Another year of intense fighting after the Normandy landings had brought us to heart of Germany, Berlin. It had become a ruined city from constant bombings and allied assaults. Finally, on May 8, 1945, the allies received the full unconditional surrender from the German Army. Although this is cause for world-wide celebration as the iron fist of Hitler’s regime has finally been destroyed, it leaves Germany in a state of limbo with no government, no legislature, and no ruler.
The allied powers have concluded to separate occupied Germany into 8 different zones, each controlled by a separate allied power. They elected me as top candidate to govern the American occupied zone which would leave the responsibilities of governing both the US forces and German civilians living in the zone.
I look at this situation with both enthusiasm and uncertainty as taking on a new “post-war” perspective of the Germans. My first line of duty is to organize the placements of the German POW’s and separate the regulars from Gestapo, SS, and officers to initiate fair trails. The Gestapo and a number of officer’s sentences will be profound to say the least, as my troops have not long ago come across the inhumanity, injustice, and violence of that of the German’s Jewish concentration camps. It is still difficult for me to comprehend many of the scenes I encountered upon my investigation of one. The SS will not walk from the crimes they have committed against innocent civilians.
Concerning the German civilian population, there is a great shortage of food which worries me as the current economy remains in turmoil. I have ordered immediate rationed distribution of US Army food amongst the general population as a temporary source until a more permanent solution can be found. Germany is in shambles and its people in distress. It was once my job to destroy Germany, now it is my job to help put it back together.
General Eisenhower it is because of your amazing leadership that we have won the war, and for this I cannot thank you enough. As for your new leadership of the American occupation zone, you must, and I cannot stress this enough, you must penalize the Nazi officials (including the Gestapo, SS, and Einstatzgruppen) for their atrocities across Europe during the war against the Jews, Slavs, Gypsies, and others. Do not let one murder escape justice. I also admire that you are trying to revive the German economy. The German people need for you to give them the necessary supplies and provisions.
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