Getting to Know the Enemy: Germany: April 2-30, 1945 Summary and Analysis

In chapter sixteen, Easy Company traveled into Germany as an occupation force rather than combative action. Surprisingly, most of the soldiers found the German people likable and similar to Americans. The Germans were clean, hard-working and disciplined in the soldiers' eyes. This was in contrast to the impressions war propaganda instilled in them. The Army enforced a strict non-fraternization policy between the soldiers and German people. Easy Company occupied an area on the Rhine, near Dusseldorf. There, the men were ordered to patrol the area. The majority of patrols were uneventful, except for a few sporadic incidents with a few German riflemen. One eager staff officer made a fatal mistake by leading a night patrol across the river without informing the Army. The officer and his men...