[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 56 (Tuesday, May 3, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H2765-H2766]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF VICTORY IN EUROPE (VE) DAY AND THE 
                     LIBERATION OF WESTERN BOHEMIA

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 195) recognizing the 60th 
anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day and the Liberation of Western 
Bohemia.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 195

       Whereas the final major offensive in the European theater 
     of operations during World War II, known as the Liberation of 
     Western Bohemia, was fought from April 25, 1945, to May 8, 
     1945, with Victory in Europe (VE) Day declared on May 8, 
     1945;
       Whereas the Liberation of Western Bohemia was the closing 
     offensive of World War II, which decisively contributed to 
     the ultimate capitulation of the German Third Reich;
       Whereas on May 4, 1945, General George S. Patton gave the 
     order for the American Third Army, consisting of 18 divisions 
     and 500,000 men, to resume the Allied offensive into Western 
     Bohemia;
       Whereas on May 5, 1945, the Third Army liberated the city 
     of Plzen (Pilsen), the western-most city in then-
     Czechoslovakia;
       Whereas on May 6, 1945, as Americans entered Pilsen, 
     flowers were strewn along the paths and into the vehicles of 
     the troops, while young girls and old men and women ran to 
     kiss the soldiers;
       Whereas during the communist era, Czechs celebrated their 
     liberation from Nazi Germany on May 9 of each year in 
     commemoration of the Soviet liberation of Prague; however, 
     after the 1989 ``Velvet Revolution'', the date of 
     commemoration was moved to May 8 of each year;
       Whereas thousands of American veterans of the Liberation of 
     Western Bohemia have traveled to Pilsen in the years since 
     the liberation to honor their fallen comrades;
       Whereas the people of the Czech Republic, symbolizing their 
     friendship and gratitude toward the American soldiers who 
     fought to secure their freedom, have graciously hosted 
     countless veterans groups over the years;
       Whereas between April 25 and May 9, 2005, some 50 
     communities across the western part of the Czech Republic 
     will be celebrating the 60th anniversary of their liberation 
     by United States, Czech, and Belgian soldiers under the 
     command of General Patton;
       Whereas the citizens of Pilsen will dedicate a statue of 
     General Patton which will be unveiled on the town square on 
     the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Pilsen, 
     commemorating the Liberation of Western Bohemia by United 
     States Armed Forces during World War II; and
       Whereas the friendship between the United States and the 
     Czech Republic is strong today in part because of the 
     Liberation of Western Bohemia: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,  That the House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes the 60th anniversary of the Liberation of 
     Western Bohemia in the European theater of operations during 
     World War II which culminated in an Allied victory that 
     assured the defeat of Nazi Germany and ended the War in 
     Europe two weeks later;
       (2) honors those individuals who gave their lives during 
     the Liberation of Western Bohemia;
       (3) encourages the President to issue a proclamation 
     calling upon the people of the United States to honor the 
     veterans of the Liberation of Western Bohemia with 
     appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities;
       (4) reaffirms the bonds of friendship between the United 
     States and the brave citizens of the Czech Republic; and
       (5) seeks to continue building a great future between our 
     countries.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Madam Speaker, H. Res. 195 is a resolution introduced by the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston) which recognizes the 60th 
anniversary of the liberation of Western Bohemia by American forces.
  I strongly support the resolution which recognizes the extraordinary 
sacrifice by American soldiers to free Western Bohemia from Nazi 
control. This was the last major offensive undertaken in Europe during 
World War II. The campaign was led by General George Patton and 
involved 18 divisions and approximately 500,000 men. It resulted in the 
liberation of Pilsen, which was then located in what was known as 
Czechoslovakia on May 5, 1945.
  The liberation of Western Bohemia was decisive in leading to the 
ultimate surrender of Nazi forces and a quick end to World War II in 
Europe.
  The resolution also recognizes the continued friendship between the 
people of the United States and the people

[[Page H2766]]

of the Czech Republic. In fact, in honor of the liberation of their 
city, the citizens of Pilsen will be dedicating a statue of General 
Patton on the 60th anniversary of the liberation of their city and all 
of Western Bohemia.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, in just a few days, we will celebrate the 60th 
anniversary of the victorious end of World War II in Europe, and the 
President will mark this important historic anniversary by visiting 
Holland and Russia for special commemorative events. It is very 
appropriate, Madam Speaker, that in addition to recognizing that all-
important date, we recognize the liberation of the Czech people who 
have gone through so much in their search for liberty.
  Our resolution calls attention to the role of American military 
forces in the liberation of Bohemia and the city of Pilsen in the very 
last days of the Second World War.
  Madam Speaker, 10 years ago, on the 50th anniversary of this event, 
it was my privilege to represent the United States in Bohemia 
commemorating this historic occasion, and I sensed firsthand the warm 
friendship and gratitude the people of the Czech Republic have for the 
United States and for our role in liberating them. The strong 
friendship and the good relations between the United States and the 
Czech Republic were profoundly strengthened by the liberation of 
western Bohemia in May of 1949 under the leadership of General Patton 
and the Third Army he led, which included not only American, but also 
free Belgian and Czech troops.
  Our resolution reaffirms the bonds of friendship between the American 
and the Czech people, which go back to the strong and enthusiastic 
support President Woodrow Wilson and the American people displayed for 
the establishment of Czechoslovakia at the end of the First World War.
  In the last decade and a half, those ties have been further 
strengthened as we have welcomed the end of the Communist era in 
Central Europe. Eight years ago, it was my pleasure to fly to 
Independence, Missouri with the Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic, 
as well as the Foreign Ministers of Poland and Hungary, to witness the 
signing of Czechoslovakia's ascension to the North Atlantic Alliance.
  The Czech people have faced domination by foreign rulers for 
centuries. The liberation of western Bohemia by the United States 
created the possibility of a new future for the Czech people, which 
they attempted to seize first in 1968 in the famous Prague spring which 
Soviet forces brutally suppressed, and then in 1989 when the Czech 
people prevailed. Our resolution honors not only their liberation, but 
their resilience and their commitment to free, open, and democratic 
societies.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution as we send our 
best greetings to the free people of a free Czech Republic.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston), the author of the 
resolution.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Madam Speaker, I am proud to have been a part of this 
resolution as we recognize the 60th anniversary of the victory in 
Europe and, really, the liberation of Western Bohemia as it signaled 
the end of the war in Europe and the defeat of the Third Reich.
  On May 4, 1945, General George Patton gave the order for the American 
Third Army, consisting of 18 divisions and 500,000 men, to resume the 
allied offensive in Western Bohemia. The following day, Patton's Third 
Army liberated the city of Pilsen in the westernmost section of then 
Czechoslovakia. As the Americans entered Pilsen, flowers were strewn in 
their path and into vehicles for the troops. Young girls and old men 
and women ran out to kiss the soldiers. People who had been oppressed 
for all of the Nazi occupation and people who had had an underground 
resistance came out to welcome these soldiers.

                              {time}  1600

  Even today, thousands of American veterans of the liberation of 
Western Bohemia will travel to Pilsen to honor their fallen comrades.
  The people of the Czech Republic symbolize their friendship and 
gratitude toward the American soldiers who fought to secure their 
freedom, having graciously hosted thousands and countless veteran 
groups over the many years.
  Between April 25 and May 9, 2005, some 50 communities across the 
western part of the Czech Republic will be celebrating the 60th 
anniversary of their liberation by the United States, Czech and Belgium 
soldiers under the command of General Patton.
  The citizens of Pilsen will dedicate a statue of General Patton to be 
unveiled on the town square on the 60th anniversary of the liberation, 
commemorating the liberation. One footnote that is very significant for 
all of us, though, is that while America liberated Pilsen and the Czech 
Republic in 1945, in 1948, the Iron Curtain fell upon it.
  And at that point, the historians and the photographers and the 
people who knew that America had played such a major role in their 
liberation, those people were sometimes arrested, often intimidated, 
and even the photographs of the liberation were destroyed. So for 3 
years, the people of Czech Republic in Pilsen enjoyed the fresh air of 
liberation and freedom; and then from 1945 to 1948, that ended with the 
Iron Curtain.
  And the Soviet Government came in and wiped out all traces of the 
American liberation, even to the extent of tearing down statues and 
changing the history books. And yet through the dark period, the many 
years and decades that followed, the people of the Czech Republic still 
remembered that day.
  Maybe it was not in their textbooks, maybe they did not have access 
to the photographs anymore, and maybe the stories were held down to 
whispers; yet they still remember what happened. The Czech people, and 
Czechoslovakia, have had a great role in the development of the United 
States of America.
  Czech immigrants are all over our country. Our country is better 
because of the Czech influence that we have. And because we were so 
significant in their liberation in 1945, they never let the Soviet 
Union wipe out the memory of our contribution to their country either.
  I am proud to be going there on Thursday with a bipartisan delegation 
to present this resolution. And I am proud that Congress and this 
subcommittee is passing this bill, because it makes a very significant 
statement on what we feel and how we feel, what we feel about what 
happened in 1945, in 1948, and in 1989, and today as we celebrate this 
important anniversary with our Czech brothers and sisters.
  Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, we have no additional requests for time, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I want to commend the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston) for his outstanding and very 
eloquent statement.
  Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Biggert). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 195.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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