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by Erin E. Thompson, USAICoE Staff Historian
SECURITY OPERATION LAUNCHED IN OCCUPIED GERMANY
On Jul. 21, 1945, agents from various Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC) detachments participated in the first large-scale security operation in occupied Germany. Operation TALLY HO succeeded in uncovering a vast array of security threats active in the U.S. occupation zone.
Occupation forces in the immediate postwar period faced numerous security threats in their pursuit of denazification in Germany. Apprehending former Nazis, as well as securing illegal goods, disbanding black market operations, and maintaining safety, became a priority for European Theater commanders. These commanders recognized invasive security operations had the potential to alienate the German population and allow possible improper conduct by American troops, but the necessity to impose strict security and reinforce military control over the zone took precedence. Numerous raids were planned and executed throughout the U.S. Zone in mid-1945. These were primarily small-scale operations occurring in smaller areas with specific objectives. Less frequent were large-scale operations, as they were executed zone-wide and, therefore, required cooperation of a much larger force.
On Jul. 21, 1945, the first large-scale, zone-wide security operation was launched. The objectives of the initiative, codenamed Operation TALLY HO, were to perform intensive searches of German civilians’ identifications (as well as that of U.S. and Allied military personnel), confiscate prohibited or illegal materials, and expose any evidence of black-market dealings.
Participating intelligence organizations included agents from the 36th, 100th, and 970th CIC Detachments, as well as various territorial CIC teams, Interrogation of Prisoners of War (IPW) teams, and interpreters. CIC agents were instructed to report to various screening locations across the Seventh Army area where they would interview suspects and classify them as general offenders of the U.S. military government in Germany, those of particular counterintelligence importance, and/or prisoners of war without valid discharge orders. These interrogations also provided indications of regions of particular interest for future CIC investigations.
The secretiveness of Operation TALLY HO initially surprised the civilian population. Rumors quickly circulated. Some speculated about a potential jail break of SS prisoners. Others believed an American had been shot in an ambush. Some believed the Americans were plotting to pilfer items from them before turning the zone over to the Soviet Union. Despite these concerns and a few isolated incidents of protest, citizens were reportedly cooperative and offered few complaints of looting or mistreatment.
The operation ended forty-eight hours later on Jul. 23. More than 83,000 arrests were made, with violations ranging from improper identification papers to high-risk security threats. The Army further confiscated thousands of contraband weapons and goods, including swords, bayonets, Panzerfäuste (bazookas), grenades, radio transmitters, coffee, sugar, and gasoline. Fortunately, soldiers did not find evidence of an organized black market in the U.S. Zone at that time.
An assessment of the operation by CIC agents noted that, in addition to the physical apprehensions, the operation provided a “highly beneficial” effect on the Germans psychologically by emphasizing the U.S. military government’s authority over the zone. The CIC’s chief complaint was that “participating troops had been insufficiently schooled in examining documents and detecting persons of counterintelligence interest.” Nevertheless, the operation was deemed successful in protecting security across the U.S. Zone, and theater commanders began planning a second operation.
Operation DOUBLE CHECK’s objectives were similar to TALLY HO, with added emphasis on strengthening border and travel control. The first phase commenced on Nov. 18, 1945, though unlike the first search, the element of surprise was compromised by information leaks. This was resolved during the second phase, which occurred on Nov., 25. Although not as successful as the first zone-wide operation, Operation DOUBLE CHECK led to the apprehension of about 150 individuals and a large quantity of contraband goods, and was noted to have helped reinforce American control and security within the occupation zone.
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| Date Taken: | 07.18.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.18.2025 14:17 |
| Story ID: | 543232 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 24 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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