How Did Americans and Germans Fight Together in World War II?

• This battle happened just days before the war ended.
• US soldiers and German soldiers fought on the same side.
• They defended a castle holding French VIP prisoners.
• The enemy was the German SS army units.
• It is known as the 'strangest battle' of the war.

The year was 1945 and the war in Europe was almost over. Hitler had died and his government was falling apart. Nazi soldiers felt confused about who to trust as the Allies moved into Germany and Austria. Many German troops wanted to give up before more people were killed. At the same time, the Nazis still held many important people as prisoners in remote castles. One of these places was Castle Itter, located high up in the mountains of Austria. This castle held high-ranking French officials who had been captured by the Germans. Tensions were very high because the SS guards wanted to kill these prisoners before the war ended. This battle is a unique story because it shows how enemies briefly became allies to stop a common threat.

In May 1945, the French prisoners at Castle Itter realized their captors had run away. They feared that the elite SS soldiers would arrive to kill them. They sent a message to the American army to ask for help. A small group of American soldiers from the 12th Armored Division answered the call. Along the way, they met a German officer who was tired of the war and wanted to help save the prisoners. This German officer and his small group of soldiers joined the Americans to defend the castle. They set up defensive positions with their tanks and rifles. Soon, the SS soldiers arrived and attacked the castle with heavy guns. The American and German soldiers worked together to fight off the attackers for several hours. Ammunition began to run low as the battle continued through the day. Finally, reinforcements from the American army arrived to push the SS soldiers back. All of the French prisoners were saved by this strange team of allies. It remains the only time in the war that American and German soldiers fought on the same side.

It is the only time in the war that American and German soldiers worked together in a battle. It shows how complicated things became right before the war ended.

• US 12th Armored Division
• German Wehrmacht
• French Prisoners
• Waffen-SS

• 1.US Army Military History
• 2.Battle of Itter Records
• 3.WWII Europe Archives
• 4.Historical Accounts of 1945