The U.S. Army last week gave a first sample of how it will conduct one of its big post-Hitler jobs: ruling conquered German territory.
The demonstration took place in the town of Roetgen (pop. 2,300), near Aachen. Many of the townspeople had fled. Some were hiding in terror. Civil Affairs Officer Captain Gordon F. Thomas, of Brockton, Mass., drove in with five men, parked his jeep in front of the post office, established himself as judge, mayor and military boss.
He ordered the telephone exchange shut down, lest any information be phoned to the enemy. He proclaimed a curfew. He ordered...
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