Controversy Blog(#3)

Ben Mertz

Blog #3

11/12/11

            Throughout history there have been many controversial actions taken in the field of war. Military historians love to debate the pros and cons of any military operation and its outcome. In WWII, the United States Third Army, led by General George Patton, captured more enemies and liberated more territories then any other army in military history(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_S._Patton). Patton sped through Europe but

the United States delayed entering the final Nazi stronghold of Berlin and allowed the Russian army to be the first to knock Hitler’s door down. This was an extremely bad decision by the United States military and it had a negative impact on Eastern Europe for the next half century. When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 the communist block finally crumpled but for forty-four years, Eastern Europe lived under soviet rule and domination.

Many of the negative impacts of allowing the Soviets to enter first might have been avoided, had general George Patton been allowed to enter Berlin first. Pattons ‘blood and conquest’ campaign was not allowed triumph over Berlin because Congress agreed that the Soviets had taken more losses in the war then the US. For this the US and Europe suffered heavily, a decision that I believe many would take back today.

            When the United States waited outside Berlin and allowed the Soviets to take the city they did not take into fact that the soviets would loot the city. In a famous picture of right after the city was taken, a Soviet stands waving, the red flag triumphantly. Little did we know but this glorious image was changed to hide the fact that he was looting(http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,551972,00.html). Throughout the war the Nazis had gained control of many other countries and through this, they got a lot of art from other European countries. All of it was kept in Berlin; by allowing the Soviets to attack Berlin it enabled millions of dollars of priceless artwork to be stolen from Berlin during the aftermath of the fighting.

            Another reason the delay of the capture of Berlin was so sever is because it weaken the all-powerful image of the United States. The Untied States had done an excellent job with the war. Many would argue that the Untied States saved the war and if the US hadn’t entered when we did there could have been a very different outcome. By allowing the Soviets to enter Berlin first everything changed; instead of newsreels showing tearing Berlin welcoming Americans as their liberators, the Russians stole the public relations show. It also showed that the Soviets were the hero’s, where the US had not been able to finish.

            Perhaps the most serious argument for why waiting was so bad is the Yalta treaty of 1945. In the treaty it gave the soviets complete control of Eastern Europe, hence the creation of the iron curtain. I feel that separation of Eastern Europe from Europe is a horrible thing that occurred. Many families were separated because one half of the family lived on the other side of the city, image waking up and you couldn’t go to school or see your friends because they lived on the other side of town. This is what happened to thousands of people; if you were seen trying to get over the wall to the other side (wherever side your going) you would be shot at and killed. The US lost a lot of their political pull when they did not take Berlin and by allowing the Soviets to, it enabled them to take the treaty to another level and give them control over Eastern Europe.

            Had Patton been able to procure the capture of Berlin much of the aftermath would have gone much smoother for the US and most of Europe.

Works Cited

1943, Mid-March. "George S. Patton." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_S._Patton>.

"The Art of Soviet Propaganda: Iconic Red Army Reichstag Photo Faked - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International." SPIEGEL ONLINE - Nachrichten. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. <http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,551972,00.html>.

"WWII Behind Closed Doors: Stalin, the Nazis and the West . In Depth . The Conferences | PBS." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. <http://www.pbs.org/behindcloseddoors/in-depth/the-conferences.html>.

"Yalta Conference." Spartacus Educational. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. <http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWyalta.htm>.