AMERICANS OUTSIDE AACHEN, WIN A REICH TOWN; THIRD ARMY FORGES AHEAD ON MOSELLE FRONT (9/14/44)

Microfilm-New York Times archives, Monterey Public Library | 9/14/44 | Drew Middleton, Harold Denny, Frederick Graham, Sydney Gruson, Robert Trumbull

[EternalVigilance]

The job wasn’t just to get to Berlin. It was, more importantly, to destroy the German Army.

Eisenhower’s broad front strategy assured the latter.

While not without its difficulties and great cost, it was ultimately vindicated by complete victory.

[PapaNew]

Today, the largest single-day air attack against Germany was reported. The Allies seemed to almost have free access through the air into Germany.

Anybody know why Germany didn’t have better success with their Luftwaffe air force in stopping the Allies? I haven’t seen much reported or discussed about that.

[PapaNew]

Destroying the German army is probably a good, at least partial, explanation for Eisenhower’s broad front strategy.

Getting to Berlin before Patton seems to be at least a partial explanation for Monty’s approach.

I admire Eisenhower’s patience given the pressures he was under.

[EternalVigilance]

yeah.

[henkster]

It doesn’t look that different. The hook to the east at Zwolle isn’t too far off the hook to the west to get to the Zuider Zee. Both maps show a considerable advance by XXX Corps north of Arnhem. Both put XXX Corps mor or less on the Zuider Zee coast.

[InMemoriam]

Anybody know why Germany didn’t have better success with their Luftwaffe air force in stopping the Allies? I haven’t seen much reported or discussed about that.

Having lost Romania, they have to rely on synthetic fuel, so extreme shortages. They have to run tanks, trucks, aircraft, and all other vehicles with miniscule access to crude oil. German strategists considered this decisive.

[PapaNew]

*”Having lost Romania, they have to rely on synthetic fuel, so extreme shortages.”*

That is very interesting.

I found a quote about that:

“Field-Marshall Karl Gerd Von Rundstedt of Germany. When interviewed by newspapermen, he readily admitted how important oil had been in World War two. In fact, he attributed German defeat to three factors, to wit: (1) the Allied bombing sorties (strategic and tactical); (2) the bombardments by Allied naval guns; and (3) Germany’s own deficiency in oil, especially in the form of gasoline.”

http://historynewsnetwork.org/article/339

[colorado tanker]

It doesn't look so different to me, either. If Monty drove to the Zuider Zee, the Canadians on the left would naturally advance to destroy the Germans trapped to the west. The dashed lines to the east indicate to me what the next operation might be if Monty is successful in crossing the Rhine, which would be to cooperate with U.S. First Army to encircle the Ruhr.

Months later the Ruhr would be encircled to create the "Ruhr Pocket" but it would be an all U.S. affair.