As the advancing forces on both sides liberated the concentration camps, simple soldiers came face to face with the German form of Genocide as the surviving Jews were liberated. Most were physically so bad that they did not survive the liberation and many continued to die for the next 6 months.. It took a major Medical effort to save as many as these people as was possible at a time when our resources were insufficient and required to look after the injured Serviceman.. This was a moral dilemma for both the Commanders and Medical staff alike. The sights of this suffering hardened the average fighting man ensuring his motivation to wipe the fascist party off the European map. Television did not exist and I wonder today how our civilian population would have reacted had they seen these sights from the comfort of their armchairs.

In the whole scheme of things, the Russian army was better placed to take almost all of Germany, and we the British was fully prepared to let that happen as we knew that the Germans would be given little sympathy as they were occupied by the Russian bear, and after all no western power was at all interested to gaining land. When this was over we simply wanted to go home and leave the mess to the worlds Politicians. How wrong we were.

At this point the American hatred for the Russian communist state came into play.. General Patton broke free of Eisenhower's orders and acted independently… Instead of keeping his units in line and progressing at the speed of all the other units. This Idiot "Ran For Berlin" taking only the road into the city. The effects of this proved disastrous for Britain in later years. But such was the hatred for the communist this American general decided that the western word should have a share in Berlin. This "Run for Berlin" tactic became a disaster and was repeated by General McCarthy later in Korea.. On the latter occasion it cost the lives of an entire Battalion of British Soldiers.. The one major Criticism I have of the American forces is the fact that American Generals allow their personal hatred to define their actions with no thought for the consequences.. This has become very evident during this century..

The two armies met, many British soldiers coming face to face with his Russian counterpart for the first time, and Germany defeated became the East under Russian Rule and the west under British and American rule.. Berlin was well inside the Russian half with only the connecting road in Western hands. Berlin as well you know was split into the three, British, American & Russian sectors.. This place was to become a major thorn in our side for the next 40 years… How simple life would have been if that American General had simply obeyed his orders… The time 1945… The war in Europe over..