Quagmire in Iraq

There has been a lot of editorial space given over to "guerilla warfare" by Iraq stay-behind operators against US forces in Iraq. In order to better put that action in perspective, it would be useful to review the US occupation of West Germany after V-E day.

During the early days of the US occupation of Germany after World War 2, German resisters used to string wire across roads at exactly the height necessary to decapitate a soldier driving a Willys jeep. US Army histories reported the following incidents in the XII Corps area in the week after the German surrender:

"21 May. Period was generally quiet except for a few scattered incidents. At 0300 hrs this morning, trucks belonging to the 410th FA Gp were fired on just South of Grafenau. Fire was returned and one German killed. Civ reported six armed SS troops in woods N of Renstein vic at 2000 last night. Civ reported five armed enemy soldiers in woods S of Chocholatalhota toward Husinec. . . The 26th Inf Div reported one boy, civilian, was killed by a minefield vic Kohlgruben . . . . The 90th Inf Div reports a sharp increase in the sabotage of communications during the night. Three telephone poles were chopped down vic (P272176) and wire was cut vic (P290048) (P215145) and (U365930) . . . There were two reports of sniping during period. Personnel of the 27th AAA Gp were fired on from the woods near Drachelsried yesterday morning. Appropriate action was taken but snipers had fled. A party of six U S officers were fired on vic Konusin last night. One officer was reported wounded. Civilians reported 22 May that an organized group of armed German soldiers is in Frymburk. . . 25 May. During period enemy activity consisted of cutting field wire four times vic (06071). Patrol investigating incident at present. 90th Inf Div: Polish and civilian informants reported 21 SS trs, armed with machine pistols ("burp" guns) vic Zfitiarn; investigation of report resulted in wounding of one SS trooper, while remainder fled into woods in the area; investigation continuing. 26 May. 4th Armd Div: Civilian reports approximately 200 SS troops vic (0175735) hiding in woods during day time and enter towns that vicinity at night to loot. Other units have nothing to report . . . . 28 May....

Due to a bug in bloger, this post is continued below.