Figure 1.--With the fall of Paris, Allied armies raced north into the Low Lands and east in Alsace and Loraine. The eastern drive proved difficult because of supply shortaghes and syiffening German resistance. Here a French boy doe his part in the liberation of his country. He offers some help with the map on September 11. The photographed was headed rather optimistically, "Directions for Berlin". The press caption read, "American soldiers going over a road map with a French youth on the outskirts of the city of Bensacon, France. The Jeep driver is Pvt. Tom Schmidt from Chattanooga, Tennessee. Note the road signs directing the way to Belfort and Strasabourg, Germany." (We have combined two slightly different cations.) Belfort was a strategically placed town near the Swiss border. It is located in a natural gap between the Vosges and the Jura, on a route linking the Rhine and the Rhône and thus an important objective for advancing armies. Strasbourg further north of couse was a German-occupied French city in Alsace on the western bank of the Rhine.] The copies of thisd photograph were dated September 11 and 19, 1944. Crossing the Rhine of course was the last major obstacle to the rapidly advancing Allied forces. Photographer: Sherman Lontrose, War Picture Pool.

The northeastern cornerof France proved to be the most difficult part of France to liberate. It was the cloest to the Reich and by the times the Allies moved north of Paris, supplies began to be a problem. The Wehrmacy on the other hand had time to recgroup. The Allied offensive swept through France and into Belgium. This was the shortest route to cross the Rhine and move on to Berlin. The Low Lands were also close enough to Britain that the Germans could still hit London with their new V-2 missles. As a result, Montgomery was given the go ahead to try to cross the Rhine in the Netherlands--Opperation Market Garden. The offensive failed at the final bridge, the one over the Rhine. This focus on the Low Lands meant that the Germans still held on to northeastern France and the Rhineland, the area of Germany west of the Rhine, including Alsace-Loraine which had been annexed by the NAZIS. The problem for the Allies in fall 1944 was supplies. With the supplies allocated to Market Garden, the Allies only slowly were able to advance into northeastern Framnce and the Rhineland. The liberation of France meant that the Free French could recruit a new French Army. As the Allies fought east, the French First Army took its position on the Allied southern flank. The Americans liberated Metz (November 22) and the French completed the liberation of Frnce when they look Strassbourg (December 4). This meant the Allies were on the Rhine in the Netherlands and north of Switzerland and moving toward the Rhine in the Rhineland. This was when the Germans struck in the Ardennes.

Allied Offensive Stalls (September 1944)

The Americans after liberating Paris pressed on north to Germany. The American First Army was the first to reach Germany. The First Army crossed the German frontier near Eupen, and American armored forces entered Germany north of Trier (September 12). German resistance stiffened as the Americans entered the Fatherland. As the Allied armies moved further from the coast supply lined becamne streached. German destruction of ports delayed taking advantage of fixed port favilities. Eisenhower acceeds to Montgomery's plan to cross the Rhine through the Netherlands. Available supplies were diverted toward this effort, Operation Markt Garden (September 17-26). The effort failed and the Germans stabilized their Western frint. Meanwhile the American Seventh and the French First Armies moving up the Rhone Valley from southern France joined up with Patton's Third Army at Dijon (September 15). The supplies were, however, not available for a massive drive into Germany.

Operation Market Garden

The Allied offensive swept through France and into Belgium. This was the shortest route to cross the Rhine and move on to Berlin. The Low Lands were also close enough to Britain that the Germans could still hit London with their new V-2 missles. As a result, Montgomery was given the go ahead to try to cross the Rhine in the Netherlands--Opperation Market Garden. The offensive failed at the final bridge, the one over the Rhine. This focus on the Low Lands meant that the Germans still held on to northeastern France and the Rhineland, the area of Germany west of the Rhine, including Alsace-Loraine which had been annexed by the NAZIs.

Supplies

The problem for the Allies in fall 1944 was supplies. With the supplies allocated to Market Garden, the Allies only slowly were able to advance into northeastern Framnce and the Rhineland. As the Allied armies moved further from the coast supply lined became increasingly streached. German destruction of the Channel ports delayed taking advantage of fixed port facilities. The Germans held out in Cherbourg and forts in the Sheldt estuary which prevented the rapid exploitation of Antwerp even though the port fascilities were taken in relatively good condition. German planning for the defence of Germany were based on the Allies outrunning their supply lines as they moved through France. Hitler in particular counted on this. This is why German planning in the final months of the war focued so heavily on Antwerp. (Antwerp was the objective of the Bulge offenive and after Lonon a major targtof V-2 attacks.) Antwerp was a major port locted close to the Rhine. Eisenhower had hoped that the Siegfried Line and the Rhine could be breached before supply problems would necesitate a pause in the Allied offensive. The Allied problem was not a shortage of supplies. It was getting them from Chernourg, Normandy, and southern French ports to the rapidly moving front lines which by September were in Belgium and the border of the Reich. This meant in some instances truck routes of over 500 miles. There was no pause at the Seine as had been expected. Allied units were being supplied by a one-way truck route called the Red Ball Express. The Germans neer counted on this. Throughout the War they were dependent on rail lines and to alesser extent barges. The Red Ball drivers, however, were beung pushed to exhaustion. As early as late August, Allied units ground to a hault. The most serious problem was gasoline. American units used much greater quanties of supplies than comparable German units, in part because they were so extensively mechanized. An American dividsion required 600 to 700 tons of supplies daily.

Hurtgen Forest (September 19, 1944-February 10, 1945)

As the Americans and French began the liberation of northeastern France, another American Army began an extended, grueling campaign in the Hurtgen Forest to the north in Germany. The Hurtgen Forest (Schlacht im Hürtgenwald) was a wooden area just east of the Belgian-German frontier. It was only 50 square miles in area, but the location of one of the American Army's most grueling and the longest battle of the War. The Amnerucans launched it as part of an operation to pierce the German border defenses and approach the Rhine. It evolved into an extended series of fierce battles. It was the longest battle fought in the Reich during the War. Because of the terraine the Germans were able to fight defensively behind good cover, bleeding the advancing American forces. The successful German defense of the Hurtgen Forest help blurnt the American drive east out of Belgium. This in turn supported the German defense of Lorraine around Metz because their northern flank was secure.

Reserection of the French Army

The liberation of France meant that the Free French could recruit a new French Armyvto significahntly expand the Allied force on the western front. After the fall of France, French armed forces were the Free French that escaped and stayed in Britain and the Vichy forces in North Africa that after Totch came over to the Allied side. At the time of the D-Day landings in Normanday, the Free French had a force of aboutv 0.4 million. There were also about 0.1 million men organized by the Resistance--the Force Francaises de l'Interieur (FFI). The Free French 2nd Armoured Division, under General Philippe Leclerc, landed at Normandy and played a key role in the liberation of Paris and in the liberation of southern France (August 1944). The FFI as the Allies moved to liberate France played an increasingly military role, harassing German supply lines, cutting roads and rail lines, disrupting communications, ambushing isolated German units, as well as engaging in battles with alongside the advancing Allied armies. The Free French forces after the liberation of Paris had grown to nearly 0.6 million andc 0.3 million FFI (September 1944). The French by the end of the tear had reconstituted an army of 1.0 million men all supplied with American equipment. The French played a major role in the liberation of northeastern France. As the Allies fought east, the French First Army took its position on the Allied southern flank.

Vogues Mountains (September-October)

Allied Armies with Operation Cobra (July 25-26) began the sweep through France, followed closely by the defeat of the German 7th Army at Falaise, the Operation Dragoon landngs in southern France (August 15), and the liberation of Paris (August 25). Hitler's insistance on launching an offensive at Mortain doomed the 7th Army. While many Germans escaped from the Falaise pocket, they had to abandon their heavy weapons. This meant that the Germans no longer had the strength to even attempt to establish a defensine line on the Seine. German resistance only began to stiffen as the Aliies began to approach the borrders of the Reich. One of these areas was the Vosges mountains in northeastern France. The Vosges was assaulted by the Anercan VI Corps of the United States Seventh Army commanded by Lieutenant General Alexander Patch. The Germans were deeply-entrenched in the Vosges Mountains. No longer retreating, the Germans were reinfrced with full strength units like the German 708th Volks-Grenadier Division. The American offensive was the first successful military penetration of the Vosges.. Other armies such as the Romans and Huns had failed. Conditions during the late fall were terrible, including rain, snow, mud, and ice. The most notable incident of the campaign was the rescue crried out by the 442nd Regimental Team of Japanese Americans. A unit of the 36th Texas Division was cut off and surrounded by the Germans. The Germans in the Vosges had not expected to be attacked by Japanese-looking soldiers. The ferocity of the fightinging is shown by an entry in the 100th Batalion's diary, "Very few prisioners were taken." [Asahina] The rescue was prominently reported by the New York Times. The accompanying picture showed one of the 442nd white officers with a rescued Texan.

Achen (October 1-22)

Achen was just over the Belgian frontier. It was the first German city to be reached by the Allies. The Americans concluded that they could not invest and bypass Aachen. It would have to be taken in a costly urban battle. Achen threatened the flanks of the U.S. Ninth Army. Hitler ordered that the city to be held and not abandobned to the Allies. As the first German city to be threatened by the Allies it became a proaganda issue. The ensuing battle would take much of October. Achen was a city of about 160,000 people. German commander Gerhard von Schwerin evacuated most of the civilians. As the Allies approachef, von Schwerin considered surrender to preserve the ancient city and historical structures from destruction. Hitler removed him. He dispatched Gerhard Wilck and 5,000 Volkssturm troops to defend the city. The 30th American Division was ordered to take the city. They took more than 2,000 casualties in just a few days. The 29th American Division was ordered to reinforce the 30th. Eventually, the city was taken (October 22). The two sides suffered 5,000 casualties. The American took 5,600 Germans prisoner.

Metz (November 22)

Metz south of the Ardennes was the focal point of the U.S. Army Lorraine campaign. It was an important rail and communications center. The Germans after defeating France (1940), annexed Loraine to the Reich. The rapid American advance stalled before Metz, promarily as a result of supply shortages. The Americans concluded that the Germans were mounting a major effort to defend Metz. Patton's Third Army declared the seizure of Metz to be its priority mission (September 28, 1944). The Germans launched a limited offensive toward Nancy (September 29-October 4) The Americans moved on to the Saar river and the Siegfried line. The assult on Metz became a major undertaking, greatly complicated by supply shortages. German reinforcements and poor weather conditions complicated the campaign. The crossing of the Moselle River was a major problem. The XX Corps of the 3rd Army began the drive on Metz from the north. The 5th Division (11th Infantry Regiment) attacked Fort Driant (October 3-12). It had to break off the assault because of determined German resistance behind fixed defensive positions. The 90th Division reaching the outskirts of Maizières-lès-Metz (October 2). An long, greeling fight ensued. The Americans took a month to seize the town (October 30). It was a critical victory and it opened a direct route to Metz itself. The XX Corps move on Metz consisted of four tactical engagements. 1) The drive on Metz was renewed in greater force by the 90th Division (November7). They made on limited progress. 2) Second was the wide envelopment north of Metz by the 90th Division. They were reinforced by the 95th Division. Patton commited the 10th Armored Division which began the crossing of the Moselle (November 14). 3) Next came the 5th Division which executed the envelopment south of Metz. 4) Finally came the 5th Division which carried out a lengthy action west of the Moselle. Metz was finally taken by a final assault on both sides of the Moselle (November 15-22). With the fall of Metz, the Germans withdrew behind the Sieegfried Line and the Rhine. The Americans after taking Metz drove northeast toward the nearby Rhine.

Strassbourg (December 4)

The fall of Metz fatally weakened the German position in northeastern France. German units withdrew behind the Seigfried Line. Leclerc and the resurgent French Army which had been supporting the Americans, drove east toward Strasbourg to complete the liberation of France. The French completed the liberation of France when they look Strassbourg (December 4). Strassbourg was the capital of Alscace and a major city on the Rhine.

Siegfried Line

The Germans before World War II had built the defenssive Siegfried Line (Westwall) which was faced the better known Maginot Line. It was the principal defense of the Rhineland (Germany west of the Rhine. The Siegried Line streached from Luxenbourg to the Rhine. It was not as strong as the Maginot Line, but it dif include fortified positions that proved useful in slowing down the advancing Allied armies, especially because of the supply shortage.

The Rhine

This meant the Allies were on the Rhine in the Netherlands and north of Switzerland and moving toward the Rhine in the Rhineland. The last major geographic obstacle to entering Germany was the Rhine River. The Rhine was a frontier of almost mistical significance to the Germans. The "Watch on the Rhine!" or "Die Wacht am Rhein!" is one of the most famous patriotic songs in German history. Max Schneckenburger wrote "The Watch on The Rhine" in 1840.

The Bulge (December 16)

Only a few days after the French took Strassbourg on the Rhine, the Germans struck in the Ardennes. he Wehrmacht launched a carefully planned attack against weak Anerican units in the Ardennes (December 16, 1944). The offensive was commanded by Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt. The NAZI panzers stormed westward along a 60-mile front stretching from Saint Vith in Belgium south to Echternach in Luxembourg. The German goal was to break through the American lines, sweep through the Ardennes, and seize Antwerp. The port of Antwerp was essential to the Allied offensive. The major limiting factor to the Allie was supplies and the Allies were beginning to repair the Antwerp port facilities. With Antwerp the British and Canadians in northern Belgium could be cut off and encircled. The Allied thought the Wehrmacht was esentially defeated and incapable of mounting a major offensive. The Germans were also careful to avoid sending messages bout the offensive electronically. Thus Ultra did not have a clear picture, although Allied commanders were given some warnings. The Germans forced the U.S. 28th Division to retreat from Wiltz (December 19). Eisenhower ordered the 101st Airborne Division to defend the vital crossroads town of Bastonge in Belgium. The German panzers pushed west. German Panther and Tiger tanks in many ways were superior to the American panzers, but they were slower and the Tigers could not cross many Belgian bridges, limited possible crosings. They also guzzled huge quantities of fuel and fuel ws the principal limiting facor to the Germand offensive. he German plans were contingent on capturing American fuel depots. When the German offensive began, George S. Patton's 3rd Army to the south was about to launch an invasion into the German Saar. In a brilliant movement, within 2 days, he turned the offensive on a 90° axis and struck northward into the German flank to relieve the 101st Airborne in Bastogne. The 3rd Army liberated Ettlebruck on Christmas Eve and broke through the German lines to relieve Bastogne (December 26). The U.S. 5th Armored Division conducted a surprise night crossing of the River Sure and liberated Diekirch (January 18, 1945). The Germans were pushed back to the positions they held at the start of the battle (January 28).

Sources

Asahina, Robert. Just Americans: How Japanese Americans Won a War at Home and Abroad (Gotham: 2006), 339p.

Cole, Hugh M. The Lorraine Campaign (Historical Division, U.S. Army, Washington, DC, 1993).

Created: 9:40 AM 7/12/2005
Last updated: 1:37 AM 6/13/2008