Strategic Situation

Situation at the Western Front end of March 1945

The Rhine River was a natural border, behind was the heartland of Germany. The Allied expected the Germans to defend this line very hard. In early 1945, the Allied Armies had reached the Rhine at Nijmwegen and Strasbourg. In the middle sector, they reached the Rhine in March because of the delay caused by the Battle of the Bulge and the Sigfried Line. River crossings could be very difficult, because the Rhine was wide and fast. First Canadian and Second British Army were closing in on the Ruhr Area from the north-west. Ninth US Army crossed the Rhine at Düsseldorf and also pushed forward towards the Ruhr Area. These three Armies combined to encircle the remnants of 1. Fallschirmjägerarmee and 15. Armee, they wiped them out completely. First US Army captured the Remagen bridge and advanced towards the Marburg area in Northern Hessia. It was confronted by 5. Panzerarmee. 

2002 © Copyright Peter Domes -  Date of last change: 2011-09-06