Welcome to the WWII Forums! Log in or Sign up to interact with the community.

Allied forces in Berlin Aug 1945...

Discussion in 'Information Requests' started by Kai-Petri, Dec 27, 2009.

  1. Kai-Petri

    Kai-Petri Kenraali

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2002
    Messages:
    26,461
    Likes Received:
    2,207
    From "The All Americans in WW2, A photographic history of the 82nd Airborne Division at war" by Philip Nordyke.

    " The division was loaded on trains at the end of July and arrived in Berlin between Aug 1 and 8th. There were several clashes with gangs of unruly Soviet troops, in which about twenty of them were killed during the first month the division spent in Berlin. The Soviets learned to watch their behaviour around the 82nd Airborne division troopers."

    Anyone know what these clashes were all about and did the other Allied forces also end up killing Red Army soldiers? I think there would be Allied casualties as well.

    Thanx for any info!
     
  2. Kai-Petri

    Kai-Petri Kenraali

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2002
    Messages:
    26,461
    Likes Received:
    2,207
    Cheers,

    wonder if someone new member knows about these?
     
  3. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2009
    Messages:
    14,288
    Likes Received:
    2,605
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Other than the Nordyke book, I'm hitting a brick wall trying to find information about these clashes. I hope someone can shed more light on this. I'm curious.
     
  4. toki2

    toki2 Active Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2013
    Messages:
    620
    Likes Received:
    164
    When the 82nd Airborne Division initially took charge of their zone in Berlin they were specifically told that they could not intervene in the actions of other allied troops. All allies had free access at this point to each other's zones although US troops were forbidden to do so unless given permission. The Soviets took full advantage of this situation and went wherever they wanted in marauding groups. Realising that the situation was getting out of hand, it was decided that the USA as law enforcers in their zone were entitled to stop looting raping etc. at least 20 Soviet soldiers were shot during the firs month.

    Thank goodness common sense prevailed. It must have been excruciating for the decent trooper to have o turn a blind eye to the atrocities committed by the Soviets.

    I will later post a reference for this info when I can find it again!
     
    Kai-Petri and LRusso216 like this.
  5. Natman

    Natman Member

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2009
    Messages:
    616
    Likes Received:
    214
    Location:
    Western Colorado
  6. toki2

    toki2 Active Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2013
    Messages:
    620
    Likes Received:
    164
    Very good account.
     
  7. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2009
    Messages:
    14,288
    Likes Received:
    2,605
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Thanks for the insight. This is something I was unaware of. The 82nd deserves all the plaudits given to it.
     
  8. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2009
    Messages:
    14,288
    Likes Received:
    2,605
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    A good read. Thanks.
     
  9. green slime

    green slime Member

    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2010
    Messages:
    3,150
    Likes Received:
    584
    I found this reference,

    "By mid-August of 1945, US troops in Berlin were still attempting to eject the last remnants of the Russian Army from the Western sectors of the city. Soviet forces had previous dominated the area, and the process of removing them had been hampered by the Allied reparations agreement allowing the Soviets to strip the city of industrial infrastructure. In addition from the end of the war to the arrival of U.S: military personnel, the Soviets quickly established a citywide civilian police force dominated by communists. These factors caused much consternation for U.S. commanders because Western style police procedures frequently clashed with those of the East."


    American Military Police in Europe, 1945-1991: Unit Histories
    by Robert L Gunnarsson, Sr.
     

Share This Page