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WWII 32nd Station Hospital | WWII Africa to Caserta Italy
| Willard O. Havemeier WWII
ARMISTICE WITH GERMANY SIGNED AT CASERTA
ARMISTICE
WITH GERMANY SIGNED AT CASERTA
On April 21, 1945,
even though the Germans had reinforced the defenses
of Bologna during the winter, the Allies took the city, and
German units began crossing the River Po. Several of their
divisions were cut off before reaching the river. Practically
all of their equipment--- tanks, trucks and artillery were
left behind. From then on, the Allies faced little or no opposition.
On April 26 the Germans left Milan, which had sustained heavy
bomb damage. It was in Milan that the Italian partisans executed
Mussolini and his mistress, Clara Petacci. The Italian Campaign
was ending. On May 2, fighting ceased. The Germans had signed
the unconditional surrender in Italy at Caserta on April 29,
1945. May 8 marked the German surrender in Europe. We had
very little news of what was going on. We found out the details
when we read about it in "Stars and Stripes", the military
newspaper.
We had Irving Berlin appear
in person just a short distance up the road from Caserta
at Santa Maria. I have the complete program; in the
beginning it states that the entire production is staged
under the personal direction of Mr. Irvng Berlin.
Note the date, 24 April 1944; this was near the front lines.
Rome was not liberated until 4 June 1944.
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