ALLIES STORM ACROSS RHINE AT 4 POINTS, JOIN CHUTISTS IN BRIDGEHEAD 5 MILES DEEP (3/25/45)

Microfilm-New York Times archives, Monterey Public Library | 3/25/45 | Drew Middleton, Frederick Graham, James MacDonald, Sydney Gruson, Charles Hurd, Hanson W. Baldwin

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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THE NEWS OF THE WEEK IN REVIEW

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[EternalVigilance]

Thanks.

Let’s make that link live:

http://www.westpoint.edu/history/SiteAssets/SitePages/World%20War%20II%20Europe/WWIIEurope80.gif

[EternalVigilance]

Yeah, he’s been across for a couple of days.

Even the press is reporting it now. They couldn’t do so the first day.

[Hebrews 11:6]

I'm curious why the Allies' strategy included consciously delaying the liberation of the northern Netherlands, in favor of attacking eastward first into Germany. Once all of France had been reclaimed, why not turn northward before invading Germany? Refusal to do so surely extended the substantial hardships of the Dutch.

Was it to keep the Germans' Army Group H pinned down in Holland and incapable of reinforcing the Siegfried/Rhine defenses, combined with "We've got the Germans on the run now, let's hurry and finish them off"?

[henkster]

Holland was a dead end, easily defended with a minimum of forces because of the many water obstacles. Ike was ordered to conduct operations directed at the heart of Germany and the destruction of her armed forces. Or something like that. He was remarkably consistent in pursuing that strategy.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Thanks—makes perfect sense. Must have added psychologically to the hardships felt by the Dutch to see France liberated while Holland was seemingly ignored.

[EternalVigilance]

Exactly right.

[colorado tanker]

There was physical suffering too. As we know the winter just ending was harsh. The Germans deliberately withheld food from the Dutch still under occupation. The Dutch call it the Hunger Winter.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Yes, I’d read of that. It’s what prompted my inquiry. Surely SHAEF was well aware of it, but I think history vindicates the strategy—they minimized total theater suffering by their single-minded drive to achieve total victory over the German military as rapidly as possible.

[colorado tanker]

Yep. The German occupation was harsh most places. Best way to end it was to drive into the heart of Germany and defeat the Wehrmacht.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Well, then, now that we’ve agreed on our strategy, let’s go right ahead and implement it! Gasoline or no gasoline!

[PAR35]

Compare Ms. LeGrande’s heroism with the other woman mentioned on the page, Jay Gould’s granddaughter, who appears to have the morals of an alley cat.

[fso301]

This is such a goldmine of knowledge. I will miss these posts in September.

Indeed but I look forward to Homer's next class on the Cold War.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents The Cold War Plus 70 Years: Seminar and Discussion Forum

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