Oradour: Soldiers of Shame

On June 10, 1944, just four days after the Allied landings in Normandy, SS troops surrounded the peaceful French village of Oradour-sur-Glane. Within hours, 642 men, women and children were systematically murdered, and the entire village was burned to the ground. It was the worst atrocity against civilians by ground troops in Western Europe during World War II.

In this meticulously researched account, Roy Haines examines not only what happened on that fateful day but asks the more difficult question: why? Drawing on his background as both a soldier and police officer, Haines brings a unique perspective to understanding the mindset of the perpetrators and the extraordinary courage of those few who survived.

From the experiences of young mechanic Robert Hébras and grandmother Marguerite Rouffanche who miraculously escaped the church where hundreds of women and children perished, to the controversial post-war trials where justice proved elusive. The book examines the human stories behind the statistics.

General de Gaulle ordered the ruins preserved as a memorial, declaring that Oradour’s tragedy should never be forgotten. Decades later, the abandoned streets and buildings stand as a powerful testament to the atrocities of war.

Part history, part personal reflection, Oradour: Soldiers of Shame asks us to confront uncomfortable questions about military obedience, collective responsibility, and how ordinary people can commit extraordinary acts of cruelty when peace breaks down.