Three months after the Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy and drove the Germans from France and Belgium, the Allies began their invasion of Germany, forcing its surrender in the spring of 1945 to mark the final phase of World War II in Europe.
After being driven from France by Allied forces in the previous few months, the German military took up defensive positions along the nearly 400-mile-long Siegfried line
Although some of the German troops along the line were by this time battle-hardened, the reinforcements consisted mainly of older men or the very young, and morale was poor following the constant defeats on both the Western and Eastern fronts. Many in the German military felt that the only option was surrender. Opposition to Hitler’s determined stance was so intense that some members of his inner circle attempted to murder him. Every plot to assassinate him failed, but Hitler still ruthlessly tracked down and executed all who dared to plot his demise.
The Allied troops, encouraged by their victories in France and building strength, were rapidly advancing. Allied supply lines were at first slow to catch up, but they finally reached the borders of Germany early in September, 1944. The troops were once again ready to move. After chasing the Germans out of France by the end of August, the first Allied troops entered Germany on September 11 to mark the early days of what is known as the Battle of Hürtgen Forest
General George S. Patton, the U.S. commander of the Third Armored Division, played a key role in the invasion of Germany. He moved his armored division through countless German defensive positions. Patton’s troops would take more than one million prisoners, more than any other division, during the invasion of Germany. During the Palatinate Campaign
Allied troops advance across the Siegfried line into Germany.
Political considerations between the Russians and the Allied forces played a large role in deciding the logistics of the final invasion of Germany in the spring of 1945. While at the Yalta Conference (February, 1945), the major parties had already decided the fate of postwar Germany: It would be divided into occupation zones. What was not discussed at the conference was the question of which nation would do what during the invasion itself. Still debated is the decision made by General Dwight D. Eisenhower on whether or not to take Berlin. While at different times during the invasion various Allied commanders communicated to Eisenhower that their troops could easily take Berlin, he always held them back. Eisenhower eventually decided to allow the Russian forces to conquer the city, and he sent U.S. troops to the southeast to mop up German forces there.
It was believed that the Germans were planning a last stand—called a national redoubt or an alpine fortress—in an alpine region of south Germany, Austria, or northern Italy. The redoubt was supposed to occur, more specifically, in the area of Berchtesgaden, to which Eisenhower sent U.S. troops. Eisenhower’s decision was likely based on several factors. First, the Russians had suffered horribly at the hands of the German forces during the German invasion of Russia. Second, the Russians were physically closer to Berlin than were the Allied forces, and they had fought most of their war with Berlin as their main objective. Finally, Eisenhower knew that the Russian leader, Joseph Stalin, was suspicious of the Allied commanders because the invasion of western Europe had been delayed, so he wanted to generate as much good will as possible before the end of the war.
The final push to take Berlin, and subdue Germany, began on April 15 from the Oder River on the Eastern front. Russian general Vasily Chuikov
The invasion of Germany during World War II involved the concerted efforts of Allied forces, namely Russia, Britain, the United States, Canada, and France; many other nations joined the Allies as well. These forces, especially the Russian, French, and British, had directly experienced the ruthlessness of Hitler’s army. While many of Hitler’s advisers and even troops in the field felt that an honorable surrender should have occurred long before Germany was invaded, it was Hitler’s “last-man last-bullet” philosophy of war that led to the invasion of Germany. World War II and its consequences proved to many that total defeat was the only way to conclude this “war to end all wars.”
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Astor, Gerald. “The Battle of Hürtgen Forest.” World War II, November, 2004. A critical account of Allied operations during this first battle that led to the defeat of Nazi Germany. Available at http://www.history net.com/magazines/world_war_2. To access article, click on “View all World War II magazine articles” link. -
Dear, Ian C. B. The Oxford Companion to World War II. New ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005. A thorough encyclopedic work with more than seventeen hundred alphabetized entries on all aspects of World War II. -
Hastings, Max. Armageddon: The Battle for Germany, 1944-1945. New York: Vintage Books, 2005. An in-depth account of the battle for Germany during the final year of World War II. Richly illustrated. -
______. Warriors: Portraits from the Battlefield. New York: Knopf, 2006. An extensive account of the German invasion from British historian Hastings that focuses on some of the individuals involved in the war. -
Stewart, Richard W., ed. The United States Army in a Global Era: 1917-2003. Vol. 2 in American Military History. Washington, D.C.: Center of Military History, U.S. Army, 2005. Originally written and published in 1956 as a textbook for Army officers in training, this updated work provides a detailed history of the Army’s role in times of international strife. Includes many illustrations, maps, and photographs. Available at http://www.army.mil/cmh/. Click on image-link for the book. -
Wilmot, Chester. The Struggle for Europe. London: Wordsworth, 1997. A well-written account of the major actions in Europe following the June, 1944, D day invasion.
World War II: European Theater
Germany and Italy Declare War on the United States
Invasion of Normandy Begins the Liberation of Europe
Allied Forces Break German Front in France
Operation Dragoon
Battle of the Bulge
V-E Day Marks the End of World War II in Europe
Potsdam Conference