"Other" War Crimes -- POW Lynchings

David Thompson · Post by **David Thompson** » 15 Jan 2003 22:13

In 1944, Nazi authorities grew increasingly concerned over bombing raids. On 11 Jan 1944 the U.S. Army Air Force began using P-51 Mustang fighters to escort American bombers in daylight precision raids over Germany. Before this time, Allied fighters could not provide consistent protection for the bomber squadrons because of the fighters' limited range. The P-51, markedly superior to German fighter planes, achieved air superiority over the Reich within five months, leaving German war industry largely unprotected from the devastating daylight precision bombing of American "Flying Fortress" and "Liberator" formations (Luftwaffe Diaries 508-539).

As a result of these raids, Hitler and other Nazi officials began to consider whether allowing the civilian population to lynch captured allied aviators might boost German morale and deter the allies. Here are the first of some primary source documents on the subject. These are from "Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression" vol. 8, pp. 107-08:

David Thompson · Post by **David Thompson** » 15 Jan 2003 22:18

Here is another set of documents on the subject from "Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression" vol. 8, pp. 127-46:

David Thompson · Post by **David Thompson** » 15 Jan 2003 22:20

Part 2:

David Thompson · Post by **David Thompson** » 15 Jan 2003 22:22

Part 3:

David Thompson · Post by **David Thompson** » 15 Jan 2003 22:24

Part 4:

David Thompson · Post by **David Thompson** » 15 Jan 2003 22:35

Part 5:

David Thompson · Post by **David Thompson** » 15 Jan 2003 22:37

Part 6:

David Thompson · Post by **David Thompson** » 15 Jan 2003 22:38

The end:

David Thompson · Post by **David Thompson** » 16 Jan 2003 01:25

Here's another document in this series of posts, from "Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression" vol. 7, p. 904:

David Thompson · Post by **David Thompson** » 16 Jan 2003 10:33

Here are some documents on this subject, from "Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression" vol. 3, pp. 526-38 and 543-44:

David Thompson · Post by **David Thompson** » 16 Jan 2003 10:36

Part 2:

David Thompson · Post by **David Thompson** » 16 Jan 2003 10:39

Part 3:

David Thompson · Post by **David Thompson** » 16 Jan 2003 10:42

Part 4:

David Thompson · Post by **David Thompson** » 16 Jan 2003 10:44

Part 5:

David Thompson · Post by **David Thompson** » 17 Jan 2003 18:32

More documents on this subject, from "Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression" vol. 7, pp. 231-42: