Binding up the wounds

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Standifer, a member of the 94th Infantry Division, recounts his experiences in post-war Germany, offering a unique perspective as a typical GI during the chaotic first year of occupation. With cities in ruins and human need palpable, the atmosphere was a mix of despair and newfound hope, as Standifer notes, "we had a ball during that first year." He details various aspects of life, from black-market dealings where American cigarettes became a universal currency to the challenges of transforming combat troops into polished paraders. He also reflects on the complex interactions between American soldiers and German women, a poignant visit to a displaced persons camp, and the difficulties of guarding captured soldiers who were no longer seen as enemies. Standifer's narrative reveals surprising attitudes among ordinary Germans toward the war and the Nazis, both during the occupation and decades later when he revisited Germany. The tale is told through two lenses: the naïve twenty-year-old who experienced these events and the reflective retired professor who contemplates their significance for himself, America, and humanity.