My father told me that the first Soviet Troops that he ran into must have been from Mongolia. They were Asian and could have passed off as the Japanese Army. He then told me that they met White Russian Troops. Some troopers became friendly and celebrated with them. He decided not to. Everytime he was around them they were shooting in the air totally pie eyed. After Sicily, Italy, Belgium and Germany he just wanted to go home.

Other troopers have told me that the Soviets were brutal to the German people. Rape was not a crime if perpetrated to a German girl. However, that and more happened to Civilians in the Soviet Union at the hands of the Germans.

The problem between germans and soviets is than during the war germans didn't consider russians as humans (I don't know how to say that). They were treated when the are prisonners by Germans worse than animals.
I can't remember the number of dead russians during the war but the number is several million.
But to finish, whatever we think we can't admit rape.

Bruno,

I agree no matter how horrible the German Soldier was to the Soviet population rape and murder in reprisal is as bad.

I remember one vet told me that Maj. Gorham Regimental S2 was speaking with some Soviets and they took him for a ride on a Russian T-38(I may have my tank wrong) anyway to illustrate the effectiveness of the tank they drove it through a German home, not checking to see if it was occupied.

Jim

It seems to me that American POWs were treated a little better by the German's as compared to the way the Russian POWs were treated. How true is this, and does anyone know why? The only thing I can think of is past conflicts with Russia and a more developed hatred for the Russians by the Germans.


-Tim

-----> I began to answer ...

Hitler gave orders on the invasion of Russia that it was to be a "crusade" to wipe out Bolshevism and the Slav peoples. Therefore, Soviet POWs were not to be granted the Geneva Convention rights.

The result was that millions of Soviet POWs in German hands starved to death. Others joined the Wehrmacht to avoid starvation, and wound up in the Ost Battalions facing the Allied invasion of France.

On the other hand, for the most part, American and British Commonwealth POWs were properly treated.