Destruction and Chaos

Sergeant George E. Armstrong’s pictures show just one of the ugly sides of the Second World War, the aftermath. Where these pictures were taken is unknown, and the pictures themselves give few clues. The amount of destruction makes it difficult to recognize distinct landmarks. Yet, his pictures make obvious what he and other American soldiers encountered when they confronted post-war Germany.

Allied bombing raids decimated Germany’s urban and industrial centers. Entire streets or sections of cities were often in rubble. German citizen were often left homeless and with little food on which to survive.

< Previous Next >

A desolate street in an unknown city of Germany, circa 1945.

The destruction throughout Germany was massive. Many areas were unrecognizable. In this image it is difficult to tell what this building used to be, ca. 1945.