Conquerors' Road: An Eyewitness Report of Germany 1945

This is a book with a very odd history. Australian journalist, novelist, author and war correspondent Osmar White published a very good account of the New Guinea campaign, Green Armour, which should be read alongside George Johnston's admirable New Guinea Diary. White then moved on to the European theatre, arriving in time to enter Germany in the wake of Patton's army (like everybody else, he couldn't actually keep up with Patton!). This is his first-hand account of the invasion of Germany, the surrender, and the early weeks of a Russian-held Berlin and the mopping up campaign of the Americans. When he submitted the book for publication in 1946, it was at first gleefully accepted as a natural follow-on in tone and temper from his earlier work. And then suddenly, after publication dates had been set and all seemed ready to go, the book was dropped. Looking back, it is not difficult to see why: White made no bones about the over-zealous attitude of the invading armies at the end of the war, and what he felt to be the foolish processes that took place at the beginning of the peace, including the Nuremberg trials. This was much too controversial a topic at the time and neither the Americans or the English would publish the book as it stood. Yet White was back in Australia by this time and working on other projects, so he let the matter drop. It was not until 1996 that the idea of publishing this long-forgotten work surfaced, and White decided that he would try and get it out. This edition has now been available for a decade or so and must constitute one of the last remaining documents of its kind (without including still-classified government information, of course) to be made available to students, historians and the general public. It is initially a straightforward account of the fast-paced campaign to cross the Rhine and head for the heart of Germany and White's prose is certainly up to the task. Once the war is over, however, White begins to analyze certain aspects of the end-of-war scenario that is building, and he becomes a severe critic of much of the military and political leadership of the day. A very worthwhile read with that unbeatable additional ingredient: first-hand experience of these very historic, yet very sad weeks and months at the end of the European war.

White's Conqueror's Road is particularly relevant now with the anniversary of the D Day landings bringing back to mind the allies' slog through Europe which White captures so well. He compels us to ask again why so many of those involved in the conflict behaved the way they did. More than that, he insinuates the question in our minds "have people changed, could these things happen again?" The book is timeless and disturbing; no wonder publication was refused for decades.

Brilliant, courageous and accurate reporting from the front line has been one of the great international contributions of Australian and New Zealand journalism, especially during World War ll. Osmar White, who reported from both the Pacific and Europe, was among the finest of the Anzacs who achieved global recognition as war correspondents. "Conquerors' Road" -- a first-persona account of the US Third Army's push to Berlin -- shows why he had such a high reputation. He brought the skills of a novelist (which he later became, in tandem with his work as a journalist) to his depiction of the horror and folly of war, whether he was describing Buchenwald concentratin camp or Herman Goering's trove of looted treasures. White was too experienced and intelligent to believe that complete objectivity was possible in journalism, but his subjectivity never slipped into bombast or sentimentality. His precise, vivid writing always allows you to distinguish between fact and his opinion and emotions. Much of this book was virtually written on the run, yet it is an important contribution to the history of the 20th century.

A well paced and interesting read. Conquerors Road is a gripping journey through events at the end of WW2. Importantly, many facets of war journalism are discussed, and this is extremely pertinent in the current political climate. To the younger reader such as myself it gives a great impression and sense of the time and events of WW2, and with this the reader can get a good perspective on the recent events in Iraq and especially issues around their reportage.I really liked the flow of the book, which is understated and progressive - it was difficult to put down. The events unfold naturally, and the distance between 1945 and the present is greatly reduced.There are some strong descriptions about conditions and the depravity which occured in the war, and these have a lasting impact. The book is an effective window to the past.