U.S Assistant Secretary of War John J. McCloy knew about the historic importance and beauty of Rothenburg and ordered not use artillery in taking Rothenburg. The local military commander Major Thömmes ignored the order of Adolf Hitler for all towns to fight to the end and gave up the town. American troops occupied the town on April 17, 1945, and in November 1948 McCloy was named Honorable Protectorate of Rothenburg.