GERMANY

DACHAU

In the face of the bodies and realization that something evil had happened at Dachau, the conduct of some of the American soldiers led to a bloodletting aimed at the camp's guards. SS Lt. Heinrich Wicker, the officer that surrendered the camp was shown the bodies on the train and then was executed mysteriously. One story alleges inmates were given weapons to take their revenge, another that the 45th Division soldiers executed imprisoned guards before being stopped by an officer. No investigation or official documentation was made and General Patton in command of the Bavaria occupation, made it so. A declassified 1991 war department document verified that many were massacred by horrified and angered U.S. troops and at least 20 were killed as vengeance by inmates.