RichardQ Loc: Colorado

The Soviet Red Army conquered, then ravaged Berlin in April, 1945. They remained the sole military occupiers for two months until July, although the Yalta Conference in February mandated a four-power occupation.

Berlin was the only German city divided into four occupation Sectors -- at least on a map. (Austria's Vienna also was sectored, but that's another story.) However, Soviet Marshal Zhukov was unwilling to remove his troops from the American, British and French Sectors and simply open the gates when the first U.S. Military Government detachments arrived on July 1 1945.

Colonel Frank Howley, commander of the A1A1 Military Government force, described what followed in his 1950 book, "Berlin Command."

The American troops arrived at the outskirts of Berlin late in the day and camped in the forest-like Grünewald Park. On July 2nd, Howley and his Army commander, Brig. Gen. Floyd Parks, met with the local Russian commander, Gen. Gorbatov. For the first time, they learned the extent of the American Sector. They had six boroughs of Berlin's 20 boroughs.

Gorbatov asked when they would be ready to move in. Howley said, "Right now." But Parks paused, then said "The Fourth of July would be a good time, and we ought to have a little ceremony." That was two days off. Gorbatov agreed.

When the parade and speeches in Grünewald were over, Howley was given orders to occupy the American Sector by midnight. But then he got an urgent call from Parks, who showed him a signed message from Zhukov. The Marshal ordered that the Allied Sectors would not be turned over to the Allies until the four-power Kommandatura was eventually set up.

Howley was steamed, because he had repeatedly overcome one arbitrary Russian roadblock after another. He told Parks, "Unless you change your orders, I'll carry them out and occupy our Sector according to the agreement."

Parks thought a moment, then said, "Yes, I think you're right. That was the agreement, so go ahead as planned -- but don't get into too much trouble. After all, the occupation is just beginning."

Hawley called together the toughest and most competent of his detachment commanders: "We move in at daybreak [July 5th] and set up Military Government. The Russians don't get up until Noon. Don't get into a fight, but protect yourselves if you have to. Don't back out and don't make any concessions. If the Russians challenge you, tell them you are just following orders."

At daybreak, his men quietly moved in, while the Russians slept. Each of the six detachments contacted the local mayors, took over their houses as headquarters, raised the American flag, and hung posters proclaiming establishment of Military Government and an Allied court system.

When the Russians woke up, they protested - vigorously. But it was a fait accompli, a favorite Russian tactic. They evacuated the Allied Sectors.

Soviet troops evacuate the American Sector of Occupied Berlin - July 1945


Col. Frank Howley, Adj. Military Governor of the American Sector, Occupied Berlin - 1945 to 1949


Brig. Gen. Floyd Parks, Berlin's Military Governor under Gen. Clay - 1945


Sectors map of Occupied Berlin - 1945 to 1949

BassmanBruce Loc: Middle of the Mitten

Very interesting information Richard, can I assume the images are from your archives?
Thanks for posting.

RichardQ Loc: Colorado

Thanks for your comments and interest, BassmanBruce. I never got to Berlin in the three years I spent in Occupied Germany. The photos are from the public domain. I have about 80 books dealing with the occupation in my little library, including some in German.

jederick Loc: Northern Utah

I always enjoy these bits of history Richard and appreciate your efforts to research and post...thank you! :thumbup:

BassmanBruce Loc: Middle of the Mitten

I was gonna be pretty impressed if you had taken the Generals portrait!
Keep up the good work!

RichardQ Loc: Colorado

Thank you for your comments, jederick. I enjoy writing these vignettes. They are all descriptions of historical events, although some of them (like this one) are almost unbelievable.

RichardQ Loc: Colorado

I thought some Hoggers might be interested in this photo of an Army Signal Corps photographer being warmly greeted by Russian soldiers when he showed up on July 4, 1945 in Occupied Berlin. He was one of the first Americans to enter the city. The Military Government detachment sneaked in the next morning, despite Marshal Zhukov's attempt to block them. Sorry for the poor image quality -- it was the best I could find.

A Signal Corps photographer is warmly greeted by Russians - July 4, 1945

sarge69 Loc: Ft Myers, FL

I served in Berlin from May 1960 to May 1963 and loved it. A beautiful and exciting city. I was there when the East Germans built the wall and that was a tense period of time.

Sarge69

One Rude Dawg Loc: Athol, ID

I have a period cigarette case of the city of Berlin with the different sectors inlayed and engraved into it. It is engraved all over and is one of the best in my collection. Prelude to the cold war. Great info for a history nut. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Fritz59

Thanks for the info Richard. I don't remember where that I read that Gen Patton could have been in Berlin 2 weeks before the Russians but was told by General Ike or the President to slow down and let the Russians take the city.

KTJohnson Loc: Northern Michigan

Thanks for the history lesson Richard. I see from the ratio of Messages/Views of your posts that they are very popular. A few comment, but many more actually view and read your stuff. Also, thanks for your military service. Keep up the good work. Your historical photos are very interesting.

RichardQ Loc: Colorado

Thank you for your interest and comments, Fritz. I wrote two topics back in Nov. ("Should we have challenged the Russians for Berlin in April, 1945?", and "Russia wanted Berlin's blood for herself - April/May 1945"). Patton. Bradley. and Eisenhower discussed Berlin on April 12, 1945 (when they learned President Roosevelt died), and Ike was reported to have said that it was highly inadvisable for the American Army to take Berlin, and he hoped political influence would not cause him to take the city. It had no tactical or strategical value, and would place upon American forces the burden of caring for thousands and thousands of Germans, displaced persons, Allied prisoners of war, etc.

Patton replied, "Ike, I don't see how you figure that one. We had better take Berlin and quick, and [then go eastward] on to the Oder [River]." What Patton didn't realize was that Berlin was already encircled by two huge Russian armies -- 3 million men hungry for revenge on Hitler, who was in his Berlin bunker. Any attempt by us at that point to take Berlin would have resulted in a pitched three-way battle. As it was, the Russians lost an estimated 70,000 or more troops in that fight.

RichardQ Loc: Colorado

Thank you for your comments, KT. I started these topics by accident last Spring when I posted some of my own photos. People asked for more, and I discovered I enjoyed digging up my memories and old pix.

RichardQ Loc: Colorado

Thanks for your input and your service, Sarge69. As it happens, I and my family also were in Germany from 1960 to 1963, but not with the military. I was employed in Frankfurt as an advertising TV art director. We were concerned about the Berlin Wall, of course -- but the situation at home was pretty tense too, since the Russians triggered the Cuban Missile Crisis in Oct. 1962 and President Kennedy authorized a naval blockade of Cuba to block delivery of Russian missiles. Thank God the Cold War never became a nuclear war.

RichardQ Loc: Colorado

Thank you for your comments and interest, Dawg. Did you find that cigarette case in Berlin?