Reaffirmed in the fall of 19 44 tat ambition of the western allies to go to berlin. Then he changed his mind in march in part march of 1945 in part because the russians were virtually on the doorstep of berlin. The russians beginning in january of 1945 amassed several million troopses that were going fall on berlin. The british were still 200 miles from berlin. And a decisions that already been made about how germany in general and berlin specifically would be divided up after the war. They would be partitioned with zones for the russian, the british, the americans, and the french and the same would happen with berlin. And eisenhower came to believe, he was encouraged by roosevelt to avoid conflict with the russians. He dime believe that it was pointless to tens of thousand of casualties racing to berlin when the russians were already virtually inside the city limits of berlin. And so he changed his mind. He directed his armies toward dress din toward the southeast. I think it was the right decision. The wish british were not happy and churchill believed there was an effort to push to berlin. I think 70 years later the decision hold up. Host who is with washington guest he was an ss soldier. It a lieutenant cornel. He was the spit the point of the sphere of the attack that began on 1944. His task was to lead an column through the American Defense and get to the muse river. And helpture bridges across the muse. Then they were going to proceed on. A huge port. Piper spoke english and french. He had two brothers who were killed in the war. Very intelligent. Utterly ruthless. What we find with his column, first of the all, they are finding adulties from the get go. The time table is disrupted. Things are moving slower than theyre supposed to be moving. He comes near the village in belgium. Theres an American Unit traveling by truck. His forces happen to fall on the unit. They shoot up the convoy. American soldierses who survived the initial counter are taken in to a field and mas considered. There more than 80 who were shot to death. Others get away. The word of the mass cur gets around quickly. It begins a cycle reprisal. There are no orders to be given. He never makes it to the muse. He gets close but not quite. He doesnt have the combat power. Hes running out of fuel. He manages with a 1500 or so men. To get back, hes tried for war crime and sentenced to death along scores of others involved. It was a tainted procedure. The confessions that had been extractedded from the defendants were considered to be under judicial review to be proper. The death someone was lifted. The life sign was commuted. He served ten years in prison then let out of prison. He became a salesmen for the motor company. He was in charge of american sails, if you can believe it. He was murdered in the early 70s. It he had a house in eastern france. The house it was arson. His burned body was found the case was never solved it remains unsolved. There were few tears shed. Host after the war he sold cars to americans and had a house in france. Guest yeah. Host do we tend overvalue our contribution to the allied effort and undervalue of the ussr . Guest i think we do. I think thats a good point. I try toik mat point whenever i can that soviets did mo of the killing, bleeding, die for the alliance. They had 26 million die during the war. Unimaginable for us. I think there is a tendency frequently to overlook the soviet contribution. Of course, the world war ii immediately turnses to a cold war and the soviets become the adversary. Theres little profit in acknowledging the soviet role when thed aer adversary during the cold war. I think seventy years after the fact it should if not for the russians the war certainly wouldnt have been won as quickly as it was. And for every russian soldier that died. It was one american soldier that didnt have to die. Host steve is in california. Hi, steve. Caller hi. Thank you for writing it. My question about it it was just answered. So im going go off on to the [inaudible] and ask about the political pressure in the u. S. Congress to stop the war after the 100 hours in iraq. How big effect was that . I remember it very vividly and listening nancy pelosi rant about the continuing war. Was that a factor in the ending of it. Guest thank you for your question. Indont think it was. I dont think congress had anything to do with it. The decision was made in the pentagon. It was made specifically with colin powell. Obviously with the concurrence of his civilian masters. He called general swors and said were at the 100hour mark and kicked them out of kuwait. We asked hem to fulfill the terms of the congressional and the United Nations authorizations. What do you think about ending it . How was concerned that eventually there would be a backlash that the television familiars in particular would be seen of carjack age carnage of the socalled highway of death. None of those were on its before the decision was made. He was aware. I dont think nancy pelosi or anybody in congress had a thing to do with it. Host thomas a world world war ii veteran in richmond, virginia. You are on booktv with rick atkinson. Caller thank you very much. For telling the story. Its very profound, it was my privilege to visit the American Cemetery the beach of normandy one time with the next door neighborhood congressional medal of honor. There are two medal of honor winners in this cemetery. One being general roosevelt, junior. I enjoyed those comments. I want to point out the only two there and the brave site arent easy to find with the gold markings on them. Guest thank you, sir. Host thomas, what was your service in world war ii . Caller i was both in the marines in college and a transport in the pacific. But we got [inaudible] host thank you, sir. Guest thank you, thank you for the question. Host weve had some callers calling in about rape and Sexual Assault in the military. In the gun of last light you write about this a little bit you have figures here i want to share with some viewers. 443 death penalties were imposed on g. I. Most for murder or rape. Is severely disproportionate number fell on black soldier often after dubious due process. 70 executions took place in europe including several public hanging. Guest yeah. And one execution of disversion. A private which i write about at some length. I think you find in general that the racism that was prevalent in many institutions, the United States 1940s could be found in the armed forces, and that disproportionate punishment that was out to american black soldiers was something that rem reflected prejudice toward them and the lack of counsel they often did not receive. And, you know, its extends all the way to the death penalty. I dont remember the number of black american soldier. It was disproportionate. Host just a little bit more. The German Military issued 50,000 military death sentences in world war ii with half or more carried out. 21,000 soldiers would discert from the u. S. Army during the war. Less than half had been caught by the late 1940s. Do you have any idea where they are . . Guest i dont know where they are. Yeah, paris, in particular was a haven for the guys on the lam or guys with shady business. Eddy, i just mentioned he was the kid from detroit who was drafted. He had the virtue of writing to his wife every day while he was in the service. He ended up being sent to the 28th infantry division, deserted out immediately. Was hanging out with the canada unit for awhile. He was court marble marbled. He refused the offer to basically have the sentence set aside if he would go back to combat. He said ill desert again. His appeal came to eisenhower in 19 e at the darkest time. Eisenhower was not in a forgiving mood. Unfortunately for him, eisenhower affirmed the death sentence, and eisenhower said that his unit, the 28th division was to carry out the execution. I described how he is transported by mp, military policeman, were the 28th division was and firing squad was set up. I think he believed to the very end that he was going to be the sentence would be commuted. It was not. They shot him dead. The Division Commander was a guy named norm who was at omaha beach. The the worse of all the battle. He was in the battle of the bulge when shot to pieces in lucks m berg and he said the worst fifteen minutes of his life were the fifteen minutes occur the execution. They left a hallow feeling in the heart of everyone who witnessed it or participated in any way. Host bill lynch tweet, thank you for the story. A 061 kansas city, missouri. He said he was a draftee there in the 1960. What is he referring to . Guest hes referring to its the end of the book, and i found a document more than 400 pages written right after the war, it describes the operation of the Quarter Master effect bureau re. And the effect bureau was set up at 601 to handle to effect of the american debt. It began in february of 18942 of the first month of the war as a small operation fewer than a doesnt people, and grew to more than 1,000 people worked in the con for converted warehouse. What would happen is rail box cards pull up next to the warehouse, and foot lockers and other containers with the effect of the dead from six continent would be hoisted by elevator up to the tenth floor. Then by Assembly Line conveyer belt down to the seventh floor inspectors along the line would go through the effects and take out pornography, ammunition, letters from a girlfriend you didnt want the widow to see. And other things that were inappropriate for one reason or another. They would all be repacked. As it was happening in a large room adjacent to the Assembly Line. They were banging out 70,000 a month by 1945. Dear sir, dear madam. We have your dead sons stuff. Where shall we send it . Its an extraordinary scene. And the, you know, the inspectors found all kinds of things, tobacco sack full of diamonds, italian accord began, a shungen head. All the things that soldiers can and accumulate. They found many diaries. Thousand of diaries in the effect. They were collected there. And i quote from the diary of one young lieutenant who is killed at the end. The gist what he has written in diary a last letter home. Hes wounded and hes taking couple of times to die. Its a letter my dearest sweet, father, mother, sister. What he writes is i can understand why god is taking my life if he wants to. What cannot understand is why hes making me suffer. Thats the gist of the question that so many have to ask about world war ii and the suffering of war in general. That is what 601 hard avenue is about. Host smithfield, virginia. Good afternoon. Caller thank you for taking my call. We read your other two books in the trilogy. We have been very interested. My fatherinlaw, a member of the 26th infantry, was at the forest and the surrender of [inaudible] its interesting a modern historian giving more credit particularly to the forest. I would like to know your comments. Guest thank you for their. John is one of the great soldiers of would war ii. How many silver stars . Seven or eight. I write about the forest extensively. Its one of the most appalling bit of combat in world war ii. And i have all almost an entire chapter devoted to it. What you find there is very deafen, not far on the western edge of germany. And a decision is made to throw one division after another in to the herman forest. Ty write specifically about the 28th division. I mentioned the general. There were more than five divisions that fought there. It went well for none of them. Including the first division, and the cornel was there for them. So i write about the forest. Its not a pretty picture. And, you know, with me in africa with us for the innovation in sicily. I dont write about him a lot but i admire him. Host tom emails in at the beginning of world war ii mark clark was locked upon as sort of a golden boy. Was he a bad a general as portrayed now . Guest i dont think so. I dont portray him. Hes a dominant figure particularly the second half of it. Hes west point class of 1917. He knows eisenhower from their time at west point together. Hes two classes ahead of him. He shows up in north africa having a little combat experience. He was wounded in world war i unlike eisenhower have no combat experience from world war i. Hes a difficult man to live. He tends to be impurist. Hes a bit selfabsorbed. Hes ambitious. He has a their for publicity that is beyond belief. What you find when you get to italy where clark is the commander of the fifth army, is a man who cares about his soldiers, attendive to their welfare, personally brave unlike some of the stories told about him. And yet insubordinate at times particularly dealing with the british. Make certain decisions that are indefensible about pressing on to rome. And i find personally that hes a mixed bag. You can see mark clark as somebody able to handle 23,000 American Battle deaths in italy. Not everyone is put on this earth able to handle it kind of pressure. Hes a guy that can deal with the pressure of heavy curability. On the other hand, hes a man who is clearly got flaws as a commander. Eisenhower begins to see that clarks compulsiveness about personal is something that eisenhower has difficulties with . In handling. I think my portrait of clark is more sympathetic than most. Yet i think he you have to see him as a nuanced character whose got a different facet to the personality and generalship. Host from the day of battle, regarding the fall of rome you write, at 6 a. M. On tuesday june 6th. Its they didnt even let us from the newspaper headline for the fall of rome for one day. Guest you have to be a little sympathetic to that. They have been fighting in italy. The next thing you know, he captures rome. He didnt do it very gracefully. He didnt permit the british. He disobeys orders in going rome failing to cut off retreating germans. Jet june 4,1944 two dais later it becomes a back water. Host robert, world war ii veteran, new york city. Please go ahead with your question or comment. Caller [inaudible] did you support going to the war . Guest does the immediate have a responsibility . Is that the question. Did i support the going it to the iraq you twawbt the 2003 innovation. I did not, personally. I was with then Major General david petraeus, commander of the 101st airborne division. I was an reporter with the Washington Post for the 10st. I can tell you general petraeus had doubts about it as did many others in the military. Wondering whether the containment ran the course. Whether it was the best option or presip use. I had anxiety about it, personally. I think in receipt does the media have responsibility . Sure. Haas thats what free prez is about. Ask the most pertinent, most difficult questions relating to the largest issue of our national life. Theres no larger issue than war and peace. I think we, i would include myself, didnt do particularly well before that 2003 innovation of asking the hard question whether in fact there were weapons of mass destruction, whether Saddam Hussein really had intent to do ill to others. I dont think we did particularly well as a institution. Theres a lot of soul searching in the ten years since then. It should continue. I think ask any question like that is entirely appropriate. Host in the company of soldiers, a chronicle of combat came out in 2004 about mr. Atkinsons experience embedding with the 101st army during the iraq war. From the gun and last light, berliners received an extra allocation of crisis are a shon to commemorate hitlers birthday. The pound of bacon or sausage, a half of pound a rice and coffee. They pommeled the city for much of the day. And citizens quote, with these rations we shall now astoned heaven one woman told her husband. A postage stamp of issued. With a cancellation imprint that read, quote, we are defending europe against foth stamp and slogan seemed a regime not known for the wry humor. You write in april in berlin, almost 4,000 suicide would be reported in berlin. An ss reported that the demand for poison, pistol, or ere pa or it a 16yearold girl and she shot her two sons and herself and slit her daughters throat. One teacher hanged herself; she was a nazi. Yeah. The final month in berlin and many german cities had a quality to it where the impulse coming down around. They are under obsessive bombardment in berlin. They know the receive yet armies are at the door. They know the war is lost. Many have suffered personal losses with soldiers who have been killed or family members who died in the bombings. And its awful. You can feel sympathy, i think, for germans even if you have a disdain for the larger quilt and responsibility for the war. Host jim in greenville, south carolina, jim, youre on booktv with rick atkinson. Caller mr. Atkinson, good morning. Ive read the first two of your trilogy, and im reading the third. I will thank you for this. I read a number of books on world war xii, and there seems to be one major American General who seems to be usefully ig as a subject of book by historians of that period. Almost to the point of disdain. He only appears in the narrative of other historians books including your own, and the only book i can remember about him was his own book, soldier story within the early 1960. As you know, im speaking of omar bradley. After reading your book, i think i have an opinion as to why. You the historian and i would like to know what you think about that. Host well, jim, first of all, what do you think . Why do you they is . Kristin i think he seems to be incompetent at some point. I think that he seem to be sub born on the original plan of battle rather than shifting to strategy as circumstances change. He also seems to be this is just a point character. But he also probably causes a big of a in the way he handles roosevelt, jr. And general [inaudible] host thank you, i think we got the point. Guest thank you, jim. I dont think you can think i ignore omar bradley. Good lord, ive been writing about him for three volumes now. Hes a large player. Look in the index. There are many pages devoted to omar bradley. I think your analysis of him is pretty much in line with mine. I believe that you see omar bradley, who is a west point classmate and friend of dwight horizon hours show up in north africa in the spring of 1943, he takes over second corp. He does pretty well in that. He has not been in combat before like eisenhower. This is world war ii combat action. Pretty good at it. In sizely he commands second core again. I think he shows some capability as a core commander. The next thing we know he leaves sicely and goes back to england to prepare for the innovation of normandy. He commands an army the major American Force in normandy. He commands a army group which is two or more army. He commands the Largest Armed force that th