I-US Sgt. UCayne (ngasekhohlo) ubonwe apha ngee-POWs zaseJamani, iMfazwe yaseBulge, iHurtgen Forest, eJamani, kwiMfazwe yesibini (II) yeHlabathi, ngoDisemba 1944.UTony Vaccaro / Getty Izithombe Ukubonelela ngomkhosi waseMelika ngesimo esivakalayo somsitho wombulelo, naphina apho imikhosi yethu ihanjiswa khona kwihlabathi liphela, yinto ende yeSebe lethu lezoKhuselo. Izolo, iPentagon isebenze phantse i-100,000 yeepawundi zeTurkey , kunye nazo zonke izinto ezinqunyulweyo eziqhelekileyo, kubasebenzi basejoni base-US kumazwe ajikeleze umhlaba, kubandakanya imimandla yemfazwe enjengeAfghanistan neIraq.
Abanye abongameli batyelele imikhosi esebenza ngendlela eyenzakalisayo-umva ngo-2003, uGeorge W. Bush wafika eBaghdad ngokumangala ukukhonza i-turkey kwimikhosi yethu-kodwa uDonald Trump, ngenxa yakhe yokuqala yokubonga uMongameli, wayenelisekile ukujongana nomkhosi wethu ngekhonkco yevidiyo Ukusuka kwindawo yakhe yokuhlala eMar-A-Lago eFlorida. Yayiyinto yesiqhelo ye-Boilerplate yeTrumpian yesiqhelo: Ningabantu abakhetheke kakhulu… Siphumelela ngenene. Siyayazi indlela yokuphumelela… Bona [oMongameli Bush kunye no-Obama] bebekwenza ukuba udlale. Siyakuvumela ukuba uphumelele.
Njengesiqhelo, ubunyani beengxelo zikamongameli zibonakala zinokuxoxwa, okona kulungileyo, kwaye ayinguye wonke umntu onwabileyo yidilesi yokubulela kaTrump kwimikhosi. UMark Hertling, umphathi-mkhosi wase-US odla umhlala-phantsi, wamgxeka Uvavanyo lukaTrump njengokunyelisa imikhosi yethu, abanye babo bebesemfazweni iminyaka eli-17 kwaye bebala.
Ukuhambisa amajoni isidlo sangokuhlwa sombulelo, nokuba athunyelwe phi na, yinto enzima yokujongana nePentagon, ngelixa utyelelo lukamongameli kwindawo yemfazwe-kunye nenqwaba yabantu kunye nokhuseleko kwinqanaba le-gargantuan-yinto enkulu kakhulu. Kungenxa yoko inokucingelwa ngokukhuselekileyo ukuba uninzi lwamalungu ethu asemkhosini ayonwabile kakhulu ukuva uMongameli uTrump pontificate ngevidiyo endaweni yomntu.
Ngokwenyani, umbulelo endle wenza usana lwePentagon, kwaye umkhwa wethu wezomkhosi wokuzisa i-turkey nazo zonke izinto ezincitshisiweyo zokulwa imimandla bekungasoloko kuthakazelelwa yimikhosi ezama ukulwa nokusinda. Nangona kunjalo, i-escapade efanele ifoto ithathwa njengethandwayo ngaphambili kwekhaya, ke umkhosi wase-US uqhubeka nokwenza imisebenzi yokuBulela nokuba imikhosi iyayifuna okanye ayifuni.
Ityala eliqhelekileyo lalineminyaka engama-73 eyadlulayo, iMfazwe yesibini yeHlabathi yokuBulela. Izinto zazingahambi kakuhle kuMntla-ntshona Yurophu ngasekupheleni kukaNovemba 1944, apho kwaHitler Amajoni axhobile yahlala izele ngumlo, nangona yoyisiwe ngokweenkcukacha eNormandy kwiinyanga ezintathu ezidlulileyo. Ithemba eliphumelelayo lasehlotyeni, xa iKhaya ngeKrisimesi lalibonakala linokuthenjwa, lalisele linike indlela yokuqonda ukuba amaJamani ayeselutshaba olomeleleyo- kwaye kwakusekho umlo omninzi owawusamele wenziwe.
AmaJamani abuyela kwimida yawo, imikhosi yawo i-tatters, kwaye ngelixa isiphelo semfazwe singenakungathandabuzeki, phakathi kwama-Allies aseNtshona kwi-Third Reich kumda wasentshona kunye ne-Red Army ehamba kumda wasempuma, oko kwakungekho nto kumajoni aseMelika abambe umgca wokubonga.
Akukho ndawo apho le nyaniso yayibuhlungu kunaleyo yehlathi laseHürtgen, isiqwengana somthi esimnyama nesineenduli ngaphakathi nje komda waseJamani ngaseBelgium, isiqwenga sesihogo sama-50 eekhilomitha ezingama-50 kumajoni aseMelika alwa apho. Ngaphandle kwelona dabi lide nelilokona kunzima ukulwa e-US Army kwiMfazwe yesibini yeHlabathi-ii-GIs zafudukela ehlathini phakathi ku-Septemba ka-1944 kwaye azange zisuse intshaba kude kube ekuqaleni kuka-Februwari 1945, phantse iinyanga ezintlanu kamva- umlo kuba iHurgen yeHlathi ilityelwe kwaphela. Ngelixa uninzi lwabantu baseMelika beluvile ngeNormandy kunye neMfazwe yaseBulge, uloyiso lwembali, mhlawumbi ummi omnye kwikhulu angaliqonda igama ledabi, ngokutsho iakhawunti esemthethweni yomkhosi , Ixabise ngaphezulu kwe-100,000 GIs ifile, yenzakele, ilahlekile, kwaye ikhubazekile ngenxa yokugula.
Akunzima ukuqonda ukuba kutheni yawa phantsi emngxunyeni wenkumbulo. Umkhosi wawufuna ukulibala ngale ntlekele, eyayiyimpumelelo yokuzikhusela yaseJamani. ULieutenant General Jim Gavin, umphathi wamajoni angama-82ndICandelo eliMoya, libhengeze iHürtgen Forest ukuhlaselwa yenye yezona dabi zibiza kakhulu, zingenamveliso, kwaye uninzi alucebisiyo ukuba umkhosi wethu wakhe walwa, uvavanyo oluchanekileyo.
Elona candelo libi ledabi yayikukuba bekungafanelanga ukuba lenziwe kwaphela. Ihlathi laba yinjongo kuphela xa umkhosi wase-US wangena kuwo. AmaJamani akaze afumanise ukuba kutheni Abahlobo wangena ehlathini, wamisa igazi, emva koko wagcina iinyanga. Yayingavakali nganto emkhosini, ngakumbi ngenxa yokuba amaxilongo ethu abulalayo — oombayimbayi ababalaseleyo nababesebenzisa umoya — ayengabalulekanga kangako kwihlathi elishinyeneyo. Iigobolondo zeArtillery zazingakwazi ukungena kwimithi eshinyeneyo, zigqabhuke kwimithi, ngoko iHürtgen yaba ngumlo wabantwana okokugqibela .
Izixhobo zomkhosi zaseJamani kunye namaqhinga ziye zadlula ezethu, nokuba zithini na iifilimu zaseSpielbergian ezithandwayo, kunye namandla Amajoni axhobile Iibhotile zolutsha kunye namadoda amadala, abambe indawo ekhuseleka ngokulula, benza i-mincemeat yezahlulo ezili-11 zaseMelika, bathunyelwa ngokulandelelana ehlathini ukuba bafe. Inyanga emva kwenyanga, umjelo oqhelekileyo wamanqakwana oqeqeshiweyo wabantwana owanikwa i-Hürtgen yokutya inyama ukuze kugcinwe into ecekisekayo-inkqubela phambili ibalwa ngeemitha, hayi iimayile — kwaye uninzi lwazo luye lwaba lixhoba ngokukhawuleza.
Ngenxa yoko, iHlathi yeHürtgen yayifana neMfazwe Enkulu I-Western Front eyoyikekayo , apho abagwetywayo abagwetywayo bazama, kwaye bahlala besilela, ukwenza umlo ngokuchasene nemipu, imigodi kunye nomlilo. Amagosa aphezulu kwintuthuzelo yangemva, ngolonwabo engazi ubunyani beqhinga, aqhubeka esenza iimpazamo ezifanayo. Umkhosi emva komkhosi wenziwa idini ukuze kuthathwe ilali, umzila, induli, kuphela ukuba bagxothwe ngesiquphe, nangubundlobongela baseJamani. Kwandula ke yaba liqela elilandelayo elingenathamsanqa. U-Ernest Hemingway watyelela ihlathi ukuze ahlole idabi lakhe kwaye ishwankathelwe iHürtgen inyuka njengePaschendaele ngokugqabhuka komthi.
Ulwahlulo olungenathamsanqa lwaseMelika olwalusilwa entliziyweni yeHürtgen xa kufika uMbulelo yayingu-8thUmntwana. Yathuthela ehlathini njengenxalenye ye-Operation Queen, eyayiqala ngo-Novemba 16 ngebhombu enkulu yabhombela nge-1,200 yaseMelika. Umboniso omangalisayo wamandla omlilo washukumisa umhlaba kwaye waqhekeza i-eardrum, kodwa wenza isoyikiso esincinci kukhuselo lwaseJamani, kunye ne-8.thUlwahlulo lakhawuleza langena kwindawo enegazi eliqhelekileyo kwihlathi elishinyeneyo.
Xa uMbulelo wafika ngoNovemba 23, 8thIkomkhulu leCandelo lalifuna ukubonelela ngesidlo sasemini isidlo saseTurkey ngayo yonke into esikiweyo, ngokomyalelo ophakamileyo. Ilizwi lasasazeka kwiindawo eziphambili, apho umbono wahlangatyezwa ngokungakholelwa. I-8thIcandelo le-121stI-Infantry Regiment yayisekupheleni komkhonto kwi-Hürtgen ye-Thanksgiving, iinqwelo zayo ezintathu eziphelileyo zazisasazeka emahlathini, zizama ukukhahlela umhlaba kulutshaba olomeleleyo.
Ibutho le-2ndIBatalion yayisemfazweni ngamandla ngaloo mini. U-Lieutenant Paul Boesch wokuqala, i-wrestling yobungcali ngaphambi kwemfazwe, wayekhokela enye yeenkampani ezintathu zemipu, kwaye wayithatha umnxeba wasentsimini xa kukhala. Yayilikomkhulu lomkhosi: Wonwabile umbulelo. Sinesidlo sangokuhlwa esishushu apha kuyo yonke indoda enxibe iimpahla, yabhengeza igosa labasebenzi, elacacisa ukuba ukutya kwakusendleleni eya kwinkampani yaseBoesch.
UBoesch wayengakholelwa: Ngaba ningamantongomane? Kuphantse kwamnyama kwaye amaqela am okuphatha sele enze uhambo olonyuka intaba kunye nomxhesho namanzi. Andikwazi ukubathumela phaya kwakhona. Ngaphandle koko, abanakondla isidlo esishushu kwizikhundla abakuso ngoku. Thixo olungileyo, zilungile ngaphezulu kweJerries.
Umkhosi wenza kwacaca ukuba le miyalelo ivela kwi-8thUkwahlulwa kwaye kuya kulandelwa-ngaphandle koko, uLieutenant akazange afune ukuba amadoda akhe afumane isidlo sombulelo esifanelekileyo? U-Boesch ucacisele umphathi-mkhosi wakhe ukuba lo myalelo uza kubulala amadoda, esongeza ngokukhumbula, Ewe ndifuna ukubabona bafumana ukutya okushushu. Ndifuna ukubabona befumana izidlo ezithathu ezishushu ngemini kunye nebhedi eyomileyo ubusuku ngabunye kunye nosana lokulala nabo, kodwa masigcine i-turkey bade bakwazi ukubuyela umva apho banokuyonwabela. Ngubani isihogo owaziyo ukuba ngumbulelo ngaphandle kombhanxa othile osisiyatha ngasemva ofumana ukutya okushushu nakanjani na kwaye ufuna utshintsho kwindlela yokutya?
U-Boesch wayesazi ukuba akunamsebenzi, ii-odolo kufuneka zilandelwe, nditsho nezobubhanxa, ke ngoko wahlanganisa ipati wayokulanda isidlo sombulelo, umsebenzi owawuzakwenziwa ujonge utshaba; ukhuseleko lwabo kuphela iya kuba bubumnyama bobusuku obuzayo. Ulwahlulo lufuna sikhumbule iintsikelelo zethu kwaye sibe nombulelo. Ke siyayitya i-turkey kwaye siyayithanda, i-lieutenant ichaze enye yamadoda anoxanduva lokuhambisa i-turkey.
Ngokuchanekileyo njengoko u-Boesch wayexele kwangaphambili, sonke isihogo saqhekeka xa abathwali be turkey bafikelela kwi platoon zenkampani phambili. Imikhosi yaseJamani yagqogqa ii-GI xa kanye sifika apho kunye ne-turkey egxothiweyo, watsho omnye wabasindileyo. Abafileyo nabalimala bafumanekile kwaye, okona kubi kakhulu, uBoesch akakwazanga ukuthumela ii-medics ngee-stretchers kunyuka intaba ukuhlangula abawile. Ebumnyameni, babenokukhubeka elutshabeni, ababephezulu kwizikhundla zaseMelika. U-Boesch ngokungathandabuzekiyo walibazisa oogqirha bakhe kwasa. Umphathi-mkhosi wakhe, wazisiwe ngale ntlekele, waphinda wakhala: Ndiyaxolisa. Uxolo, utshilo.
UPaul Boesch wenzakala kabini kodwa wasinda kwihlathi laseHürtgen, ngokungafaniyo namadoda amaninzi awayephantsi kwakhe. Emva kwemfazwe waphinda waqalisa umsebenzi wakhe wobukrwada, esiba ludumo oluncinci (kukholelwa ukuba wayezenzele iwrestling wrestling). Wapapasha imemo enomsindo yamava akhe eHürtgen abonelela ngomfanekiso ochanekileyo ngakumbi wezinto eziyinene zemfazwe kunokuba iimovie zaseHollywood zinokukwenza. Lo Mbulelo, akukho magorha aseMelika abulawa esenzweni, ngokungafaniyo ne-1944, kwaye yinto ekufuneka sonke siyibulele.
UJohn Schindler yingcali yezokhuseleko kunye nowayesakuba ngumhlalutyi weArhente yoKhuseleko kuZwelonke kunye negosa lobukrelekrele. Ingcali kwezobuntlola kunye nobunqolobi, ukwaligosa lomkhosi wamanzi kunye nenjingalwazi yeWar College. Upapashe iincwadi ezine kwaye uku-Twitter ku @ 20committee.
