Exposing the Third Reich: Colonel Truman Smith in Hitler's Germany

430 Pages·2013·18.75 MB·English

by  Henry G. Gole, Edward M. Coffman

E t r
xposing thE hird Eich
AmericAn WArriors
Throughout the nation’s history, numerous men and women of all
ranks and branches of the U.S. military have served their country
with honor and distinction. During times of war and peace, there
are individuals whose exemplary achievements embody the highest
standards of the U.S. armed forces. The aim of the American War-
riors series is to examine the unique historical contributions of these
individuals, whose legacies serve as enduring examples for soldiers
and citizens alike. The series will promote a deeper and more com-
prehensive understanding of the U.S. armed forces.
series editor: Roger Cirillo
An AUsA Book
Exposing

thE
Third rEich
Colonel Truman Smith
in Hitler’s Germany
H G. G
enry ole
Copyright © 2013 by The University Press of Kentucky
Scholarly publisher for the Commonwealth,
serving Bellarmine University, Berea College, Centre College of Kentucky,
Eastern Kentucky University, The Filson Historical Society, Georgetown
College, Kentucky Historical Society, Kentucky State University, Morehead
State University, Murray State University, Northern Kentucky University,
Transylvania University, University of Kentucky, University of Louisville,
and Western Kentucky University.
All rights reserved.
Editorial and Sales Offices: The University Press of Kentucky
663 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40508-4008
www.kentuckypress.com
17 16 15 14 13 5 4 3 2 1
Maps by Dick Gilbreath, University of Kentucky Cartography Lab.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gole, Henry G., 1933-
Exposing the Third Reich : Colonel Truman Smith in Hitler’s Germany /
Henry G. Gole.
p. cm. — (American warriors)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8131-4176-3 (hardcover : alk. paper) -- ISBN 978-0-8131-4177-0 (epub) --
ISBN 978-0-8131-4178-7 (pdf)
1. Germany—History—1933-1945. 2. Smith, Truman, 1893-1970. 3. Military
attaches—United States—Biography. 4. United States. Army—Officers—
Biography. I. Title.
DD256.5.G5944 2013
943.086—dc23 2013008901
This book is printed on acid-free paper meeting the requirements of the
American National Standard for Permanence in Paper for Printed Library
Materials.
Manufactured in the United States of America.
Member of the Association of
American University Presses
To Irene and Henry Gole,
who paid my high school tuition
when the cupboard was bare

contents
Foreword by Edward M. Coffman ix
Preface and Acknowledgments xi
1. Patrician Heritage 1
2. Over There 17
3. Deutschland and Yearning 32
4. Civil Affairs and Romance on the Rhine 43
5. Berlin, Munich, and Hitler in Weimar Germany 58
6. Years of Preparation 77
7. Marshall’s Men 87
8. Army War College and Command 103
9. Hitler Takes Power 122
10. Hitler’s Germany 130
11. Kay, Germany, and Ambassador Dodd 143
12. Hitler Arms, Smith Reports 165
13. Smith’s Trojan Horse 182
14. The Lindbergh-Smith Friendship 202
15. Hitler Is Ready 216
16. Welcome Home 231
17. Smith as “Strategicus” 248
18. Wartime Washington 268
19. The Road to German Rearmament 286
20. Politics, Travel, and Writing 302
21. Retrospective and a Graceful Exit 313
Appendixes
A. Losses in Smith’s 4th Infantry, October 1918 329
B. Smith to His Sister on the Death of His Daughter, 1923 330
C. Marshall on Smith’s Berlin Reporting and Dignity 331
D. The German-British Bombing Pause, Christmas 1940 332
E. Marshall on Smith’s Assessment of the Balkans, 1943 334
F. Smith on the Situation in Europe, May 1944 337
G. Marshall Saves a German General 339
H. Smith on the German Army, 1963 341
I. Smith’s Letter to Brigitta von Schell, 1967 348
J. Smith to Marshall on Smith’s Retirement 351
K. Obituary, Katharine Alling Hollister Smith 353
A Note on Sources 355
Notes 359
Selected Bibliography 381
Index 395
Foreword
During World War I, Truman Smith acquired a distinguished re-
cord as an infantry officer commanding a company and later a bat-
talion in combat. After the war he served in the occupation troops
stationed in Coblenz. Then, in the twenty years between the world
wars, he spent two four-year tours in Germany as an assistant mili-
tary attaché and, then, as the military attaché. During the first tour
in the 1920s, he became good friends with several of the German
officers and was able to maintain those friendships after Hitler be-
came dictator. Between these tours, he attended several of the army
schools in the United States, and, at Fort Benning, he became one
of the select group known as the Marshall Men. He also spent two
years as a battalion commander in Hawaii. Although he developed
diabetes, which in the army requires retirement, General George C.
Marshall returned him to active duty. The chief of staff knew that he
was the best American expert on the German army and, throughout
the war, relied on him for his knowledge.
After the war, the Smiths traveled extensively and kept up with
friends, including Charles Lindbergh and Herbert Hoover. Truman
Smith also stayed in touch with his German army friends, including
Hans Speidel, a World War II general who became a NATO com-
mander. Both of the Smiths wrote memoirs. Kay’s complemented
Truman’s, since she offered accounts of several situations in his
career that he merely mentioned. She outlived him by twenty-two
years and was active until the last days of her life.
Henry Gole is well qualified to write a biography of Truman
Smith. In addition to the invaluable memoirs of Truman and Kay
Smith, he had access to their correspondence and conducted ex-
tensive research of relevant books and articles. His experience as a
soldier has helped him understand Smith’s military career. He left
college to fight in Korea as an infantryman and then finished col-
lege, earned two graduate degrees, and taught high school. When
he heard President Kennedy’s inaugural speech encouraging Amer-
icans to ask what they could do for their country, he volunteered
and took a sizable cut in his salary to become a second lieutenant.
ix
x Foreword
Then he attended the Basic Infantry Officer Course at Fort Benning,
Ranger training, and jump school and eventually joined Special
Forces. He saw combat in Vietnam with that elite organization.
Henry studied at Stanford under the noted historian Gordon
Craig and spent a year in Germany. Later, he served there four years
as the assistant military attaché. With this background, he was an
excellent teacher at West Point and the Army War College. It was
my good fortune to meet and become a good friend of Henry’s
when we both arrived at West Point in the summer of 1977. Later,
in another visiting professor year, we became reacquainted at the
Army War College. After he retired, Henry continued to teach at
the War College. He earned his doctorate under the distinguished
historian Russell Weigley. This is the fourth book he has published
since he retired from the army, and it is my hope that he will write
more in the future.
Edward M. Coffman