[henkster]

I’ve come to the opinion that Monty’s failure to clear the Scheldt Estuary in September led directly to the Ardennes Offensive in December. Without the logistic limitations, the Americans would have deployed more divisions earlier, and sufficiently supplied, the “big push” in November at Metz and Aachen would have happened in October. Hitler would not have been able to hold the front west of the Rhine with his thin screen of units. The strategic reserve would have been forced from his hand before it was even fully assembled.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Your argument makes perfect sense, although it leads me to wonder, given the German penchant for counterattacks, whether the Germans wouldn't have found a strong counterattack, smaller perhaps than their Ardennes effort, to the October push you describe. In other words, wasn't some counterattack inevitable?

[colorado tanker]

I agree with your analysis. Taking the Scheldt early would have changed the course of the war.

Unfortunately, as today's posts imply, Ike could not have forced that without firing Monty, which was politically impossible. The man seems to be living on another planet.