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Morts Pour Raisons Diverses MORTS POUR RAISONS DIVERSES par James Bacque Enquête sur le traitement des prisonniers de guerre allemands dans les camps américains et français à la fin de la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Éditions de l’AAARGH 2004 Traduit de l’anglais par CATHERINE LUDET Sand Cet ouvrage est la traduction du livre de langue anglaise, paru sous le titre : OTHER LOSSES et publié par Stoddart Publishing Co.Limited, Toronto, Canada. I.S.B.N. 2-7107-0462-5 © James Bacque, 1989. © Éditions Sand, 1990, pour l'édition française. James Bacque, Morts pour raisons diverses 3 A l’abbé Franz Stock et à Victor Gollancz James Bacque, Morts pour raisons diverses 4 Le pire des péchés envers nos semblables, voyez-vous, ce n’est pas de les haïr, mais c’est d’être indifférent à leur égard. En vérité, je vous le dis, c’est là l’essence de l’inhumanité. George Bernard Shaw, Le Disciple du Diable James Bacque, Morts pour raisons diverses 5 [11] Avertissement On ne peut lire le livre de James Bacque sans un certain malaise. Sa diffusion au Canada, aux États-Unis et, naturellement, en Allemagne a suscité de nombreuses réactions, violentes, épidermiques, contradic- toires. Fallait-il prendre le risque de le présenter au public français ? Plus de quarante ans après la fin de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, les passions et les haines restent vives. Des peurs, des silences, des ou- blis nous empêchent encore d'aborder cette partie de notre histoire avec sérénité. Des sectes de fanatiques continuent d'alimenter les polé- miques et les rancunes, à la télévision et dans les journaux. Dans un pays où les « historiens » révisionnistes trépignent et où un leader poli- tique d'extrême-droite multiplie les provocations à l'égard des victimes du nazisme, était-il opportun de publier le livre de James Bacque ? Ne risquait-on pas d'accroître la confusion et d'amplifier le malentendu ? N'allait-on pas nous accuser, dans le climat actuel, d'offenser la mé- moire des victimes, d'être au service de ceux qui aujourd'hui tentent d'absoudre la barbarie nazie et de nier la shoah ? Pour l'auteur, qui est canadien, il s'agit non pas d'excuser les « bourreaux » ni même de faire le procès des vainqueurs mais de tenter d'établir les faits en sachant que la vérité n'est pas donnée mais à conquérir. Ce livre est un document brutal : mais, si James Bacque dé- range, son travail s'appuie sur des preuves qu'aucun historien sérieux n'a pu jusqu'ici contester. [12] C'est pourquoi nous avons décidé, malgré nos préventions et nos craintes, de publier cet ouvrage, convaincus que l'histoire ne tolère fi- nalement que les faits et que la lutte éternelle entre les bons et les mé- chants ne doit pas se confondre avec la quête difficile de la vérité. Les éditeurs James Bacque, Morts pour raisons diverses 6 [13] CHRONOLOGIE DES PRINCIPAUX ÉVÉNEMENTS CITÉS DANS CET OUVRAGE 1939 er 1 septembre : L'Allemagne attaque la Pologne. 3 septembre : La Grande-Bretagne et la France déclarent la guerre à l'Allemagne. 10 septembre : Le Canada déclare la guerre à l'Allemagne. 17 septembre : La Russie envahit la Pologne. Hiver 1939-940 Massacre d'officiers polonais par les Russes à Katyn. 1940 21 juin : Défaite, reddition et partage de la France en deux zones. Envi- ron 1500 000 soldats français sont détenus en Allemagne sous le statut de prisonniers de guerre. 1941 Juin : L'Allemagne attaque l'U.R.S.S. Décembre : Le Japon attaque les États-Unis. Hitler déclare la guerre aux États-Unis. 1942 Août : Tentative de débarquement des Canadiens à Dieppe. Les Cana- diens et les Allemands s'accusent réciproquement d'enchaîner leurs prisonniers. Novembre : Les Alliés débarquent en Afrique du Nord. [14] 1943 Janvier : Churchill et Roosevelt se rencontrent à Casablanca et récla- ment la capitulation sans condition de l'Allemagne. Mai : Les forces de l'Axe se rendent à Tunis. La plus importante capture de prisonniers effectuée jusqu'à cette date a lieu. Eisenhower se plaint auprès de Marshall : « Quel dommage de ne pas avoir pu en tuer davan- tage. » Novembre-décembre : Conférence de Téhéran. Staline et Roosevelt por- tent un toast à l'exécution escomptée de 50.000 officiers allemands après les hostilités ; Elliott Roosevelt boit à la mort de centaines de mil- liers d'autres, et affirme qu'il est sûr du soutien de l'armée américaine. Churchill, indigné, quitte la salle de réunion. James Bacque, Morts pour raisons diverses 7 1944 Février : Eisenhower nomme à ses côtés le général Everett S. Hughes, qui devient ainsi son plus proche collaborateur. 6 juin, jour J. : Débarquement des Américains, des Britanniques et des Canadiens en Normandie. Septembre : Conférence de Québec. Le Plan Morgenthau destiné à anéantir l'industrie allemande est entériné par Roosevelt et Churchill. Les Alliés atteignent la vallée du Rhin. La presse américaine se déchaîne contre le Plan Morgenthau. Octobre : A Moscou, Staline et Churchill donnent leur accord au Plan Morgenthau. 1945 Février : Conférence de Yalta. Roosevelt, Churchill et Staline débattent du démembrement de l'Allemagne et de la question des réparations. 10 mars : Eisenhower signe un message créant le statut des Forces En- nemies Désarmées (F.E.D.), qui soustrait les prisonniers à la protection de la convention de Genève. Par ailleurs, il donne une conférence à Pa- ris au cours de laquelle il affirme que les États-Unis obéissent à la convention. Avril : Les chefs d'état-major réunis approuvent la création du statut de F.E.D.. Seuls les représentants britanniques refusent de l'appliquer à leurs prisonniers. L'intendant général américain Littlejohn réduit les rations des prisonniers. 8 mai : Capitulation de l'Allemagne. Les États-Unis, en violation [15] de la convention de Genève, ôtent à la Suisse le rôle de puissance protec- trice des intérêts des prisonniers allemands. Eisenhower dit à Churchill qu'il a réduit les rations des prisonniers et qu'il songe à les réduire da- vantage. Patton libère rapidement ses captifs. Eisenhower ordonne à ses généraux de cesser les libérations. Nouvelle réduction de l'alimentation de prisonniers. Juin : Le 2 juin, le général Lee, responsable de la logistique pour le TEO., affirme que le nombre de prisonniers transmis par le grand quartier général allié est incorrect. L'intendant général, Robert Littlejohn, se dé- clare dans l'incapacité de nourrir les 4000000 de prisonniers « en mains ». Plusieurs centaines de milliers de détenus sont clandestine- ment transférés sous le statut de Forces Ennemies Désarmées. Il est in- terdit aux civils de contribuer au ravitaillement des captifs. La disette commence à régner en Allemagne. Le Comité international de la Croix- Rouge (C.I.C.R.) envoie deux trains remplis de nourriture, qui lui sont renvoyés par l'armée américaine. Le Premier ministre du Canada, Wil- liam King, proteste contre le fait que les prisonniers ne soient plus pro- tégés par la convention de Genève, puisqu'il n'existe plus aucune puis- James Bacque, Morts pour raisons diverses 8 sance protectrice des intérêts allemands. Le Foreign Office britannique lui impose le silence. Juillet : Plusieurs centaines de milliers de prisonniers, à l'état de mori- bonds, sont transférés sous l'autorité de l'armée française. Le capitaine Julien, du 3e régiment de Tirailleurs Algériens, déclare dans un rapport que les détenus ont l'aspect des victimes de Buchenwald et de Dachau. Août : Un ordre signé du général Eisenhower confère à tous les prison- niers de guerre encore « en mains » le statut de F.E.D. Le taux de morta- lité s'élève considérablement dans les camps. Le général Littlejohn écrit à Eisenhower que plus d'un million et demi de prisonniers qui de- vraient recevoir des rations de l'armée américaine ne reçoivent rien. De son côté, le C.I.C.R. est forcé de rendre les colis de nourriture aux dona- teurs, car on ne lui permet pas de les faire parvenir aux Allemands. Septembre : Jean-Pierre Pradervand, délégué du C.I.C.R. en France, écrit au général de Gaulle qu'un tiers environ des prisonniers récemment transférés sous l'autorité française risquent de périr si des secours ra- pides ne leur sont pas fournis. La presse française publie des articles sur ce sujet. [16] Eisenhower et son chef d'état-major, le général Smith, nient toute res- ponsabilité américaine dans la situation tragique des prisonniers. Octobre : Le 10 octobre, l'intendant général de l'armée américaine, Ro- bert Littlejohn, soumet au général Eisenhower un rapport dans lequel il fait état d'un excédent de nourriture dans les réserves de l'armée. Il suggère que ce surplus soit envoyé aux États-Unis. 1945-1946. A la fin de 1946, il reste très peu de prisonniers « en mains » américaines. Les Français, qui en détiennent encore plusieurs centaines de milliers, ne libéreront les derniers qu'en 1949. De 1947 aux années 1950 : La plupart des dossiers relatifs aux camps de détention américains sont détruits. Les Allemands constatent que 1.700.000 soldats, toujours en vie à la fin des hostilités, ne sont jamais rentrés chez eux. Toutes les puissances alliées affirment ne rien savoir du sort de ces hommes. Les États-Unis, la Grande-Bretagne et la France accusent la Russie d'avoir commis des atrocités dans leurs camps d'internement. Des années 1960 à 1972 : Le ministère des Affaires étrangères ouest-allemand du gouvernement de Willy Brandt subventionne une collection de livres qui dément les atrocités des camps alliés. Des séna- teurs américains rejettent la responsabilité sur les Russes, et gardent le silence sur leurs propres camps. James Bacque, Morts pour raisons diverses 9 Années 1980 : Le C.I.C.R.
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