Evening star., 1945-06-16

HAM1L1ON, MASS.-dOnSE I
hind in Europe and his yicto
on his estate here. He plans a
slated for occupation duty in G
would have been the throwing
back into the sea Of the Anzio
forces, had they been thrown back
into the sea?
Al was not there then, but
the Allies do not attack to be
thrown back. It would have been
a very, very sad thing. In any,
thing Of that kind, its physical
value 1t would have been very bad.
I never considered it, because I do
not ever let my mind think upon
it that way.
Jig Was Up.
Q.-From the enemys viewpoint,
which day and what event would
you say constituted the last straw
that broke the camel's back? When
was 1t perfectly obvious that the
jig was up?
A.-From everything that we can
find, from their own statements
they know 1.-THE professionals
knew the jig was UPON the third
day after the Rundstedt offensive
had started in the Ardennes. He
knew then that he could not 60
where he intended. If he could not
get complete surprise and drive clear
through to Liege and drive on be-
hind Antwerp. then there was not
much he could do. At the end of
the third day We found that he
still hoped then, according to their
own statements, that he might get
to Liege, where there was terrific
supply base, and cause us embar-
rassment, and loss Of time. From
that time on, and when they
found their forces destroyed in the
Eifel and in the Saar with that
terrifically swift movement down
from the north, they knew that it
was confirmed. They then knew
they could not even fight a defensive
battle. s:
have searched and searched to
find their reason for prolonging the
agony after they knew, and l think
there are two reasons. Hitler, with
his determination to stay on and
the influence he still welded, and
the one hope that in this coalition
Of four powers working together
they could still devise some rift.
create some rift whereby they could
turn to one Of them and say: "All
right. What do you give us to go
in with you?" They had that des-
perate hope. unequestionably. Other
wise there was no sense in taking
the last month of pounding.
Q.-When weather postponed the
invasion of Normandy and you fin-
ally decided to 90, did you have
any more time left to play with?
A-This is a thing that is going
to be historical, SO don't quote me-
(The answer was passed later.)
Purely from memory, If we did not
60 the next day after the day we
did then We would have had to
postpone for minimum of twelve
days and that would have put us
In the wrong phase for our air.
borne operations and it would have
been pretty bad. Then, of course,
had we postponed it-I'm not claim
ing to be good enough to predict
weather sixteen days ahead-we
would have run right square into
that gale. But it was serious enough
at the moment that they landed.
Even the prospect of trying to hold
UP that mighty thing fourteen days
was bad. On the other hand, you
could not risk 1t without conditions
reasonably favorable for It's success.
Q.-That ranks pretty high among
the difficult decisions?
Ayes. In 4 decision like that,
OF course, there is one thing a COM
mander faces. Sooner or later, you
have got to make it and you know it.
You have got to say yes or no. That
does something, think, to prepare
your mind for the thing. Decisions
sometimes that are suddenly pre-
sented and there has not been time
for all the cold -blooded analysis, or
to 60 around and see your subordi-
mates and chat it over with them
that is sometimes little soul-shak-
ing. too.
Discusses Colored Troops.
Q.-Would you be good enough to
comment on the contribution Negro
soldiers made to the European thea
ter of operations? ..
A. To start with, I would like to-
say this: That I do not differen-
tiate among soldiers. do not say
white soldiers or Negro soldiers and
I do not say American or British
soldiers. To my. mind, have had
q task in this war that makes me
look upon soldiers as soldiers. Now,
I have seen Negro soldiers tn this
war and I have many reports on
their work where they have rem
dered very valuable contributions
and some of them with the greatest
enthusiasm. In late November,
when we were getting short of re-
Inducements, requirements, some
$500 Negro soldiers volunteered for
front-line service and they did good
work. All my commanders reported
that those volunteers did excellent
work. But their major job has
been in Service of Supply, engineer
units, quartermaster units, ordnance
units. There, 50 far rs L know and
certainly as far as any official re-
ports, they have performed equally
with every kind OF ordnance bat
talon. quartermaster battalion and
engineer battalion. They have done