BRITISH BATTLE MAP

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 133, 7 May 1945, Page 2

BRITISH BATTLE MAP

LONDON, May 4.

\fter the German plenipotentiaries at General Montgomery's headquarters had said that their main concern was for the German civilians, they proposed a complicated military programme covering the next few weeks in which the British Second Army would advance slowly and the Germans retreat slowly. ' "No I won't discuss what I propose to do'in the future," said General Montgomery, when producing his operational map. He added: "I wonder whether you know the battle situation on the Western Front!-" This map, it can now be said, was the final straw precipitating the surrender of 1,000.000 Germans. The German plenipotentiaries were shocked and astounded at the progress of the Allies in the east and the west. General Montgomery then delivered his ultimatum, saying: "You must understand three things: 'First, you must surrender to me unconditionally also the German forces in Holland. Fricdland, the Frisian Islands, Heligoland and all the other islands and Schleswig-Holstein and Denmark; secondly, when you have done that. J am prepared to discuss with you how we will dispose of the surrendered troops, how wc are to occupy the surrendered territory and how we will deal with civilians and so forth; thirdly, if von do not agree to the first point, namely unconditional surrender, then we will go on with the war and we will he delighted to do so.

The Germans replied that they had no authority to agree to General Montgomery's te?ms but agreed to submit them to their superiors, and they returned within an hour with complete acceptance. . General Montgomery, turning to the newspaper men, said in a half whisper, "This is the moment". Then solemnly, but with a note of triumph in his voice, he read out the terms of the surrender. The Germans signed the terms of surrender first. "And now," said General Montgomery. "I will sign on behalf of General Eisenhower,"