Treatment for combat fatigue

I am interested in others' knowledge regarding treatments for combat fatigue amongst the various WWII belligerants. I am somewhat familiar with treatment in the US based on information from 'Patton - A Genius for War' and a video called 'The Battle of the Bulge.' Both mention that the US did recognize combat fatigue as an illness rather than simple cowardice but prescribed heavy sleeping medication and bizarre psychotherapy (simulating combat sounds for the heavily drugged patients to 'desensitize' them.) After this short treatment and rest, soldiers were normally sent back to the line in under a week. The book also mentioned that more than a quarter of all US infantrymen experienced combat fatigue and required 'treatment.'

I am curious how Germany, Russia, Japan treated combat fatigue. Was it recognized as an illness? Did it happen as often as with the US. My guess is that Japanese did not really experience combat fatigue, but maybe I am wrong.

Oooops! I meant the US and Australia.

The Germans treated it completely differently to the US and UK. They realised that it existed, and quickly removed the sufferer from the front lines, but did *not* put him in a hospital and tell him he was 'sick' (which evidently made it worse). They put him in barracks and kept him under military discipline and let him recover ... the result was that the return rate to the front was close to 100%. Of course, after a point (I guess this could theoretically happen more than once), they also recognised that the soldier should *not* be returned to the front as their nerves were 'shot' ... but they still retained them in noncombat/rear-area military roles (training, I guess, for one).

The figures I recall for the Western Allies (and I'd guess they'd be the same for the Germans, but better handled) were that the average soldier would survivearound 150-200 days in combat before becoming a psychological casualty, and around 150-200 days in combat before becoming a non-returning casualty (KIA, *seriously* WIA, or captured). I've often wondered how many of the KIA's were due to unrecognised psycological lapses ... the 'thousand yard stare' from WW1 and WW2 and, of course, the well known fact (true or not) that guys in the firstand last month of service in 'Nam were most likely to become KIA's (they became too careless in the last month because they 'knew' they were on their way home). Dunno about the other nations, tho.

During the Battle of Berlin, for example, morale did become strained on some Bomber Command stations. There were some suicides. Some were allowed to drop out for medical reasons. Others sent to the RAF Convalesent Home at Matlock. Many should never have survived the aircrew selection process in the first place. But there was a concern that 'fatigue' could go through a station like wildfire, if unchecked. One C.O. said, 'I made sure every case before me was punished by court-martial, and where applicable by an exemplary prison sentence, whatever the psychiatrists were saying.' The problem was the cost of training aircrew. They were not trained for anything else. LMF cases were often stripped of their rank in front in front of the whole paraded squadron. A 76 Sqn pilot who later completed his second tour on Mosquitos said that his colleagues on the light bombers ' simply could not understand how awful being on the heavies was.' Waverers, such as those who sufferred mag drop, North Sea Flak and fringe merchants, and early returns were sent to Aircrew Refresher Centres. Where they sent a few weeks in a detention barracks doing PT. It seemed to have a positive effect on the early return rate. Those found unfit for further aircrew duties were transferred to the army or the coal mines. Some crews were broken up 'no two to fly together ever again.' Harris felt that men who contracted VD should restart their tours from the beginning. had a more sympathetic attitude.

During the Battle of Berlin, for example, morale did become strained on some Bomber Command stations. There were some suicides. Some were allowed to drop out for medical reasons. Others sent to the RAF Convalesent Home at Matlock. Many should never have survived the aircrew selection process in the first place. But there was a concern that 'fatigue' could go through a station like wildfire, if unchecked. One C.O. said, 'I made sure every case before me was punished by court-martial, and where applicable by an exemplary prison sentence, whatever the psychiatrists were saying.' The problem was the cost of training aircrew. They were not trained for anything else. LMF cases were often stripped of their rank in front in front of the whole paraded squadron. A 76 Sqn pilot who later completed his second tour on Mosquitos said that his colleagues on the light bombers ' simply could not understand how awful being on the heavies was.' Waverers, such as those who sufferred mag drop, North Sea Flak and fringe merchants, and early returns were sent to Aircrew Refresher Centres. Where they sent a few weeks in a detention barracks doing PT. It seemed to have a positive effect on the early return rate. Those found unfit for further aircrew duties were transferred to the army or the coal mines. This is not a putdown of the army. There was a concern that aircrew would transfer to groundcrew. Some crews were broken up 'no two to fly together ever again.' I personally know one such crew that happened to. Three of the survivors are bitter to this day. Harris felt that men who contracted VD should restart their tours from the beginning. >From what I have been told and read, the Americans, and perhaps the Australians, had a more sympathetic attitude. Mike.

During the Battle of Berlin, for example, morale did become strained on some Bomber Command stations. There were some suicides. Some were allowed to drop out for medical reasons. Others sent to the RAF Convalesent Home at Matlock. Many should never have survived the aircrew selection process in the first place. But there was a concern that 'fatigue' could go through a station like wildfire, if unchecked. One C.O. said, 'I made sure every case before me was punished by court-martial, and where applicable by an exemplary prison sentence, whatever the psychiatrists were saying.' The problem was the cost of training aircrew. They were not trained for anything else. LMF cases were often stripped of their rank in front in front of the whole paraded squadron. A 76 Sqn pilot who later completed his second tour on Mosquitos said that his colleagues on the light bombers ' simply could not understand how awful being on the heavies was.' Waverers, such as those who sufferred mag drop, North Sea Flak and fringe merchants, and early returns were sent to Aircrew Refresher Centres. Where they sent a few weeks in a detention barracks doing PT. It seemed to have a positive effect on the early return rate. Those found unfit for further aircrew duties were transferred to the army or the coal mines. This is not a putdown of the army. There was a concern that aircrew would transfer to groundcrew. Some crews were broken up 'no two to fly together ever again.' I personally know one such crew that happened to. Three of the survivors are bitter to this day. Harris felt that men who contracted VD should restart their tours from the beginning. >From what I have been told and read, the Americans, and perhaps the Australians, had a more sympathetic attitude.

I read a book last year, I think it was Dirty Secrets of WWII, but I'm not sure, which mentioned the Patton slapping incident, and commented on this. ISTR that the Germans had a much stronger bond between soldiers in a unit, they trained together, and basically were a tighter group than the US units. This acted as a 'support group' of sorts for the individual soldier, and helped him along during his rougher times.

I recall the blurb saying that his comrades encouraged the patient, that he was a valued member of the unit, and that his comrades were counting on him, and were concerned and wanted him to get well.

This might be a bit extreme example. I don't know how widespread this was.

All I know about Germany comes from reading about their euthanasia program or T4. Some of the members of this organization were employed in the Eastern Front to give lethal injections to some German soldiers. I don't know how the victims were chosen but I expect that they were 'beyond repair' whatever that means.

The info is very sketchy and seems to be very hush-hush.

Cheers,

Pekka de G.

Yep, pages 262-263 should anyone want to read it.

Please do not glorify what German war psychiatry did to German soldiers. German military psychiatrists defined themselves (literally) as 'machine guns behind the front line' - dedicated to drive soldiers back into battle. Those who did not sustain the 'cure' were often defined as cowards allegedly pretending illness. A large number ended up in military prisons, even concentration camps, some hundred at minimum committed suicide.

The patriotic actions of those Mengele style doctors are documented in the book by Peter Riedesser and Axel Verderber, Maschinengewehre hinter der Front. Zur Geschichte der deutschen Militärpsychiatrie, Fischer Ed. Frankfurt/Main 1996 ISBN 3-596-10876-4 .

[..]

regards, es

I have read reports, I do not claim them to be true, that Canadian soldiers captured or killed German soldiers who were chained to machine guns in WW1.