The 8th Armored Division during World War II
In 1985, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the US Army Center of Military History began a program to honor US Army divisions that took part in the Allied liberation of Nazi camps. The US Army Center of Military History defines a liberating division as one whose official records show its presence at a camp within 48 hours of the first soldier’s arrival. The 8th Armored Division is among the 36 US divisions that have been recognized to date.
Key Facts
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1
US, British, Soviet, and Canadian troops encountered concentration camps and other sites of Nazi crimes as they advanced across Europe in 1944 and 1945.
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2
The Allied soldiers liberated sick and starving camp prisoners from Nazi tyranny. They also provided them with food, clothing, and medical aid.
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3
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the US Army Center of Military History have recognized 36 US divisions for their role in the liberation of Nazi camps.
8th Armored Division Campaigns during World War II
The 8th Armored Division was established April 1, 1942, and landed in France in January 1945. By the end of January, it had advanced to the Alsace region. From here, the "Iron Snake," or "Thundering Herd," division was deployed to the Netherlands in late February or early March 1945. In late March, the 8th crossed the Rhine River and moved into the industrial Ruhr region of western Germany. There, it took part in heavy fighting. By war's end, the division had advanced to the Harz Mountains, in central Germany.
The 8th Armored Division and the Liberation of Halberstadt-Zwieberge
Between April 12 and 17, 1945, the 8th Armored Division moved into central Germany. There, it liberated Halberstadt-Zwieberge, a subcamp of the Buchenwald concentration camp. The area around the city of Halberstadt housed a number of Buchenwald subcamps that had been established in 1944 to provide labor for the German war effort. These included Halberstadt-Zwieberge I and Halberstadt-Zwieberge II. These two subcamps held more than 5,000 inmates. These inmates were forced to hollow out massive tunnels and build underground factories for the construction of Junkers military aircraft.
Recognition as a Liberating Division
The 8th Armored Division was recognized as a liberating unit by the US Army's Center of Military History and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1995.
8th Armored Division Battle Casualty Figures
The following are tentative battle casualty figures for the 8th Armored Division in the European Theater of Operations:
- Killed: 260
- Wounded: 1,015
- Missing: 38
- Captured: 0
- Total battle casualties: 1,313
8th Armored Division Nickname and Insignia
The nickname of the 8th Armored Division, the "Thundering Herd," was coined before the division went to Europe in late 1944. It was also later known as the "Iron Snake," after a correspondent for Newsweek compared the 8th to a "great ironclad snake" as it crossed the Rhine River in late March 1945.
The patch or insignia of the 8th Armored Division is shaped like a pyramid and represents power. In the center of the patch are three intertwined symbols in black: a tank tread, a cannon, and a lightning bolt. The tank tread symbolizes mobility. The cannon represents firepower. And the lightning bolt stands for shock action (a quick, offensive, military attack that surprises the enemy). The three symbols are placed against a tricolored background comprised of yellow, red, and blue. These colors represent key components of an armored division: cavalry (yellow), field artillery (red), and infantry (blue). The division number appears in black near the top of the pyramid (against the yellow part of the patch).
Footnotes
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Footnote reference1.
Casualty figures as of February 2024 according to the US Army Center of Military History
Critical Thinking Questions
What challenges did Allied forces face when they encountered the camps and sites of other atrocities?
What challenges faced survivors of the Holocaust upon liberation?