| Battle Of Hurtgen Forest |
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BATTLE The American High Command was flush with success after the breakout at Normandy and hoped they could quickly break through and push further into Germany. Multiple divisions were sent in, only to be wrecked and replaced by still more divisions. Even with armor, air, and artillery support, all advantages held by the Americans were nullified by the forest terrain. Despite smaller numbers, the Germans were able to delay the stronger American force thanks to the difficult terrain and good defensive positions. It was the perfect battleground for an over-stretched German army. If taken quickly, the Germans could have easily flooded the entire Hürtgen Valley from the surrounding dams, delaying American advances. The Germans were heavily entrenched in the forest and inflicted heavy casualties in the longest single battle the American Army has ever fought in its history. The Germans inflicted well over 24,000 casualties on American forces during the battle. The Americans suffered an additional 9,000 Casualties due to fatigue, illness, and friendly fire. 12,000 German lives were also claimed. Despite this, ''Hürtgenwald'' is largely forgotten as the Battle Of The Bulge , which began shortly afterwards, took its limelight away. The engagement began on 19 September , 1944 when the U.S. 3rd Armored Division and U.S. 9th Infantry Division entered the Hurtgen Forest. The 9th's penetration into the forest was stopped shortly after the initial attack because the American commanders underestimated the strength of the German forces in the area. Tanks and other vehicles were slowed by the thickly wooded areas of the forest. On 6 October , the U.S. 9th Infantry Division attacked the town of Schmidt ; however, American forces took heavy losses from pre-sighted German tree-bursting artillery rounds. Also in early October, the U.S. 1st Infantry Division arrived along with elements of the U.S. XIX Corps and VII Corps , which encirled the town of Aachen . Although the 1st Infantry Division called for the surrender of the German garrison in the town, the German commander, Colonel Gerhard Wilck , would not surrender it until the 21 October . The U.S. 28th Infantry Division , a Pennsylvania National Guard unit, arrived on October 16th to relieve the battered U.S. 9th Infantry Division . On 3 November they successfully took the town of Schmidt. Also arriving in the Hurtgen Forest was the U.S. 8th Infantry Division , which successfully took the town of Hurtgen . Elements of the 8th and the 28th Infantry Divisions then advanced on Brandenberg . The 28th, just like the 9th before them (and the 4th Infantry Division, which would relieve the 28th), also took heavy casualties during their stay in the Hurtgen Forest, and on November 14th the 2nd Ranger Battalion arrived to relieve elements of the 112th Infantry Regiment. On December 6th, the Rangers moved on Bergstein, and subsequently took the strategic position of Hill 400 . Shortly thereafter, on the 12th of December, the towns of Gey and Strass were taken by American Forces. On 16 December , 1944 German forces began the Ardennes Offensive , more commonly known as the Battle Of The Bulge . The surprise German offensive caught Allied forces off guard, and forced a gigantic bulge in their lines. American units stationed in the area, including the 8th Division, the 104th, the 82nd Airborne and the 101st Airborne stage a heroic defense in one of the most important battles of the war and the largest in US history. The Ardennes Offensive was completely halted by mid-January, and in early February, American forces attack through the Hurtgen Forest for the final time. On 10 February , the Schwammenauel dam was taken by American forces, removing the threat of the Germans flooding the forest. This marked the end of the Battle of Hurtgen Forest. Two soldiers of the U.S. 4th Infantry Division were awarded Medals Of Honor for action in the battle one of whom was LTC George Mabry , the second most highly decorated U.S. soldier of World War II. Some of the units fighting in the Hürtgen Forest also fought at Omaha Beach and they said that the Hürtgen was a much bloodier fight than Omaha. Ernest Hemingway, who was there, described the battle as "'' Passchendaele with tree bursts,''" which is an appropriate Epitaph . OTHER There is an ongoing discussion of whether or not the American battle plan made any sense. One possibility is that U.S. strategy grossly underestimated the strength remaining in the German military at this late point of the war. The Americans concentrated on the village of Schmidt and neither tried to conquer the strategic Roer-Dams nor recognized the importance of Hill 400 until an advanced stage of the battle. Today tourists can visit a museum in Vossenack , look at a few of the many Siegfried Line -bunkers, and take a walk on the famous Kall-Trail. A multiplayer map based upon this battle was featured in the game '''' (Return to Schmerzen) was also partly based on this battle. In Call Of Duty 2 you play a US Army Ranger in the 2nd Ranger Battalion that, amongst other missions, capture the town of Bergstein and Hill 400. The movie '' When Trumpets Fade '' ( 1998 ), directed by John Irvin , is set during the Battle of Hurtgen Forest and realistically evokes the gritty battle. NOTES |
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