Word: rothenburger
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...Rothenburg...
Your very excellent article on John J. Mc-Cloy and ... his desire to spare the historic city of Rothenburg, Germany [TIME, June 20] brings to light a historical coincidence not generally known...
...McCloy's service in France during World War I was with the artillery of the 4th Regular Army Division, and it was during this service that he saw and was so deeply impressed with the beautiful city of Rothenburg. What McCloy did not know in April 1945 was that it was his same old outfit, by sheer coincidence, that was preparing to capture Rothenburg from the Germans-by destruction if necessary...
Fifteen years after he had married Ellen, Jack McCloy, a U.S. Assistant Secretary of War, heard Lieut. General Courtney Hodges explain that he was about to shell Rothenburg. McCloy had visited Rothenburg and he remembered it -the narrow cobbled streets within the wall, the Gothic spires, the Renaissance houses. "Do you have to destroy Rothenburg?" he pleaded. "Maybe not," said Hodges. "Maybe the town can be induced to surrender." Negotiations were begun. Next day Rothenburg surrendered, and in 1948, out of gratitude, it made Jack McCloy an honorary citizen...
...also reported that he had told substantially the same thing to Michael Rothenburg '49, and Patrick D. Daily '50, summer representatives of the Student Council, who had interviewed him earlier on the matter...