The German Officer Who Saved Cherbourg

When Cherbourg fell to American forces on June 26, 1944, German General Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben was ordered by Hitler to fight to the last man and destroy the port facilities completely. Von Schlieben defied these orders and instead surrendered, keeping his own engineers from destroying the harbor. As a result, Cherbourg's port — while damaged — was partially functional within two weeks, allowing massive Allied supply ships to dock. Von Schlieben was court-martialed in absentia by Hitler and spent the rest of the war in a British POW camp.