Many towns flew white flags of surrender to spare themselves the otherwise inevitable destruction suffered by those that resisted, while German troops surrendered by the tens of thousands, sometimes as entire units.
Mange byer hejste hvide overgivelsesflag for at undgå den ellers uundgåelige ødelæggelse, som var overgået de som ydede modstand, og tyske tropper overgav sig i titusindvis, nogle gange hele enheder ad gangen.