"George Z. Bush" wrote:
Ed Rasimus wrote:

[...]
Recent editorials have been comparing the Iraqi democratization to the
aftermath of WW II in Europe. Five months after V-E day, the region
was lawless, with looting, refugees, sniping and disorder.

I was in Italy until June 1946 and, other than the presence of some refugees,
there was little looting, sniping or disorder visible to the naked eye. Maybe
the birthplace of the Mafia was more law abiding than was defeated Germany, but
I didn't see the things you inferred were endemic. And I do not remember any
reports of ongoing resistance to the end of the war in Germany as is apparently
in progress in Iraq today. There may have been isolated instances of rifle
fire, but nothing more.
[...]


+ No incentive to attack US forces as heavy-handed response resulted

+ Occasionally, some young nimrod would take a shot at occupying
troops. Noteworthy by its infrequency.

+ Possession of a firearm a serious advance which would land you in a
KZ

+ Levels of lawlessness, banditry, etc, all depended on region.

+ Northern Italy/Yugoslav border, southern Austria, bandits, either
Italian or Balkan, or 'Balkan Blend'. Necessary to be armed when
travelling through some of NE Italy.

+ Most lawlessness directed at obtaining goods. For instance, an
entire train was held up by the Mafia north of Naples somewhere.

+ Berlin there were even gangs of deserters from the Allied armies
doing hold-ups of convoys, trains and shooting it out with MPs

+ Lots of murders among black marketeers. The voiceover at the
beginning of the "The Third Man" shows one of the 'amateurs' floating
in the Danube.

+ Austria, some un-surrendered troops surviving in the mountains.

+ Porous 'borders' with Austria/Czechia/Hungaria meant Soviet and
freelance kidnap gangs roamed at will, as did assassination teams.

+ Nazi smugglers, Zionist terrorist gangs, Jew smugglers all operated
down through the Alps to Italian ports.

+ French occupation troops in the French zone of Austria specialised
in rape

+ No incentive to get the Allies out since if the Allies left the
Soviets would take over. Plus none of the candy-ass
pussyfooting-around over "cultural sensitivity". Anyone in custody was
given a "culturally appropriate" meal consisting of ..... a lot more
calories than most people were getting on the outside and had the
baton applied to them in a "culturally appropriate" manner should
their behaviour merit such.

+If none of this was found to be to taste, you could always cross to
the Soviet zone.

+ Some areas there was no 'border' imposed, as such, you just crossed.
However, on attempting to return, one found there was indeed a
'border'.


The big advantage enjoyed by post-war Allied occupiers was that Uncle
Joe was right next door. This focused everyone's attention on what was
waiting for them if the Allies decided to go home.