The Liberation of Europe

1. The Liberation of Europe

2. East from Normandy . . . • 1944 • 25-31 July: Operation COBRA • Bombers open a gap through the German lines • 500 Americans killed by “friendly fire” • 1-13 August: Breakout and exploitation by Patton’s US 3rd Army. • 25 August: Paris liberated.

3. The Breakout • http://www3.sympatico.ca/angels_eight/campaign.html

5. French Forces of the Interior French 2nd Armored Division 19 - 25 August: Liberation of Paris

6. General Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque

8. General Dietrich von Choltitz “Brennt Paris?!” - Hitler

10. Operation DRAGOON

11. DRAGOON • Ashore by end of D-Day • 94,000 men • 11,000 vehicles • Casualties: • 183 KIA/WIA • 49 Non-battle casualties • Opposition: 2 German divisions 7th Army Alexander Patch

12. French II Corps captured Toulon and Marseilles • 47,717 POW • Cost: 1,300 KIA, 5,000 WIA • Result: German army eliminated in Southern France

13. Rhone CampaignLTG Lucien Truscott • 175 miles in 14 days • 32,211 POW • Destroyed 1,316 of 1,481 guns • Cost: 1,395 KIA, 5,879 WIA 6th Corps

14. Question: Narrow thrust or broad front?

15. 27 August – 4 September: Priority shifts to Montgomery • British move north into the Low Countries • Fuel diverted from the US exploitation • Eisenhower needs Antwerp • By mid-September Allied forces were closing on the German border.

16. The score as of mid-September • Since 6 June: • 2.1 million men landed in France • Allied casualties • 40,000 KIA • 165.000 WIA • German losses: c. 700,000 • Germans retain: • Cohesion • Staff structure • Discipline

17. Operation MARKET GARDEN17 – 25 September • Airborne operations • 101st Airborne Division • Wilhelmina Canal near Eindhoven • 82nd Airborne Division • Takes the Mass bridge at Grave • Fails to take the Waal crossing at Nijmegan • British 1st Airborne + Polish Abn. Brigade • Fails to take the crossing at Arnhem

20. Battle of Hürtgen Forest19 September to 16 December 1944 • 120,000 Allies vs. 80,000 Germans • US casualties: 30,000 • 9,000 from friendly fire or non-battle causes • German casualties: 28,000 • Germans hold the area to protect staging areas for the Ardennes offensive and dams along the Rur River.

22. No man hath greater love than he wholayeth down his life for his enemy. IN MEMORY OFLIEUTENANT FRIEDRICH LENGFELD Here in Huertgen Forest on November 12, 1944,Lt. Lengfeld, a German officer, gave his lifewhile trying to save the life of an Americansoldier lying severly wounded in the "WildeSau" minefield and appealing for medical aid.

23. German Ardennes Offensive • 16-19 December - • 24 German divisions (10 panzer) • Complete strategic and tactical surprise • US 106th and 24th Divisions collapse • US V Corps holds in the north • US 4th Division holds in the south

24. Allied losses 7,000 KIA 33,400 WIA 21,000 POW 730 tanks and tank destroyers German losses 120,000 KIA/WIA/POW 600 Tanks and assault guns 1,600 airplanes 6,000 vehicles - Eisenhower commits the SHAEF reserve 82nd and 101st Divisions- 3rd Army turns north.- The weather cleared.

26. "Has everything been done to justify our actions in the light of history? What can there be left for a commander in defeat? In antiquity they took poison“ Field Marshal Walter Model

27. 7 March, 1945: Ludendorf Bridge seized at Remagen The Allied plan shifts to the center and south. 30 April: Hitler commits suicide. 29 April – 8 May: German forces surrender.

28. Questions . . . • Were the conspirators of 20 July traitors? • Should Eisenhower have driven for Berlin?