American soldiers cross the Siegfried Line

The drive to the Siegfried Line was one of the final Allied phases in World War II of the Western European Campaign. During World War II, the Western Front was the theater of fighting west of Germany, encompassing France, Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Denmark. ... |image= |caption=Assault landing One of the first waves at Omaha Beach. ... Combatants United States1 Free France, United Kingdom Germany Commanders Jacob L. Devers Johannes Blaskowitz Strength 250,000 (approx) 230,000 (approx) Casualties 4,500 American, 4,500+ French 125,000+ (approx) Monument to the landings of Allied troops under General Patch on the beach of St Tropez, France. ... Combatants United States United Kingdom Germany Commanders Dwight D. Eisenhower Bernard L. Montgomery Omar N. Bradley George S. Patton, Jr. ... The 10th Canadian Infantry Brigade was tasked to cross the Ghent Canal about five kilometers south of Bruges at a small village called Oostcamp. ... Combatants United Kingdom United States Canada Poland Germany Commanders Bernard Montgomery Walter Model Strength 35,000 20,000 Casualties 17,000 dead or wounded 4,000 - 8,000 dead or wounded Operation Market Garden (September 17-September 25, 1944) was an Allied military operation in World War II. Its tactical... Nancy is a city in France. ... Combatants United States Germany Commanders Courtney Hodges Walther Model Strength 120,000 80,000 Casualties 33,000 casualties 12,000 dead The Battle of Hurtgen Forest (German: Schlacht im Hürtgenwald) is the name given to the series of fierce battles fought between the American and German forces during World... Combatants Nazi Germany United States of America Commanders Colonel Gerhard Wilck Colonel George A. Smith Jr. ... Combatants United States Germany Commanders William Simpson Gerhard Wilck Strength 100,000 soldiers 12,000 soldiers Casualties 2000 killed 3000 wounded 5500 killed or wounded, 5,600 POW The Battle of Aachen was a battle in World War II that took place in October 1944 in the German city of... Combatants Canada United Kingdom Poland Belgium Norway Germany Commanders Guy Simonds (acting) (First Canadian Army) Gustav-Adolf von Zangen (German 15th Army) Strength  ?  ? Casualties 12,873 total; including 6,367 Canadian  ? The Battle of the Scheldt was a series of military operations which took place in northern Belgium and south... Download high resolution version (1401x1093, 319 KB)Then came the big day when we marched into Germany--right through the Siegfried Line. ... Download high resolution version (1401x1093, 319 KB)Then came the big day when we marched into Germany--right through the Siegfried Line. ... The original Siegfried line (Siegfriedstellung) was a line of defensive forts and tank defenses built by Germany as a section of the Hindenburg Line 1916-1917 in northern France during World War I. However, in English, Siegfried line more commonly refers to the similar World War II defensive line, built... The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis Powers during the Second World War. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... During World War II, the Western Front was the theater of fighting west of Germany, encompassing France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxemberg, and Denmark. ...

This phase spans from the end of the Operation Overlord (August 25th, 1944) up to the start of the Ardennes Offensive (December 16th, 1944). This roughly corresponds to the first part of the official U.S.European Theater of Operations Rhineland Campaign. |image= |caption=Assault landing One of the first waves at Omaha Beach. ... August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Combatants United States United Kingdom Germany Commanders Dwight D. Eisenhower Bernard L. Montgomery Omar N. Bradley George S. Patton, Jr. ... -1... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... The European Theater of Operations, or ETO, was the term used by the United States in World War II to refer to most United States military activity in Europe north of the Mediterranean coast. ...

Background

Following the Allied success in both Northwest Europe and Southern France, the Allied forces from both were united under the Supreme Allied Commander General Eisenhower and his headquarters SHAEF. The layout of this front was to have the 21st situated to the north of the Ardennes, the 12th to the south, and the 6th (formerly Dragoon Force) protecting the 12th's southern flank. During World War 2, Operation Dragoon (Allies, 1944) was the invasion of southern France between Toulon and Cannes executed on 15 August 1944. ... D. D. Eisenhower during WWII Dwight David Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower, October 14, 1890 - March 28, 1969), nicknamed Ike, was an American soldier and politician, who served as the thirty-fourth President of the United States (1953-1961). ... Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (abbreviated as SHAEF), was the command headquarters of the commander of Allied forces in North West Europe in 1944 and 1945. ... The Ardennes (pronounced ar-DEN) (Dutch: Ardennen) is a region of extensive forests and rolling hill country, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France (lending its name to the Ardennes département and the Champagne-Ardenne région). ...

While Generals Montgomery, Bradley and Patton all favoured relatively direct thrusts into Germany (with Montgomery and Bradley each offering to be the spearhead of such an assault), Eisenhower disagreed. Instead he favoured a "broad-front" strategy which would allow the Allies to regroup and shift their forces as needed, and to protect vital supply operations in the rear. George Smith Patton Jr. ...

The rapid advance through France had caused a considerable logistical strain, made worse by the lack of any major port asides from the relatively distant Cherbourg in western France. Cherbourg is a city of Normandy, in northwestern France, in the Manche département, of which it is a sous_préfecture. ...

As the campaign progressed, all the belligerents, Allied as well as German, felt the effects of the lack of suitable replacements for front-line troops.

There were two major defensive obstacles to the Allies. The first was the natural barriers made by the rivers of Western France. The second was the Siegfried Line itself, which fell under the command, along with all Wehrmacht forces in the west, of Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt. Image:Wehrmacht 20 April 1939 Birthday Parade. ... Shoulder boards of a Generalfeldmarschall Generalfeldmarschall ( â–¶(?)) (General Field Marshal, usually translated simply as Field Marshal, and sometimes written only as Feldmarschall) was a rank in the armies of several German states, the Holy Roman Empire, and Austrian Empire. ... Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt (December 12, 1875 - February 24, 1953) was a field marshal of the German Army during World War II. He held some of the highest field commands in all phases of the war. ...

The swift Allied advance

After Operation Cobra and the partial destruction of the German Seventh Army and Fifth Panzer Army in August 1944, in the Falaise pocket, the Allies found themselves in pursuit of rapidly withdrawing German forces or with undefended open country. Many towns and villages, including the great port of Antwerp, were liberated with little resistance. Operation Cobra was the codename for the World War II operation planned by United States Army General Omar Bradley to break out from the Normandy area after the previous months D-Day landings. ... The German Seventh Army (German: ) was a World War II field army. ... 5. ... Combatants United States United Kingdom Canada Free French Forces Free Polish Forces Others Nazi Germany Commanders Bernard Montgomery Omar Bradley Günther von Kluge Walter Model Strength N/A 150,000 Casualties Canadian: 18,500 Polish: 2,300 U.S and British: N/A 10,000+ killed, 60,000 wounded... For other uses, see Antwerp (disambiguation). ...

Paris was liberated almost intact by Free French armoured units, despite Hitler's orders that it should be destroyed. City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Paris Eiffel tower as seen from the esplanade du Trocadéro. ... The Liberation of Paris in World War II took place in late August 1944 after the battle of Normandy. ... Free French Forces under review during the Battle of Normandy. ...

Logistics & supply

Although the breakout from Normandy had taken longer than planned, the advances until September had far exceeded expectations. Bradley, for example, by September, had four more divisions than planned and all of his forces were 150 miles ahead of their expected position. One effect was that insufficient supplies could be delivered to the fronts to maintain the advance: actual demand had exceeded the expected needs.

Much war materiel still had to brought ashore across the invasion beaches and through the one remaining Mulberry harbour. Although small harbours, such as Isigny, Port-en-Bessin and Courcelles, were being used, the major forward ports such as Calais, Boulogne and Le Havre either remained in German hands as "fortresses" or had been systematically destroyed. The availability of Cherbourg had been valuable until the breakout, but then transport to carry supplies to the rapidly advancing armies became the limiting factor. Materiel (from the French for material) is the equipment and supplies in Military and commercial supply chain management. ... A Mulberry harbour was a type of temporary harbour developed in World War II to offload cargo on the beaches during the Allied invasion of Normandy. ... Isigny-sur-Mer is a commune of the northwestern France, chief town of a canton of the Calvados département. ... Port-en-Bessin-Huppain is a commune of the Calvados d partement, in the Basse-Normandie r gion, in France. ... Courcelles is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. ... Calais is a town in northern France, located at 50°57N 1°52E. It is in the département of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... Boulogne-sur-Mer is a city and commune in northern France, in the Pas-de-Calais département of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... Abbey of Graville, Le Havre Le Havre is a city in Normandy, northern France, on the English Channel, at the mouth of the Seine. ... Cherbourg-Octeville is a town and commune in Normandy, north-west France. ...

Although fuel was successfully pumped from Britain to Normandy via the Pluto pipeline, this still had to reach the fronts. The railways had been largely destroyed by Allied attacks and would take much effort to repair, so fleets of trucks were needed. Unfortunately, 1,500 British trucks were found to have critical engine faults and were unusable, so the Allies were dependent upon US Army supply companies and their capacity was inadequate for the circumstances. Operation Pluto (Pipe-Lines Under The Ocean) was a World War II operation by British scientists, oil companies and armed forces to construct undersea oil pipelines under the English Channel between England and France. ...

The Dragoon Force advancing from southern France were supplied adequately from Toulon and Marseille because they had captured intact ports and the local railway system was less damaged. This source supplied about 25% of the Allied needs. Combatants United States1 Free France, United Kingdom Germany Commanders Jacob L. Devers Johannes Blaskowitz Strength 250,000 (approx) 230,000 (approx) Casualties 4,500 American, 4,500+ French 125,000+ (approx) Monument to the landings of Allied troops under General Patch on the beach of St Tropez, France. ... Panorama of Toulon area Satellite view Coat of Arms of Toulon view of Toulon harbour around 1750, by Joseph Vernet. ... City flag Coat of arms Motto: By her great deeds, the city of Massilia shines Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France Region Provence-Alpes-Côte dAzur Department Bouches-du-Rhône (13) Subdivisions 16 arrondissements (in 8 secteurs) Intercommunality Urban Community of Marseille Provence...

The US supply organisation - Lines of Communication Zone (COMZ) - is perceived to have failed to expedite solutions and to have been far too bureaucratic, employing 11,000 staff. Failures to supply forward units led to unofficial arrangements, with pressed units "diverting" supplies directed elsewhere. Eisenhower felt he could not exert authority since COMZ was directly answerable to Washington and not to SHAEF.

The mere occupation of Antwerp was not enough, as the lands surrounding the Scheldt would have to be liberated first to open the port of Antwerp. This was essential, since at this point the main allied supply lines still ran back to Normandy, presenting serious logistical problems. The solution was to get Antwerp into effective action quickly. The problem here was that, although this major port had been captured almost intact, its sea access was blocked by German occupation of the Scheldt islands. The Scheldt (Dutch: Schelde, French Escaut) is a 350 km[1] long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands. ...

The delay in securing this area was seen as a major failure of Montgomery's 21st Army Group, since the German 15th Army was allowed to occupy and then dig in, whereas an immediate attack in September would probably have cleared the Scheldt without difficulty. The consequence was that Eisenhower was obliged to limit his army group commanders to one major advance at a time. As a result, German resistance was allowed to organise and deploy reserves. The Canadian First Army was given the task of clearing the Scheldt (see below). Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC (17 November 1887 – 24 March 1976) was a British Army officer, often referred to as Monty. He successfully commanded Allied forces at the Battle of El Alamein, a major turning point in World War II, and... The British 21st Army Group was an important Allied force in the European Theatre of World War II. // Normandy Commanded by General (later Field Marshal) Sir Bernard Montgomery, it initially controlled all ground forces in Operation Overlord. ... The German Fifteenth Army (German: ) was a World War II field army. ... The Canadian First Army was the overall command for the Canadian military forces in Europe during World War II. It was formed in early 1942 to command two corps composed of the three infantry divisions, two armoured divisions, and two armoured brigades that had assembled in England. ... American soldiers cross the Siegfried Line The drive to the Siegfried Line was one of the final Allied phases in World War II of the Western European Campaign. ...

Manpower

German armies had lost large numbers of troops in Normandy and the subsequent pursuit. To counteract this, about 20,000 Luftwaffe personnel were reallocated to the Army, invalided troops were redrafted into the front line and Volkssturm units were formed using barely trained civilians. This does not cite its references or sources. ... German Peoples Storm Defense Force The Volkssturm, literally translated as Peoples Storm in the meaning of National Storm, was a German national militia of the last months of the Nazis Third Reich. ...

British manpower resources were limited after 5 years of war and through worldwide commitments. Replacements were no longer adequate to cover losses and formations were disbanded to maintain the strength of others.

The Canadians were also short of manpower. Due to the reluctance of some French-Canadians to serve in an "Anglo-Saxon" war, service abroad was voluntary and this limited Canadian numbers. French Canadian is a term that has several different connotations. ...

American losses now called on replacements from the United States. Often these were inexperienced and unused to the harsh conditions of the latter part of the campaign. At one point, after the Battle of the Bulge the US Army relaxed its refusal to use black troops in combat formations. Black volunteers performed well and prompted a change in military policy. Combatants United States United Kingdom Germany Commanders Dwight D. Eisenhower Bernard L. Montgomery Omar N. Bradley George S. Patton, Jr. ...

By the turn of the year, the war's outcome was clear. It became increasingly difficult to persuade allied troops to risk their lives when peace was in sight. No one wished to be the last man killed.

Northern Group of Armies (21st Army Group)

Market Garden

Main article: Operation Market Garden

The first operation of the Rhineland Campaign, Market Garden was commanded by Montgomery and had the objective to secure a bridgehead in the north, at Arnhem, over the Rhine which would outflank the Siegfried Line. Combatants United Kingdom United States Canada Poland Germany Commanders Bernard Montgomery Walter Model Strength 35,000 20,000 Casualties 17,000 dead or wounded 4,000 - 8,000 dead or wounded Operation Market Garden (September 17-September 25, 1944) was an Allied military operation in World War II. Its tactical... The Rhineland (Rheinland in German) is the general name for the land on both sides of the river Rhine in the west of Germany. ... Arnhem is a municipality and a city in the east of the Netherlands, located on the Lower Rhine, and the capital of the Gelderland province. ... The River Rhine (Dutch: ; French: ; German: ; Italian: ; Romansh: ) is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe at 1,320 kilometres (820 miles), with an average discharge of more than 2,000 cubic meters per second. ...

Market Garden was composed of two distinct parts. Operation Market was to be the largest airborne operation in history, dropping three and a half divisions of US, British and Polish paratroopers to capture key bridges and prevent their demolition by the Germans. Operation Garden was a follow up ground attack by the British Second Army which would then more heavily garrison the area and relieve the paratroopers for new duties. It was assumed that the German forces would still be in a rout from the previous campaign and opposition would not be very stiff for either operation. The British Second Army was extant in both World Wars. ...

If successful, the Allies would have a direct route into Germany and by-pass German defences further south. Montgomery would further be in a good position to aid with clearing German forces from Western Scheldt. Doing so would allow Antwerp, a major port captured earlier, to be used as well as seizing territory from which the Germans launched V-1 and V-2 weapons against London, Antwerp and elsewhere. Satellite image of the Scheldt delta showing the Western Scheldt (b) The Western Scheldt (Westerschelde) in the province Zeeland in the southwestern Netherlands, is an estuary of the Scheldt river. ... The Vergeltungswaffe 1 Fi 103 / FZG-76 (V-1), known as the Flying bomb, Buzz bomb or Doodlebug, was the first modern guided missile used in wartime and the first cruise missile. ... German test launch. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

Eisenhower approved of Market Garden, giving supply priority to the 21st Army Group and diverted the U.S. First Army to the north of the Ardennes in order stage limited attacks to draw German defenders south away from the target sites. The Ardennes (pronounced ar-DEN) (Dutch: Ardennen) is a region of extensive forests and rolling hill country, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France (lending its name to the Ardennes département and the Champagne-Ardenne région). ...

At first, it went well. The 101st Airborne and 82nd Airborne took their objectives at Eindhoven, Veghel and Nijmegen. Although their landings outside Arnhem were on target, the British 1st Airborne landing zones were some distance from Arnhem bridge and only on the north side of the river. Problems arose when the British 1st Airborne lost vital equipment - jeeps and heavy anti-tank guns - when gliders crashed. There had also been a severe underestimation of German strength in the area. To make matters worse, poor weather prevented aerial reinforcements and drastically reduced resupply. German resistance to the forces driving to Arnhem was highly effective, and a copy of the Allied battle plan had been captured. The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)—nicknamed the “Screaming Eagles”—is an airborne division of the United States Army primarily trained for air assault operations. ... The 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army was constituted in the National Army as the 82nd Division on August 5, 1917, and was organized on August 25, 1917, at Camp Gordon, Georgia. ... Country Netherlands Province North Brabant Area 88. ... Veghel is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands. ... Country Netherlands Province Gelderland Area 57. ... The British 1st Airborne Division was a military unit that fought in World War II. It suffered terrible casualties, especially in Operation Market Garden. ...

In the end, Market Garden was unsuccessful. The Arnhem bridge was not held and the British paratroops absorbed tremendous casualty rates, approximately 77 percent.

Battle of the Scheldt

Main article: Battle of the Scheldt

The logistics situation was becoming critical, so opening Antwerp was now among the highest priorities. On September 12, 1944, the Canadian First Army under the command of Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds was given the task of clearing the Scheldt of German forces. The First Army was comprised of the Canadian II Corps, which included the Polish 1st Armoured Division, the British 49th, the 52nd Divisions and the British I Corps. Combatants Canada United Kingdom Poland Belgium Norway Germany Commanders Guy Simonds (acting) (First Canadian Army) Gustav-Adolf von Zangen (German 15th Army) Strength  ?  ? Casualties 12,873 total; including 6,367 Canadian  ? The Battle of the Scheldt was a series of military operations which took place in northern Belgium and south... The Canadian First Army was the overall command for the Canadian military forces in Europe during World War II. It was formed in early 1942 to command two corps composed of the three infantry divisions, two armoured divisions, and two armoured brigades that had assembled in England. ... Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds inspecting II Canadian Corps in Meppen, Germany, May 31st, 1945. ... Polish 1st Armoured Division at Haddington 1943 The Polish 1st Armoured Division (Polish 1 Dywizja Pancerna) was an Allied military unit during World War II, created in February 1942 in Scotland. ... This military division was formed on April 1, 1908 as the West Riding Division in the Territorial Force of the British Army. ... The British 52nd (Lowland) Division was a Territorial Army division. ... The British I Corps has a long history, and was in existence as an active formation in the British Army for longer than any other corps. ...

The task involved four main operations. The first was to clear the area north of Antwerp and secure access to South Beveland. The second was to clear the Breskens pocket north of the Leopold Canal ("Operation Switchback"). The third, "Operation Vitality", was the capture of South Beveland. The final phase was the capture of Walcheren Island, which had been fortified into a powerful German stronghold. For other uses, see Antwerp (disambiguation). ... The Scheldt delta, including Zuid-Beveland (2) Zuid-Beveland is a part of the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands north of the Westerschelde and south of the Oosterschelde. ... Coat of Arms of Breskens Breskens is a harbour town on the Westerschelde in the municipality of Sluis in the province of Zeeland, in the south-western Netherlands. ...

On September 21, 1944 the advance began. The Canadian 4th Armoured Division, moving northwards towards the south shore of the Scheldt around the Dutch town of Breskens were the first Allied troops to face the formidable obstacle of the double line of the Leopold and Dérivation de la Lys Canals. The canals were crossed and a bridgehead established, but fierce counter-attacks by the Germans forced them to withdraw with heavy casualties. The 1st Polish Armoured Division had greater success, moving northeast to the coast, occupying Terneuzen and clearing the south bank of the Scheldt eastwards to Antwerp. It was by then clear, however, that any further advances would be at tremendous cost. List of military divisions — List of Canadian divisions in WWII The Canadian 4th Armoured Division was created by conversion of 4th Canadian Infantry Division at the beginning of 1942 in United Kingdom in August and October. ... Terneuzen is a city and municipality in the southwestern Netherlands, in the province of Zeeland, in the middle of Zeeuws-Vlaanderen. ...

The Canadian 2nd Infantry Division began its advance north from Antwerp On October 2. Heavy casualties ensued, including the almost total destruction of the Canadian 5th Infantry Brigade's Black Watch Battalion on October 13. However, on October 16, Woensdrecht was taken by the Canadians, following an immense artillery barrage which forced the Germans back. This cut South Beveland and Walcheren off from the mainland and achieved the objective of the first operation. List of military divisions — List of Canadian divisions in WWII Units of the Canadian 2nd Infantry Division were mobilized on 1 September 1939, even before the declaration of war, and the battalions were promptly fleshed out by volunteers. ... The Canadian 5th Infantry Brigade was a Canadian military ubit during the Second World War. ... The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada is a reserve infantry regiment in 34 Brigade Group, Land Force Quebec Area. ... Woensdrecht is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands. ... The Scheldt delta, including Zuid-Beveland (2) Zuid-Beveland is a part of the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands north of the Westerschelde and south of the Oosterschelde. ... Satellite image of the Scheldt estuary Walcheren is a former island in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands at the mouth of the Scheldt estuary. ...

Field-Marshal Bernard Montgomery, issued a directive that made the opening of the Scheldt estuary the top priority. To the east, the British Second Army attacked westwards to clear the Netherlands south of the Maas River. This helped secure the Scheldt region from an outside counter-attack. Bernard Law Montgomery Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein (November 17, 1887 - March 24, 1976) was a British military officer during World War II often referred to as Monty. ... The British Second Army was extant in both World Wars. ... The Meuse(Maas) at Maastricht Length 925 km Elevation of the source 409 m Average discharge 230 m³/s Area watershed 36 000 km² Origin France Mouth Hollands Diep Basin countries France - Belgium - Netherlands The Meuse (Dutch Maas) is a large European river rising in France, flowing through Belgium and...

In "Operation Switchback," the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division mounted a two pronged attack, with the 7th Brigade crossing the Leopold Canal and the 9th Brigade launching an amphibious assault from the coastal side of the pocket. Despite fierce resistance from the Germans, the Canadian 10th Brigade crossed the Leopold and the 8th Brigade moved southwards, opening a supply route into the pocket. List of military divisions — List of Canadian divisions in WWII The formation of the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division was authorized on 17 May 1940. ...

"Operation Vitality," the third major phase of the Battle of the Scheldt opened on October 24. The 2nd Canadian Infantry Division began its bridgeheads against South Beveland, but was slowed by mines, mud and strong enemy defences. The British 52nd (Lowland) Division made an amphibious attack to get in behind the German's Beveland Canal defensive positions. Thus this formidable defence was outflanked, and the Canadian 6th Infantry Brigade began a frontal attack in assault boats. The engineers were able to bridge the canal on the main road. With the canal line gone, the German defence crumbled and South Beveland was cleared. The third phase of the Battle of the Scheldt was now complete. List of military divisions — List of Canadian divisions in WWII Units of the Canadian 2nd Infantry Division were mobilized on 1 September 1939, even before the declaration of war, and the battalions were promptly fleshed out by volunteers. ... The Scheldt delta, including Zuid-Beveland (2) Zuid-Beveland is a part of the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands north of the Westerschelde and south of the Oosterschelde. ... The British 52nd (Lowland) Division was a Territorial Army division. ... This article is about a military strategy involving land troops dispatched from naval ships. ... The Scheldt delta, including Zuid-Beveland (2) Zuid-Beveland is a part of the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands north of the Westerschelde and south of the Oosterschelde. ...

The final phase, "Operation Infatuate" was the attack on the heavily fortified island of Walcheren at the mouth of the West Scheldt. The island's dykes were breached by attacks from RAF Bomber Command on October 3, 7 and 11. This flooded the central part of the island, forcing the German defenders onto the high ground and allowing the use of amphibious vehicles. Units of the Canadian 2nd Infantry Division attacked the causeway on October 31, and after a grim struggle, established a precarious foothold. They were relieved by a battalion of the British 52nd (Lowland) Division. In conjunction with the waterborne attacks, the 52nd continued the advance. Satellite image of the Scheldt estuary Walcheren is a former island in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands at the mouth of the Scheldt estuary. ... The Scheldt (Dutch: Schelde, French Escaut) is a 350 km[1] long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands. ... Bomber Command badge RAF Bomber Command was the organisation that controlled the RAFs bomber forces. ... The British 52nd (Lowland) Division was a Territorial Army division. ...

The amphibious landings began on November 1 with units of the British 155th Infantry Brigade landing on a beach in the south-eastern area of Vlissingen. During the next few days they engaged in heavy street fighting against the German defenders. Also on November 1, after a heavy naval bombardment by the British Royal Navy, troops of 4th Special Service Brigade, (consisting mainly of Belgian and Norwegian troops) supported by specialised armoured vehicles of the 79th Armoured Division were landed on both sides of the gap in the sea dyke. Heavy fighting ensued. A smaller force moved south-eastward, toward Vlissingen, while the main force went north-east to clear the northern half of Walcheren to link up with the Canadian troops who had established a bridgehead on the eastern part of the island. Fierce resistance was again offered by German troops defending the area, and fighting continued until November 7. However, the fighting ended on November 8 after a force of amphibious vehicles entered Middelburg, the capital of Walcheren. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ... The 79th Armoured Division was a specialist British Army armoured unit formed as part of the preparations for the Normandy invasion of 6 June 1944. ... This is about the city in the Netherlands. ...

Meanwhile, the 4th Canadian Armoured Division had pushed eastwards past Bergen-op-Zoom to St. Philipsland where it sank several German vessels in Zijpe harbour. With the approaches to the port of Antwerp free, the fourth phase of the Battle of the Scheldt was completed and on November 28, the first convoy entered the port of Antwerp. Bergen op Zoom is a municipality and a city in the southern Netherlands. ... For other uses, see Antwerp (disambiguation). ...

Central Group of Armies (12th Army Group)

Aachen

Main article: Battle of Aachen

The U.S. First Army was focused on capturing the city of Aachen, which had to be dealt with before advancing on to assault the Siegfried Line itself. Initially the city of Aachen was to be bypassed and cut off in an attempt by the allies to imitate the Blitzkrieg tactics the Germans had so effectively used (see below). However the city was the first city to be assaulted on German soil and so had huge historical and cultural significance to the German people. Hitler personally ordered that the garrison there be reinforced and the city held. This forced allied commanders to re-think their strategy. Combatants United States Germany Commanders William Simpson Gerhard Wilck Strength 100,000 soldiers 12,000 soldiers Casualties 2000 killed 3000 wounded 5500 killed or wounded, 5,600 POW The Battle of Aachen was a battle in World War II that took place in October 1944 in the German city of... Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of the U.S. First Army. ... Oche redirects here; in darts the oche is the line from which players must throw. ...

Some scholars, including Stephen Ambrose, have suggested that the siege of Aachen was a mistake. The battle stalled the eastward advance by the allies and caused approximately 5,000 allied casualties. The fighting was, by all accounts, brutal street-to-street, house-to-house style urban combat and tied up the available rescources of the advancing allied armies. Ambrose has suggested that a more effective strategy would have been to have isolated the garrison at Aachen and continue the move east into the heart of Germany. This, in theory, would have eliminated the ability of the German garrison on Aachen to operate as a fighting force by cutting off their supply lines. This might have forced the Garrison to surrender or to move out of the city in an attempt to re-establish their supply lines. In the case of the latter a confrontation in a more neutral setting would probably have resulted in fewer military and civilian casualties.

Lorraine

Main article: Lorraine Campaign

In late August, the Third Army started to find itself running low on fuel. This situation was caused by the rapid Allied advance through France, and compounded by logistical priority being shifted to the northern forces in order to secure Antwerp. By September 1st, with the last of its fuel, the Third managed one final push to capture key bridges over the Meuse River at Verdun and Commercy. For five days after though, the critical supply situation effectively ground the Third Army to a halt, allowing previously routed German forces to regroup and the reinforcement of their strongholds in the area. September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Meuse (Maas) at Maastricht Meuse near Grave The Meuse (Dutch & German Maas) is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea. ... Verdun, (German: Wirten) sometimes also called Verdun-sur-Meuse, is a city and commune in northeast France, in the Meuse département, of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... Commercy is a commune of the Meuse département, in northeastern France. ...

Soon after, the Third Army came against Metz, part of the Maginot Line and one of the most heavily fortified cities in Western Europe. The city could not be bypassed, as several of its forts had guns directed at Moselle crossing sites and the main roads in the area. It could be also be used as a stronghold to organize a German counter-attack to the Thirds rear. In the following Battle for Metz, the Third Army, while victorious, took heavy casualties. For other uses of Metz, see Metz (disambiguation) City motto: Si paix dedans, paix dehors (French: If peace inside, peace outside) City proper (commune) Région Lorraine Département Moselle (57) Mayor Jean-Marie Rausch Area 41. ... The Maginot Line (IPA: [maʒino], named after French minister of defence André Maginot) was a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, machine gun posts and other defenses which France constructed along its borders with Germany and with Italy, in the light of experience from World War I, and...

Following Metz, the Third Army continued eastwards to the Saar River and soon began their assault on the Siegfried Line. Saar loop at Mettlach The Saar (French: Sarre) is a river, that rises in the Vosges mountains in Alsace with two headstreams (Red and White Saar) at the Donon, running through Lorraine and the Saarland, which was named after it. ...

References

• The Battle for the Rhine, Robin Neillands, 2005

External links

• Army.mil: Brochure Book
• Military.com
• Bombing Duren on 16 November 1944 to aid a major breakthrough of the Siegfried Line
• 44th Division: Vosges Mountain & Siegfried Line Campaign
• The battle for Aachen