When did the Allies break through the Siegfried Line?

In 1944, during World War II, German troops retreating from France found it an effective barrier for a respite against the pursuing Americans. This respite helped the Germans mount their counteroffensive in the Ardennes forest, and the Allies did not break through the entire line until early 1945.

Where did Germany expect the Allied invasion to take place?

After much deliberation, it was decided that the landings would take place on the long, sloping beaches of Normandy. There, the Allies would have the element of surprise. The German high command expected the attack to come in the Pas de Calais region, north of the river Seine where the English Channel is narrowest.

What was the name of the unsuccessful airborne invasion of the Netherlands and western Germany?

Code-named Market Garden, the offensive called for three Allied airborne divisions (the “Market” part of the operation) to drop by parachute and glider into the Netherlands, seizing key territory and bridges so that ground forces (the “Garden”) could cross the Rhine.

Where was the Siegfried Line breached?

The Siegfried Line was a World War II German defensive system stretching some 390 miles along the western border of the old German Empire. Referred to as the Westwall by the Germans, it ran from Kleve, on the border with the Netherlands, to the town of Weil am Rhein, near the Swiss border in the south.

How did the Allies get into Germany?

The Western Allied invasion of Germany was an attack on Nazi Germany that was done by the Western Allies in the final months of the European War in World War II. The invasion started with the Allies crossing the Rhine River. Then they spread out and moved through western Germany. The Germans surrendered on 8 May 1945.

How were the bridges defended in the Battle of Nijmegen?

One was a road bridge, the Waalbrug, and the other a railroad span, the Spoorbrug. Early in the battle these bridges were lightly defended by second-rate troops, but the German command quickly reinforced Nijmegen with experienced SS troops.

Was the Battle of Arnhem a flawed idea?

In truth, argues historian Antony Beevor, it was a flawed idea from the start, more driven by ego than practical considerations There are many myths about the battle for Arnhem and Operation Market Garden. Historians of the battle have often been tempted into the ‘if-only’ trap.

How did the 82nd Airborne get to Nijmegen?

The three regiments of the 82nd Airborne Division parachuted into drop zones in the Netherlands and advanced to the town of Nijmegen, where they found the bridges across the River Waal heavily defended. Vandervoort’s paratroopers linked up with their British counterparts and prepared to attack.

How did paratroopers fight in the Battle of Nijmegen?

Paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division supported by British tankers and Guardsmen fought their way into the Dutch town of Nijmegen prior to a daring river assault against entrenched German defenders.