20. It is felt that a distinction should be made between the enlisted men who shot prisoners of war while acting under orders of a responsible officer and those two enlisted men, Pvt Pruitt and Tec 3 Wells, who acted under their own volition.
21. The evidence as to the shooting of two Germans by inmates using the rifle of PFC De Marzo indicates a failure of such soldier in his duties as a sentry, an apparent lack of training and discipline in guard duty on the part of such soldier, his associate and the sergeant of the guard; and neglect on the part of the company commander to make any inquiry or fact finding investigation into the circumstances also reflects upon the administrative functioning of such company (12)
22. Lt. Col Felix L. Sparks, 0-386497, now with Assembly Area Command, was in command of the 3d Battalion, 157th Infantry, during the Dachau operation. There is testimony that at the beginning of this operation he fired his pistol into the body of a German lying on the ground; there is testimony that he was present or nearby when Lt Walsh ordered four prisoners of war into a box car where they were shot; later when Lt Walsh segregated from other prisoners those identified as SS, Lt Colonel Sparks was in the immediate vicinity and according to testimony was the one who stopped the shooting of those segregated. The Inspector was unable to find any confirmation of the statement of one witness that Lt Col Sparks fired his pistol; there is no proof that he had actual knowledge of the box car shooting although nearby; nor that he knew of the segregation of the SS men or the purpose thereof. Because it has been impossible to contact him for his testimony conclusions as to his responsibility are not drawn in this report. (1
V. CONCLUSIONS
23. German soldiers after their surrender as prisoners of war to American troops were summarily shot and killed by such troops.
24. Four of such prisoners of war were shot by Lt William P. Walsh, 0-414901, Hq, 157th Infantry, 45th Division, and by Pvt Albert C. Pruitt, 34573708, Company "I", 157th Infantry, 45th Division.
25. Germans identified as SS were segregated from other prisoners of war, marched into an enclosed yard, lined against the wall, and summarily executed under the personal supervision and orders of Lt Walsh. Seventeen of those segregated were killed.
26. Lt Jack Busheyhead, 0-1284822, Company "I", 157th Infantry, 45th Division, an executive officer to Lt Walsh, assisted such officer, and in addition personally participated in the execution of the seventeen.
27. Lt Daniel F. Drain, 0-2006047, Company "I", 157th Infantry, 45th Division, assisted by directing his men to set up the machine gun used in the execution, knowing the unauthorized purpose to which it was to be put.
28. Lt Drain witnessed abuse of prisoners of war without taking steps to stop or prevent it.
29. Lt Howard E. Buechner, 0-435481, 3d Bn, 157th Infantry, 45th Division, violated his duty both as a physician and a soldier in ignoring the possibility of saving the wounded by still living prisoners who had been shot.
30 Tec 3 Harry J. Wells, 39271327, Headquarters Military Intelligence Services, ETO, wantonly shot and killed prisoners of war in his custody.
31. Inmates shot and killed two guards, using a service rifle which they took from a soldier on guard duty, one Pfc PeterJ. De Marzo, 42175967, Company "L", 157th Infantry, 45th Division. No investigation of the circumstances was made in such soldier's company although his commanding officer, Lt Lawrence R. Steward, Jr., 0-1060658, Company "L", 157th Infantry, 45th Division, was informed of the incident.
VI RECOMMENDATIONS
32. In view of the transfer of the 42d and the 45th divisions, it is recommended that this report be forwarded to the Commanding General, Third Army, for such action as he may deem appropriate.
(signed)
Joseph M. Whitaker
Lt. Colonel, IGD,
Asst. Inspector General,
Seventh Army
9 Incl:
9-Ex "A" to "I" incl
APPROVED: (signed)
C. K. Leerer
Colonel, IGD,
Inspector General,
Seventh Army
__APPROVED
WADE H. HAISLIP
Lieutenant General, USA
Commanding.
