 Leipzig. After just a few days, the Americans threw chocolate to the children from their cars, and from the beginning it was a much different relationship than what had been expected.
Q: But the bombs which fell during the day could kill just as well as those which fell at night.
Of course. Purely judging by effect one can see no difference. On the contrary, it was the case that in the last months of the war there were violations by US forces, such as fighter planes in Brandenburg which shot farmers while they were tilling their fields. Bicyclists too were shot by fighter planes. Unfortunately there were such incidents. On the other hand, that was only a short period of time. The strategy of US forces was, from the very beginning, different and not so strongly oriented toward carpet bombing.
Q: That was already clear as a child?
That was clear to us even as children. That was clear as a child. The American forces, the bomber groups — I experienced them later in 1944-45 in the area of Leipzig — concentrated primarily on coal hydrogenation plants, in order to liquidate the fuel which was so important to the Wehrmacht. There were fewer terror attacks which were directed solely against the civilian population of the cities.
Q: Thank you very much.
I hope I have contributed a little.
Q: Yes, there aren’t many anymore who can relate that from personal experience.
My American Experience
Were you there for the storming of Normandy beach? The Bombing of Germany? The Victory in the Pacific? Or perhaps your friends and relatives have passed on stories of their own World War II experiences that you would like to share.