What Patton Did When a German Major Refused to Surrender
On March 28, 1945, the war in Europe was nearing its end. The German army was in full retreat, and American tanks were advancing deep into Bavaria. But as soldiers from the U.S. 45th Infantry Division approached the city of Ashaffenburg, they were met with a sight that would forever alter their perception of the enemy and the lengths to which they would go to achieve victory.
A Gruesome Welcome
As the American troops rolled into Ashaffenburg, they were greeted not by the surrender of the German forces, but by the horrific spectacle of bodies hanging from lamp posts lining the streets. These were not soldiers; they were civilians—old men, women, and even teenagers—executed for the crime of attempting to surrender. Signs hung around their necks read, “Here hangs a traitor,” a chilling testament to the fanaticism of the city’s defenders.
The civilians had not fought against the Americans; they had merely tried to save their homes, hanging white sheets from their windows as a plea for mercy. Instead of compassion, they faced the wrath of Major Emile Lambert, the city’s commander, who had taken it upon himself to enforce a brutal code of loyalty to the Nazi cause. The American soldiers, upon witnessing this atrocity, felt a surge of anger rather than sadness. They were not there to liberate a city that had turned on its own people.
The Decision to Destroy
The American commander, witnessing the hanging bodies, made a fateful decision. He radioed for heavy artillery, not for precision strikes, but for total destruction. The order was clear: “Level it. Turn every building into dust.” The Americans were no longer playing by the rules of engagement; they were determined to punish the city for its complicity in the execution of innocents.
To understand the gravity of this decision, one must consider the man at the center of the conflict—Major Emile Lambert. A true believer in National Socialism, Lambert had received a direct order from Adolf Hitler to defend Ashaffenburg to the last stone. He gathered what remained of his forces, including the Volkssturm—old men with hunting rifles, boys from the Hitler Youth, and wounded soldiers pulled from hospital beds—and gave them a chilling ultimatum: anyone who tried to surrender would be shot, and anyone who displayed a white flag would be hanged.
As the Americans approached, the citizens of Ashaffenburg, terrified of Lambert’s execution squads, secretly sewed white flags, hoping to save their families. But Lambert’s spies were everywhere, and when the Americans arrived, they found a city held hostage by a madman.
The American Assault
The 45th Infantry Division, known as the Thunderbirds, expected an easy victory, but as they sent a small force into the suburbs, they were met with fierce resistance. Shots rang out from every direction—civilians, under Lambert’s orders, were fighting back. Old men in suits, women tossing grenades from rooftops, and children firing rifles created chaos. The Americans were shocked to find themselves under fire from a population they had expected to surrender.
Confusion reigned as the American soldiers hesitated. They did not want to shoot civilians, but their compassion was met with violence. Casualties mounted, and ambulance crews raced to and fro, trying to save their comrades. What should have been a straightforward operation had turned into a bloody meat grinder.
American commanders convened outside the city, furious at the unexpected resistance. Reports of the hangings solidified their resolve. They were no longer liberators but avengers, and the mood shifted dramatically. The decision was made: no more American lives would be lost in this city.
The Artillery Assault
The American commander looked at the map of Ashaffenburg and identified the castle, Schloß Johannisburg, where Lambert was likely hiding. He ordered a full bombardment, calling for heavy artillery and air support. The plan was not to capture the city but to obliterate it.
That evening, the bombardment began. American artillery, positioned on the hills overlooking the city, fired point-blank. Instead of the usual arc of artillery fire, they aimed directly into the buildings. The medieval timber-framed houses disintegrated under the onslaught of 155 mm shells. Fire broke out, and the city began to burn.
As the smoke rose, Major Lambert remained in his bunker, convinced that the Americans were weak and afraid to enter the city. He ordered his men to hold their positions, but the Americans were not afraid; they were simply executing a plan of systematic destruction.
An American sergeant later wrote in his diary, “We just sat on the hill and watched it burn. After seeing those bodies on the lamp posts, I didn’t feel a thing. They brought this on themselves.” This brutal decision to destroy Ashaffenburg was one of the most controversial actions of the war, raising questions about the morality of such tactics.
The Fall of the Castle
After days of relentless shelling, the castle remained standing, a symbol of Lambert’s defiance. The Americans knew they needed to finish the job. They brought up an M12 gun motor carriage, a 155 mm gun mounted on tank tracks, and positioned it right in front of the castle. The German soldiers inside looked out to see the massive barrel aimed directly at them.
The first shell hit the main tower, and stone exploded into the air. As the Americans continued to fire, the castle caught fire, and the roof collapsed. Inside, the wounded screamed, and the teenage soldiers, frightened and desperate, begged Major Lambert to surrender. But Lambert, ever the fanatic, threatened his own men with a pistol, refusing to give in.
On April 3rd, the firing from the castle finally ceased. A white flag appeared from a hole in the wall, and the Americans held their fire. Slowly, the German soldiers emerged, covered in red dust and looking like ghosts. Major Lambert walked out last, still wearing his uniform and medals, trying to maintain an air of arrogance despite the destruction around him.
The Aftermath
When Lambert approached American commander Lieutenant Colonel Felix Sparks, he attempted to deliver a speech about honor and duty. But Sparks, surveying the ruins and the smoke rising from the city, was not interested. He ordered his military police to take Lambert away, stating, “Get him out of my sight before I shoot him myself.”
Lambert was stripped of his weapons and thrown into a jeep, while the surviving citizens of Ashaffenburg emerged from their hiding places. They did not cheer for their commander; instead, they spat at him and cursed him for the destruction he had wrought upon their home.
The battle for Ashaffenburg lasted ten days, a conflict that should have been resolved in hours. Because of one man’s fanaticism, the city was 90% destroyed, hundreds of civilians were dead, and many American soldiers had been killed or wounded. General Patton, upon hearing about the battle, expressed grim satisfaction. He visited the ruins and remarked, “It is a good lesson. If they want to fight, this is what happens. We will not trade American lives for German buildings.”
A Lesson in Warfare
The destruction of Ashaffenburg served as a warning for the rest of the war. As American forces approached other towns, they sent messages ahead: “Remember Ashaffenburg. Surrender now, or we will bring the heavy guns.” Most towns surrendered immediately, understanding the consequences of defiance.
What happened to Major Lambert, the man responsible for the hangings? He was put on trial, not for killing Americans—an act of war—but for murdering German civilians who attempted to surrender. Found guilty, his death sentence was later commuted to imprisonment. Lambert lived, but he did so in disgrace, hated by his own countrymen.
The story of Ashaffenburg is not one of glory but rather a testament to the brutal logic of war. The American soldiers did not want to destroy the city, but when faced with the reality of Lambert’s fanaticism, they made a choice. They stopped being liberators and became destroyers, demonstrating that mercy has its limits.
The destruction of Ashaffenburg raises difficult questions about the nature of warfare. Was the American commander justified in leveling the city to save his men, or was it an excessive use of force? This debate continues to resonate, reminding us that the choices made in war often come with devastating consequences.
In the end, Ashaffenburg serves as a haunting reminder of how ideology can lead to tragedy, and how the lines between liberator and destroyer can blur in the chaos of conflict. What would you have done in their place? The answer may be more complex than we wish to admit.
