Figure 1.--The liberation of Western Europe began in Italy (September 1943). Italy was an Axis country, but after occupation by their jilted German ally, they had no doubt that they were being liberated. It was in France after D-Day that the libration began in ernest. Hitler had thought the East would support the German war machine, but it was France that played this role and France was not only unrelentedly exploited, but the German jack boot gradually increasuningly supressed the captive French people. This little French boy in Normandy was too young to understand, but even French adults did not understand what the Germans were planning for them after the War. When the Allies reached Paris, one of the greatest celebrations of all time unfolded. A French reader writes, "Touching scene of an American soldier with a little French child. I think that this little boy didn't forget the moment."

The Germans and their Soviet ally invaded or otherwise dominated most of Western Europe (1939-41). Only the British managed to turn back the German tide (1940). The Soviet Union was the last major German target (June 1941). The Germans achieved enormous success, but were badly damaged by the Red Armn Counter-Offensive before Moscow. The Red Army also managed to liberate areas in western Russia (December 1941). This was the first European territory liberated from the Axis. And as the snows melted in the Spring, terrible German attrocities first surfaced. The Red Army began the libertion of large areas of the Soviet Union which the Stalingrad offensive made possible (November 1942). As the Red Army moved west, the celebrations in The East were muted because of the terrible discoveries of NAZI attrocities and the fact that the Eastern Europeans were exchanging one totalitarian occupier for another. The Poles were espcially dubious, although the Soviets were less brutal than when they had earlier entered Poland. They did, however, almost unbelievably target the brave men and women of the Home Army that had resisted the Germans. In the West, the situation was radically different. The libeation of Westernn Europe actually began in Italy, one of the Axis powers (June 1944). A year earlier the Germabs had occuoied their former partner. Liberation began in began in earnest with D-Day (June 1944). Joyous celebraions followed with Allies armies driving the Germans out of one occupied capital after another. The greatest celebration was of course the liberation of Paris (August 1944). It was one of the great celebrations in all of French history. The Allies rached Brussels (September 1944) and the southern Netherlands (October 1944). Tragically it would take months to get across the Rhine and reach Amsterdam (May 1945). Unlike the East, there was no doubt among the population in the west that the Americans and British were true liberators--and history would prove them correct.

Occupation

The Germans and their Soviet ally invaded or otherwise dominated most of Western Europe (1939-41). Only the British managed to turn back the German tide (1940). The occupation varried. In the West the Grmans were severe and explotive, but generlly correct except when dealing with the Jews. Few Western Europeans understood what the Germns were plnning for them after the War. The German victory ws so overwealming that Marsgal Pétains Vichy regime was committed to collboration --a mistake of monumental proprtions. THe French were only saved bt Britain's determination to resist. In the Eat, the German occupation was one of the great crimes of all human history--a egime of unbelieveable brutality abd genocide. Most of the population at the time and still today that German genocide plans did not not just involve the Jews. The Soviet Union was the last major German target (June 1941). The Germans achieved enormous success, but were badly damaged by the Red Armn Counter-Offensive before Moscow. The Red Army also managed to liberate areas in western Russia (December 1941). This was the first European territory liberated from the Axis. And as the snows melted in the Spring, terrible German attrocities first surfaced. The Red Army began the libertion of large areas of the Soviet Union which the Stalingrad offensive made possible (November 1942).

Liberated Countries

As the Allied and Soviet armies converged on the Reich from east, south, and west, the process of liberating NAZI occupied Europe began. The process was, however, very different in the East and West. As the Red Army moved west, the celebrations in The East were muted because of the terrible discoveries of NAZI attrocities. And beyond the Russian heartland, many Eastern Europeans were concerned for good reason that they were just exchanging one totalitarian occupier for another. The Poles were espcially dubious, although the Soviets were less brutal than when they had earlier entered Poland. Stalin for some reason was, perhaps deference to the Wesr, was no longer intent on destroying the Polish nation, but now decided to move it west. This was in part a way to reduce the future German power potential. And while now accepting aPolish nation, Stalin almost unbelievably unleashed the NKVD to target the brave men and women of the Home Army that had resisted the Germans. In the West, the situation was radically different. The libeation of Westernn Europe actually began in Italy, one of the Axis powers (June 1944). A year earlier the Germans had occupied their former partner. Liberation began in began in earnest with D-Day (June 1944). Most French people by this time had turned on the collaborationist Vichy regime. Joyous celebraions followed with Allies armies driving the Germans out of one occupied capital after another. The greatest celebration was of course the liberation of Paris (August 1944). It was one of the great celebrations in all of French history. The Allies rached Brussels (September 1944), Luxembourg was liberated by the Allies (September 1944), but the Germans returned briefly during the Bulge. The British reached Grece after the German withdrawl (October 1944). The Allies entered the southern Netherlands (October 1944). Tragically it would take months to get across the Rhine and reach Amsterdam (May 1945). Unlike France, the War would last several more months in Belgium and the Netherlnds. Unlike the East, there was no doubt among the population in the west that the Americans and British were true liberators--and history would prove them correct.

Dealing with Colaborators

Immediately upon liberation, the question of dealing with the collaborators arose. And adter street justice was delt out and the process became more a juridical matter, which meant that punishable collaboration had to be defined. This is more complicated than what may be thought at first glance. It was not possible not to collaborate unless one found a rifle and took off for the xiybretsideand this was not even possible in some countrues like Denmark and the Nettherlands. People had to register and work to obtain food. And ethis aided the occupyong forces. What became punishable was individuals who went out of their way to support the occupiers out of beliefs or for some benefits. Here while such people may not be odious or violating any law, they surely can be seen to have engaged in shaeful behavior. Whart the French called vertical collaborators, the wommen who engaged in relations with the Germans did put others at risk, but suely were women without strong ideas of right and wrong. Some were were young women caught governed by their emotions. Others were simply after the benefits such as food and clothing the occupiers could provide. Especially odious here were those who aided the occupying powers at the expense of others, by joining the forces of oppression or reporting on others. Some of the same actions occurred in all pf the liberated countries, but there were differences depending on who the occupier was and who the liberator was. Germany was the main Axis country and the primary occupier. Germaby's Axis allies, however, also had occupation roles. And the issue of Axis allies comes up in how to define collaboration. This changed the legal dynamic, but most of these countrues seized by the Soviets who were not concernd with legal niceties.

Created: 2:21 AM 1/9/2015
Last updated: 6:40 PM 3/26/2018