Plunder: The Last of the War in Europe, 1945 - The Ugly Truths of the Allied Offensive

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, September 27, 2026

Historian Max Hastings provides a detailed and unvarnished account of the Allied crossing of the Rhine in 1945, highlighting both strategic successes and the moral ambiguities, including widespread misconduct by Allied troops and the costs of controversial operations. His narrative challenges idealized wartime myths by revealing the flawed nature of key commanders and the harsh realities faced by soldiers and civilians as the Nazi regime collapsed.

In the spring of 1945, as the Allied forces prepared to cross the Rhine River during the final weeks of World War II in Europe, Stein Max Hastings offers a detailed examination of the military, political, and human complexities surrounding the closing chapter of the conflict. Facing nearly four million British, Canadian, American, and French troops on one bank of the Rhine, and roughly half a million weary German soldiers on the other, the stage was set for the decisive end of six years of devastating war.

Drawing on meticulous research and firsthand accounts, Hastings’s narrative avoids simplistic heroics or dry logistics, instead presenting a nuanced account of the Allies’ offensive. He highlights the moral ambiguities and harsh realities of war, challenging idealized perceptions of Allied soldiers. According to Allied Psychological Warfare reports cited in the work, widespread looting and sexual violence occurred among forces of all nationalities, dispelling the notion that such behaviors were confined to any single group. In one example, an American officer reported rampant rape and pillage in French-occupied southwestern Germany, while a U.S. Army newspaper briefly attempted to expose similar crimes in the Rhineland before censorship suppressed the story.

The book also recounts tragic unintended consequences of military actions, such as Operation Carthage, a Royal Air Force raid aimed at destroying the Gestapo headquarters in Copenhagen. The raid resulted in the accidental bombing of a nearby Catholic school, causing the deaths of 87 children and multiple civilians. Hastings criticizes the decision to proceed with the operation at a late war stage when the risks of collateral damage were particularly grave.

Prominent Allied commanders are portrayed in a realistic light rather than idealized myth. Winston Churchill appears briefly in a private moment with his chief of staff, while Bernard Montgomery is depicted as vain and Dwight D. Eisenhower as fatigued and distracted by health and personal rumors. George S. Patton emerges as a deeply controversial figure—arrogant, unstable, and openly contemptuous of displaced persons and concentration camp survivors, especially Jews. Hastings highlights Patton’s derogatory diary entries and his reckless attempt to mount a costly rescue mission for his son-in-law near war’s end, which resulted in significant Allied casualties and further tarnished his reputation.

Amid these accounts of cruelty and misjudgment, Hastings acknowledges acts of valor and humanity among countless Allied soldiers. He recounts the heroic seizure of the Remagen Bridge by a young American lieutenant, Karl Timmermann, whose leadership secured a critical strategic crossing under immense danger. Timmermann’s own letters reflect the grim reality behind the notion of glory in battle.

The narrative also touches on the broader collapse of Nazi authority, including the fleeting and ineffective leadership of Karl Dönitz after Hitler’s death. Highlights include the liberation of concentration camps and the chaotic power struggles among Nazi officials.

Hastings further reflects on contemporary media coverage, observing an unusual absence in The Times’ wartime reporting: a near-complete omission of the word “Jew” when discussing the Holocaust and Nazi persecution. This silence underscored a broader reluctance at the time to confront the full extent of Nazi atrocities publicly.

Overall, the account offers a sober and richly textured perspective on the last days of the war in Europe, blending strategic, personal, and moral dimensions to illuminate the complex realities behind the Allied victory.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.