16-321 Garand Picture of the Day

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...2o1_1280-1.jpg

U.S. Military Police of the 44th Infantry Division interview two juvenile Wehrmacht soldiers following the surrender of divisions of the German 19th Army in western Austria. Towards the end of the war, with able-bodied German men in short supply, German and Austrian boys as young as 12 and 14 were being conscripted to fight in a last ditch effort to turn the tide of the war. Landeck, Tyrol-Vorarlberg, Ostmark (prior to the war and afterward: Landeck, Tyrol, Austria). 5 May 1945

It's probably worth highlighting that the boys had most likely spent years in the Hitler Youth and had been brain washed into the fact that they would be expected to fight, from a very young age if needed, to defend the "master race".

A pair of perhaps brothers, heading home after surviving the defense of Berlin...going home to mother...

It does make you wonder just how young they really are when compared to the height of the U.S. M.P., unless, of course, he is unusually tall; they are not much taller than the rifle.

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Originally Posted by Mark in Rochester

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...2o1_1280-1.jpg

U.S. Military Police of the 44th Infantry Division interview two juvenile Wehrmacht soldiers following the surrender of divisions of the German 19th Army in western Austria. Towards the end of the war, with able-bodied German men in short supply, German and Austrian boys as young as 12 and 14 were being conscripted to fight in a last ditch effort to turn the tide of the war. Landeck, Tyrol-Vorarlberg, Ostmark (prior to the war and afterward: Landeck, Tyrol, Austria). 5 May 1945

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That is so sad!

Yes it was pretty darn sad Bill the reality was in those dying days the drugged deluded you know who was plucking battalions out of thin air, but before that they grabbed any one old, young who could hold a Panzerfaust or rifle in a last ditch effort.
If Herr H had not been such a ditherer interfering with projects like his revenge weapons the ME-262 this aircraft could have gotten into the skies a year earlier then operation point blank may have had a different outcome; if Herr H waited until Doenitz had the required number of U-boats before they started the stoush then Britain may well have been blockaded and starved of materials which the brit's did to Germany with the Grand Fleet in WWI possibly forcing Churchills hand the USA may have possibly came in earlier than Dec '41 to aid Britain apart from lend lease.
All the above is pretty speculative but one thing is for certain thank goodness he was a ditherer as was his off-sider Herr Goering consider this; what if Rommel or Gudarian had the control of the land forces and Galland or Nowotny in charge of the Luftwaffe given their battle field tactics developed at the pointy end and not in a bunker underground by a Corporal no less!