Battle of Aachen

Battle of Aachen
Part of World War II
GI machine gun crew in Aachen (Correct orientation).jpg
GI machine gun crew in action against German defenders in the streets of Aachen on 15 October 1944
Date 2–21 October 1944
Location
Aachen, Germany
Result American victory
Belligerents
 United States  Germany
Commanders and leaders
United States Leland Hobbs
United States Clarence R. Huebner
United States Courtney Hodges		 Nazi Germany Gerhard Wilck
Strength
unknown est. 44,000
Casualties and losses
est. 5,000 est. 5,000
5,600 prisoners
Siegfried Line Campaign
Clearing the Channel Coast – Moerbrugge – Nancy – Market Garden – Metz - Hürtgen Forest – Overloon – Aachen – Scheldt – Crucifix Hill – Geilenkirchen salient – Queen
Overlord – Dragoon – Paris to the Rhine – Market Garden – Hürtgen Forest – Overloon – Aachen – Scheldt – Bulge – Blackcock – Colmar Pocket – Reichswald – Invasion of Germany – End of World War II in Europe

The Battle of Aachen was a battle in Aachen, Germany, which occurred between 2–21 October 1944. By September 1944, the Wehrmacht had been pushed into Germany proper, after being defeated in France by the Western Allies. During the campaigning in France, German commanders estimated that their total strength only amounted to that of 25 full strength divisions; at the time, the Wehrmacht operated 74 divisions in France. Despite these losses, the Germans were able to retreat to the Siegfried Line and partially rebuild their strength; they were able to bring the total number of combat personnel along the Western Front to roughly 230,000 troops. Although not necessarily well trained, nor well armed, these German defenders were substantially aided by the fortifications which composed the Siegfried Line. During the month of September the first fighting sprung up around Aachen and the city's commander offered to surrender it to the advancing Americans. However, his letter of surrender was discovered by the SS during a raid in Aachen while the civilians were evacuating. Adolf Hitler ordered his immediate arrest and replaced him and his division with Gerhard Wilck's 246th Volksgrenadier Division. The United States' First Army would have to take the city by force.

American commanders decided to envelop the city using the 1st and 30th Infantry divisions, aided by elements of others, and then take the city when it was fully encircled. The city's defense was composed of the German LXXXI Corps, which included four infantry divisions and two understrength German tank formations. During the battle, German defenders would receive another 24,000 reinforcements in the form of a panzer division and a panzergrenadier division, as well as elements of the 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. Although outnumbered by American forces, the defenders were able to make use of dozens of pillboxes and fortifications arrayed around the city.

The 30th Infantry Division's offensive began on 2 October and was immediately bogged down by the German defenses. The aerial and artillery bombardment previous to their attack had failed to inflict major damage on German defenses, and as a result the division's strike against German defenses in the north became bogged down. The 1st Infantry Division launched its own attack on 8 October and managed to take its primary objectives within 48 hours, although it would later be pinned down by continued German counterattacks. Meanwhile, the 30th Infantry Division continued its slow advance, although by 12 October it was still not able to link up with the 1st Infantry Division and complete the encirclement of Aachen. As a result, the 1st Infantry Division detached the 26th Infantry Regiment and prepared for a direct assault on the city before the link up occurred. Fighting for the city took place between 13–21 October and caused heavy loss of life. Despite fierce German resistance, German General Wilck surrendered Aachen to American troops on 21 October, ending the battle. Between 2–21 October the First Army suffered roughly 5,000 casualties in Aachen, while the Germans lost an estimated 5,000 soldiers as casualties and another 5,600 as prisoners of war.

Contents

Background

By 18 September the Western Allies had reached the German border,[1] which was protected by the extensive Siegfried Line.[2] On 17 September 1944, in a bid to open the Belgian port of Antwerp to facilitate the shipment of supplies to Allied armies in France[3] and cross the Lower Rhine river,[4] American, British and Polish forces launched Operation Market Garden.[5] The failure of Operation Market Garden[6] and an acute supply problem brought about by the long distances involved in the quick Allied advance through France[7] brought to an end the advance towards the city of Berlin.[8] German casualties in France had been high; Field Marshal Walter Model estimated that his 74 divisions had an actual strength of that of 25.[9] However, the end of the Western Allied advance due to logistical problems allowed the Germans to begin rebuilding their strength in the West.[10] During September, Wehrmacht high command reinforced the Siegfried Line and brought total troop strength to an estimated 230,000 soldiers, including 100,000 fresh personnel.[11] In early September the Germans could count on approximately 100 tanks in the West,[12] while by the end of the month this had increased to roughly 500.[10] German defenses along the Siegfried Line continued to increase, and were able to establish a defensive depth of an average of 4.8 kilometers (3.0 mi).[13]

Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) commander Four-Star General Dwight D. Eisenhower decided that their next target would be the occupation of the Ruhr, the heartland of Germany's industrial capabilities.[14] General George S. Patton's Third Army was given the task of occupying the French region of Lorraine.[15][16] General Courtney Hodges's First Army was ordered to breakthrough the front near the German city of Aachen.[17]

The city and its sector of the front was protected by the German Siegfried Line, consisting of several belts of inter-connected pillboxes, forts and bunkers.[18] In several areas, German defenses were over 10 miles (16 km) deep.[19] The defensive line was protected by extensive minefields, dragon's teeth and barbed wire, making the Siegfried Line "undoubtedly the most formidable man-made defense ever contrived."[20] Learning from their experiences on the Eastern Front, the Germans ran their main line of resistance down the center of towns located in the defensive wall, taking advantage of the small streets to limit the mobility of Allied mechanization.[21] Despite the low quality of German defenders, the fortifications protecting Aachen and the Ruhr were a significant obstacle to the progress of American forces in the sector.[22] A breakthrough in this sector was crucial, however, as the terrain behind Aachen was flat and favored the Western Allies.[23]

Knocked-out German Panzer IV and Tiger I tanks during the fighting on the Western Front

Fighting around Aachen actually began as early as September, during a period known to the Germans as the "First Battle of Aachen".[24] In September, the city of Aachen was defended by the 116th Panzer Division, under the command of General Gerhard von Schwerin.[25] The proximity of Allied forces had caused the majority of the city's government to flee before the evacuation of its citizens was complete.[26] (For these actions, Hitler had all Nazi officials who evacuated stripped of all rank, and sent to the Eastern front as privates.)[27] Instead of continuing the evacuation, von Schwerin instead decided to surrender the city to Allied forces.[28] Despite the attempt to surrender the city, on 13 September von Schwerin was ordered to counterattack against penetrating American forces southwest of Aachen, and he did so with elements of his panzergrenadier forces.[29] The German general's attempt to surrender the city would soon become irrelevant, as his letter had never been delivered; instead, it fell into the hands of Adolf Hitler, who ordered the general's immediate arrest and replaced him with General Gerhard Wilck.[30] The United States' VII Corps continued to probe German defenses, despite the resistance encountered on 12–13 September.[31] Between 14–16 September the American 1st Infantry Division continued its advance in the face of repeated German counterattacks and heavy defenses ultimately creating a half-moon arc around the city.[32] The slow advance came to a halt in late September due to the lack of fuel and ammunition created by the supply problem and by the diversion of resources in favor of Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands.[33]

Comparison of forces

The city of Aachen had little military value, as it was not a major site of war production nor had it been heavily bombed by the Western Allies during the war.[34] However, it lay in the center of the United States' First Army path towards the Ruhr.[14] For the German Nazi regime it was also a symbol; not only was it the first German city threatened by an enemy during the Second World War, but it was also the capital of Charlemagne, founder of the "First Reich".[35] As a result, it was of immense psychological value to the Germans.[36] The mindset of the city's defenders was further altered considering the difference in reaction between the population of Aachen and the population of cities in France; one German officer commented, "Suddenly we were no longer the Nazis, we were German soldiers."[37]

German defenders in Aachen

Field Marshal Model visiting the 246th Volksgrenadier Division in Aachen

The Wehrmacht took advantage of the brief respite on the front by pulling the 1st, 2nd and 12th SS Panzer Divisions, as well as the 9th and 116th Panzer Divisions, off the line.[11] In October, the responsibility of the Aachen sector's frontier's defense was given to General Friedrich Köchling's LXXXI Corps, which included the 183rd and 246th Volksgrenadier Divisions, as well as the 12th and 49th Infantry Divisions.[38] These forces, along with the attached 506th Tank Battalion and 108th Tank Brigade, numbered roughly 20,000 men and 11 tanks.[39] Köchling was also promised a reformed 116th Panzer Division and the 3rd Panzergrenadier Division, numbering a total of some 24,000 personnel.[40] The 246th Volksgrenadier Division replaced the 116th Panzer Division in Aachen proper, while the 183rd Volksgrenadier Division and 49th Infantry Division defended the northern approaches and the 12th Infantry Division was positioned in the south.[41] On 7 October, elements of the I SS Panzer Division were released to reinforce the defense of Aachen.[42]

Although the reinforcements had made the German defense stronger than it had been since 1 September, LXXXI's units had also suffered heavily; the 12th Infantry Division lost half its combat strength between 16–23 September.[43] While German infantry divisions generally had a strength of 15,000–17,000 soldiers at the start of World War II, by 1945 this had been reduced to an official (table of organization) size of 12,500 personnel, and by November 1944, the average actual strength of Heer divisions was only 8,761.[44][45] In light of this, the Volksgrenadier division was created to cope with the manpower shortages which plagued the Wehrmacht during 1944; the average total manpower per division was just over 10,000 men.[46] Although about a quarter of each division's soldiers were experienced veterans, two-quarters were composed of fresh conscripts and convalescents, while the fourth quarter was made-up of soldiers transferred from the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine.[47] Although these divisions oftentimes received the newest small-arms, they were deficient in artillery and motorization, hindering the divisions' tactical mobility.[48] In the case of LXXXI Corps, the 183rd Volksgrenadier Division had only been activated in September, meaning that the division did not have time to train as a unit; despite this, it was overstrength by 643 personnel.[49] The 246th Volksgrenadier Division was largely in the same state, as many personnel had fewer than ten days of infantry training, and the 49th Infantry Division had been allowed to recuperate its composure and accept fresh reinforcements.[50] LXXXI Corps also commanded the 275th Infantry Division, but this had been pulled off the line after suffering heavy casualties.[51] However, what the Germans lacked in quality they regained through the defensive positions provided to them by the fortifications surrounding Aachen.[52]

American forces

The task of taking Aachen fell on General Charles H. Corlett's XIX Corps' 30th Infantry Division and Joseph Collins' VII Corps' 1st Infantry Division.[38] General Leland Hobbs' 30th Infantry Division would be assisted by the 2nd Armored Division, which would exploit the 30th Division's penetration of the Siegfried Line, while their flanks were protected by the 29th Infantry Division.[53] In the south, 1st Infantry Division was supported by the 9th Infantry Division and the 3rd Armored Division.[54] These divisions had used the brief respite in the fighting during the last two weeks of September to rest and refit, accepting a large number of replacements.[55] For example, over 70% of the 1st Infantry Division's men by 1 October were replacements, and the last two weeks of September were used to train these men on village fighting and weapons training.[56] The impending offensive's plan called for both infantry divisions to avoid city fighting in Aachen; instead, the two divisions would link up and encircle the city, allowing a relatively small force to capture it while the bulk of the forces continued pushing east.[34]

Although American forces were able to replenish their casualties in a matter of weeks, they did not go through sufficient tactical training; as a result, many junior officers were oftentimes short on tactical and leadership abilities.[57] Some tankers were shipped to Europe without having driven a car before, and some tank commanders were forced to teach how to load and fire their tank guns on the field prior to missions.[58] The American replacement system, which focused on quantity over quality, ensured that the majority of the replacements which reached the front line were not properly trained for combat.[59] It was not unusual for half of a unit's replacements to become casualties on the first days of combat.[60]

These forces were supported by the Ninth Air Force, which had pin-pointed 75% of the pillboxes along the frontlines and planned an opening bombardment including 360 bombers and 72 fighters; fresh aircraft would be used for a second aerial wave, which included the use of napalm.[61] The German Luftwaffe lacked a presence during the battle, and German defenders on the ground had insufficient anti-aircraft batteries to defend themselves from the opening bombardment.[62]

Battle

The Battle of Aachen

For six days prior to the beginning of the American offensive allied heavy artillery targeted German defenses around Aachen.[63] Although the heavy bombardment forced the German LXXXI Corps to halt all daylight personnel and supply movements, it had little effect on the pillboxes and strongpoints.[62] The opening bombardment on 2 October also caused little damage on German defensive positions; the 450 aircraft which took part in the first wave failed to register a single direct hit on any German pillbox.[64] The aircraft's capabilities had been partially obscured by allied artillery, which had targeted German anti-aircraft batteries, creating a large amount of black smoke.[65] As the aircraft finished their bombardment, the artillery switched back to bombarding the front lines, firing 18,696 shells from 372 gun tubes within a couple of hours.[66]

Advance from the north: 2–8 October

The 30th Infantry Division began its advance on 2 October, using divisional heavy artillery to target German pillboxes to force their defenders to keep their heads down; even then, it took on average thirty minutes to capture a single pillbox and the Americans found out that if they failed to immediately press on to the next pillbox the Germans were soon to counterattack.[67] German resistance had not been expected, and one company lost 87 combatants in an hour.[68] Another company lost 93 out of 120 soldiers to a German artillery strike.[69] The attackers were slowly able to cross the Wurm River and engage German pillboxes with flamethrowers and explosive charges.[70] In the afternoon of 2 October, elements of the 30th Infantry Division had breached German defenses and reached the town of Palenberg.[71] Here, American GIs advanced house-to-house and fought a number of gruesome hand grenade duels.[72] Private Harold G. Kiner was awarded a Medal of Honor for absorbing the blast of a German grenade with his body by jumping on it and saving the lives of two fellow soldiers.[73] Fighting in the town of Rimburg was just as bad, as American armor had not been able to cross the Wurm River yet and therefore could not provide fire support to infantrymen attempting to storm a medieval castle being used by the Germans as a fort.[74] The 30th Infantry Division subdued roughly 50 German pillboxes on the first day of the advance, oftentimes having to envelop the structure and attack from the rear.[75] The division's effort was also aided by the 29th Infantry Division's diversionary attacks on the left flank of the 30th Infantry Division, leading the Germans to believe that that was the American's main attack.[76] On the night of 2 October, the German 902nd Assault Gun Battalion was ordered to counterattack against the 30th Infantry Division, but allied artillery delayed the beginning of the raid and ultimately the German attempt to push back American soldiers failed.[77]

Although American armor became available to support the advance on 3 October, the attacking forces were brought to an abrupt halt after a number of German counterattacks.[77] The town of Rimburg was taken on the second day of the offensive, but the fighting through German defenses remained slow — American M4 Sherman and 155-millimeter (6.1 in) artillery guns fired at point blank range in order to knock out pillboxes.[78] Fighting had also began to develop for the town of Übach, where Sherman tanks rushed in an attempt to take the town, only to be pinned down by German artillery and counterattacked by German soldiers before the end of the day; American artillery support prevented the Germans from dislodging the occupation of Übach.[79] By the end of the day the forcing of the Wurm River and the creation of a bridgehead had cost the 30th Infantry Division around 300 dead and wounded.[80]

Wehrmacht soldier on the Western Front

German forces continued to counterattack against Übach, suffering heavy casualties to American artillery and infantry; although the inability to retake Übach persuaded German commanders that they had insufficient forces to properly defend the approaches to Aachen, the counterattacks did tie down American troops which could have otherwise continued the advance.[81] On 4 October, the Allied advance had been limited, with only the towns of Hoverdor and Beggendorf occupied, while losing roughly 1,800 soldiers in the past three days of combat.[82] Progress increased on 5 October, as the 119th Regiment of the 30th Infantry Division captured Merkstein-Herbach.[83] As fighting continued, the Germans attempted another counterattack against Übach on 6 October, but failed to dislodge American personnel from the town.[84] German armor was unable to cope with the overwhelming numerical superiority from American tanks, and as a last ditch effort to halt the advance the Germans began to shell American positions with their artillery and any available aircraft.[85] The Germans found themselves severely hamstrung by the lack of reserves,[86] although German General Koechling was able to deploy a Tiger detachment to the town of Alsdorf in an attempt to plug the American exploitation of Aachen's northern defenses.[87]

A counterattack developed on 8 October, composed of an infantry regiment, the 1st Assault Battalion, a battle group of the 108th Panzer Brigade, and another 40 armored fighting vehicles scavenged from available units.[88] Although the counterattack was hindered by American artillery, the left wing of the attack managed to cut off an entire American platoon, while the right wing reached a road junction north of the town of Alsdorf.[89] At the time, a platoon of Shermans was supporting an attack on the town of Mariadorf when the Germans engaged it from the rear; after heavy fighting the Shermans were able to push back the Germans.[90] Two German Sturmgeschütz IV assault guns and a squadron of infantry entered Alsdorf, but were counterattacked, although the armored vehicles elusively avoided American armor; the assault guns were finally engaged by American infantrymen, and by the end of the day the Germans were forced to withdraw back to their starting points.[91] In order to cope with increasing casualties and the inability to push the American forces back, German high command soon transferred the 3rd Panzergrenadier Division to Aachen, in a bid to reinforce the city's defenses.[92] This division was followed by the I SS Panzer Corps, which included the 116th Panzer Division and the SS Heavy Panzer Battalion 101, an element of the 1st SS Panzer Division.[93]

Advance from the south: 8–11 October

German motorized infantry in the West, riding in a Sd.Kfz. 251 half-track

In the south, the 1st Infantry Division began its offensive on 8 October, aiming to capture the town of Verlautenheide and Hill 231 (dubbed "Crucifix Hill") near the town of Ravelsberg.[94] The 1st Infantry Division's attack was preceded by a large artillery bombardment, allowing them to capture Verlautenheide by surprise, and then Hill 231 only an hour later and finally storm Ravels Hill without a shot being fired—in less than 48 hours.[95] Crucifix Hill had been taken by Captain Bobbie E. Brown's C Company, 18th Infantry, where Captain Brown personally threw a satchel charge into a pillbox, then crawled to a second fortification and destroyed it as well.[96] He continued, silencing a third pillbox, and despite being wounded he refused medical aid and continued to lead his men into the attack, earning him the Medal of Honor.[97] By 10 October, the 1st Infantry Division was at the designated link-up position, where it was supposed to meet with the 30th Infantry Division.[98] The success was met with a German counterattack, aimed towards Hill 231 which was the scene of an intense firefight; the battle ended with the Germans leaving over 40 dead and 35 prisoners.[99] Despite repeated German counterattacks, bogging down the division's advance, the 1st Infantry Division was able to capture the high ground surrounding the city of Aachen.[100]

On 10 October, the 1st Infantry Division delivered an ultimatum to German forces in Aachen, threatening to bomb the city into submission if the garrison didn't surrender.[101] The German commander categorically refused.[102] In response, American artillery began to target the city on 11 October, firing an estimated 5,000 shells, or over 153 metric tons (169 short tons) of explosives; the city also became the subject of an intense bombardment by American aircraft.[103]

Link up: 11–16 October

American casualties were climbing, suffering from frequent German attacks and from those taken while storming pillboxes.[104] German defenders, for example, had spent the night of 10 October to turn house cellars into fortified pillboxes in the town of Bardenberg; American attackers were forced to withdraw, and instead shell the town into submission.[105] On 12 October, the Germans launched a major counterattack against the American 30th Infantry Division.[106] The German attack was disrupted due to an incessant Allied artillery barrage and by well placed American anti-tank defenses and armored assets.[107] At the village of Birk, a three hour fight broke out between German tanks and a single American Sherman; the Sherman managed to knock out an enemy Panzer IV and force another one to withdraw, but was soon attacked by even more enemy tanks.[108] The single Allied tank was soon reinforced by the 2nd Armored Division, and they managed to push the German attackers from the town.[109] The 30th Infantry Division soon found itself in a defensive position all along its front, and despite its appeal for aid in repelling the German counterattack, the division was ordered to instead continue pushing south in an attempt to link up with the 1st Infantry Division.[110] In order to accomplish this, two infantry battalions from the 29th Infantry Division were attached to the 30th Infantry Division.[111]

German artilleryman loading a round

Two German infantry regiments counterattacked, that same day, against the 1st Infantry Division, aiming to retake Crucifix Hill 231; the fighting was fierce and the two regiments temporarily took control of the hill, although they were dislodged by the end of the day and largely destroyed.[112] Between 11–13 October the 1st Infantry Division and Allied aircraft bombarded Aachen, selecting targets closest to American lines; on 14 October, the 26th Infantry Regiment was ordered to clear an industrial zone on the edge of Aachen to prepare for the eventual attack on the city itself.[113] On 15 October, the Germans again counterattacked against the 1st Infantry Division, in an effort to widen the gap between the two American pincers; the bulk of the German forces were destroyed by artillery and air support, although a number of heavy tanks managed to breakthrough American lines and were only stopped after continued air support.[114] On the next day, the Germans attempted to mount local counterattacks with the 3rd Panzergrenadier Division, but after sustaining heavy losses were forced to suspend further offensive action.[115]

The 30th Infantry Division, with elements of the 29th Infantry and 2nd Armored divisions, continued its push southwards between 13–16 October, in the sector of the village of Würselen; despite heavy air support, however, these units were unsuccessful in breaking through German defenses and linking up with allied forces to the south.[116] The Germans took advantage of the narrow front to pound advancing attackers with artillery, and progress remained slow as German tanks used houses as bunkers to surprise and overwhelm American foot soldiers.[117] General Hobbs, commander of the 30th Infantry Division, then decided to attempt to outflank the German defenses by attacking along another sector with two infantry battalions.[118] The attack was a success, allowing the 30th and 1st Infantry Divisions to link up on that day, 16 October.[119] The fighting so far had cost the entirety of the American XIX Corps over 400 dead and 2,000 wounded, with 72% of those from the 30th Infantry Division.[120] The Germans had not fared any better, as up to 14 October around 630 and 4,400 soldiers were killed or wounded, respectively;[121] The 3rd Panzergrenadier Division lost another 600 soldiers during their counterattack against the American 1st Infantry Division on 16 October.[122]

Fight for the city: 13–21 October

German prisoners in Aachen

Because of continued efforts to stave off German counterattacks and to close the encirclement of Aachen, the 1st Infantry Division could only afford to give the task of taking the city to its 26th Infantry Regiment, which only had two of three battalions on hand.[123] The 26th Infantry Regiment would make use of its 2nd and 3rd Infantry Battalions, armed with machine guns and flamethrowers, aided by elements of a tank detachment and a single 155-millimeter (6.1 in) howitzer.[124] The city was defended by roughly 5,000 German troops, including converted navy, air force and city police personnel.[125] For the most part, these soldiers were inexperienced and untrained, and were only supported by a handful of tanks and assault guns.[126] However, Aachen's defenders could make use of dozens of streets which occupied its historical center.[120]

The 26th Infantry's attack on 13 October had provided important insight on the face of the fighting; American infantry had been ambushed by German defenders using sewers and cellars, forcing the advancing American infantry to clear every single opening before continuing down streets, while Sherman tanks found it impossible to maneuver to suppress enemy fire.[127] German civilians were cleared as the 26th Infantry advanced; no Germans were allowed to remain in the American's rear.[128] Success in Aachen was measured by the number of houses captured, as the advance proved to be sluggish; in order to cope with the thick walls of the older buildings in the city, the 26th Infantry Regiment used the howitzer at point blank range to destroy German fortifications.[129] The howitzer allowed infantrymen to advance from building to building without having to enter the city's streets, where they could be pinned down by enemy fire.[130] Sherman tanks were ambushed, as they entered intersections, by concealed German anti-tank guns.[131] Soon thereafter, American tanks and other armored vehicles would advance cautiously, oftentimes shooting buildings ahead of the accompanying infantry to clear them of possible defenders.[132] Pinned on the surface by Allied aircraft, German infantrymen would use sewers to deploy behind American formations to attack them from the rear.[133] German resistance was fierce,[134] as they launched small counterattacks and used armor to halt American movements.[135]

On 18 October, the 3rd Battalion of the 26th Infantry Regiment prepared to assault the Hotel Quellenhof, which was one of the last areas of resistance in the city.[136] American tanks and other guns were firing on the hotel, which was the city's defense headquarters, at point blank range.[137] That night, 300 soldiers of the 1st SS Battalion were able to reinforce the hotel and defeat several attacks into the building.[138] A violent German counterattack managed to overrun a number of American infantry companies outside of the hotel, and temporarily released pressure off the Hotel Quellenhof before being beat off by concerted American mortar fire.[139] To avoid increased casualties, it was decided to just pound German defenses with the 155-millimeter (6.1 in) gun,[140] On 21 October, men of the 26th Infantry Regiment took the western edge of central Aachen; that day also marked the surrender of the last German garrison, in the Hotel Quellenhof, ending the battle for the city.[141]

Aftermath

The Battle of Aachen had cost both the Americans and Germans dearly; the former suffered over 5,000 casualties, while the latter accepted over 5,000 and had another 5,600 taken prisoner.[142] Since 2 October 1944, the 30th Infantry Division suffered roughly 3,000 men killed and wounded, while the 1st Infantry Division took at least 1,350 casualties (150 killed and 1,200 wounded).[136] The Germans admitted to 5,100 casualties during the fighting in Aachen itself, including 3,473 prisoners.[143] In the process of the battle, the Wehrmacht lost two complete divisions and had another eight severely depleted, including three fresh infantry divisions and a single refitted armored division; this was largely attributed to how they fought, as although an equivalent of 20 infantry battalions had been used during various counterattacks against the 30th Infantry Division alone, on average each separate attack only involved two infantry regiments.[144] During the conflict the Germans also developed a respect for the fighting ability of American forces, noting their capability to fire indiscriminately with overwhelming amounts of artillery fire support and armored forces.[145] Both the 30th Infantry and 1st Infantry divisions received distinguished unit citations for their actions at Aachen.[146]

However, German resistance in Aachen upset Allied plans to continue their eastward advance.[147] Following the end of fighting in Aachen, the Western Allies' First Army was tasked with the capture of a series of dams behind the Hürtgen Forest, which could be used by the Germans to flood the valleys which opened the road to Berlin.[148] This would lead to the Battle of Hürtgen Forest, which was to prove more difficult than the Battle of Aachen.[149]

Notes

  1. ↑ Ambrose (1997), p. 117
  2. ↑ Ambrose (1997), p. 132
  3. ↑ Ambrose (1997), p. 118
  4. ↑ Ambrose (1997), p. 118–119
  5. ↑ Ambrose (1998), p. 238
  6. ↑ Ambrose (1998), p. 247
  7. ↑ Mansoor (1999), p. 178
  8. ↑ Mansoor (1999), p. 179
  9. ↑ Cooper (1978), p. 513
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 McCarthy & Syron (2002), pp. 219–220
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Yeide (2005), p. 55
  12. ↑ Yeide (2005), p. 25
  13. ↑ Yeide (2005), pp. 25–26
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Whitlock (2008), p. 34
  15. ↑ Ambrose (1998), p. 249
  16. ↑ Ambrose (1997), p. 136
  17. ↑ Mansoor (1999), p. 181
  18. ↑ Whiting (1976), p. 28
  19. ↑ Whiting (1976), pp. 28–29
  20. ↑ Ambrose (1997), p. 144
  21. ↑ Ambrose (1997), pp. 144–145
  22. ↑ Combined Arms in Battle Since 1939, pp. 163–164
  23. ↑ Yeide (2005), p. 34
  24. ↑ Yeide (2005), p. 35
  25. ↑ Whiting (1976), pp. 33–34
  26. ↑ Whiting (1976), p. 35
  27. ↑ Ambrose (1998), p. 147
  28. ↑ Whiting (1976), pp. 35–37
  29. ↑ Whiting (1976), p. 43
  30. ↑ Whitlock (2008), p. 37
  31. ↑ Hitler's Army, pp. 313–314
  32. ↑ Hitler's Army, pp. 315–318
  33. ↑ Hitler's Army, pp. 318–319
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 Ambrose (1997), p. 146
  35. ↑ Whitlock (2008), p. 36; Hitler considered Charlemagne's Holy Roman Empire the First Reich.
  36. ↑ Rule (2003), p. 59
  37. ↑ Ambrose (1998), pp. 146–147
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 Rule (2003), p. 60
  39. ↑ Whiting (1976), p. 80
  40. ↑ Whiting (1976), p. 81
  41. ↑ Ferrell (2000), pp. 31–32
  42. ↑ Ferrell (2000), p. 32, claims it was a panzer corps; Whiting (1976), pp. 114–115, clarifies that this was the 1st Panzer Battalion of the 1st SS Panzer Division.
  43. ↑ Hitler's Army, p. 320
  44. ↑ Hitler's Army, p. 33
  45. ↑ Fighting Power, p. 56
  46. ↑ Hitler's Army, pp. 33–34
  47. ↑ Hitler's Army, p. 34
  48. ↑ Hitler's Army, pp. 34–35
  49. ↑ Yeide (2005), p. 59
  50. ↑ Yeide (2005), pp. 59–60
  51. ↑ Yeide (2005), p. 60
  52. ↑ Mansoor (1999), p. 182
  53. ↑ Hitler's Army p. 321
  54. ↑ Whitlock (2008), pp. 37–38
  55. ↑ Whiting (1976), pp. 76–77
  56. ↑ Ambrose (1997), p. 145
  57. ↑ Ambrose (1998), p. 260
  58. ↑ Ambrose (1998), p. 262
  59. ↑ Ambrose (1998), pp. 262–263
  60. ↑ Ambrose (1998), p. 264
  61. ↑ Whiting (1976), p. 82
  62. ↑ 62.0 62.1 Hitler's Army, p. 323
  63. ↑ Ambrose (1997), p. 147
  64. ↑ Rule (2003), pp. 60–61
  65. ↑ Ambrose (1997), pp. 147–148
  66. ↑ Ambrose (1997), p. 148
  67. ↑ Ambrose (1997), pp. 148–149
  68. ↑ Hitler's Army, pp. 323–324
  69. ↑ Whiting (1976), p. 89
  70. ↑ Whiting (1976), pp. 89–90
  71. ↑ Whitlock (2008), p. 39
  72. ↑ Whiting (1976), p. 91
  73. ↑ Whitlock (2008), pp. 39–40
  74. ↑ Whiting (1976), pp. 91–92
  75. ↑ Rule (2003), pp. 61–62
  76. ↑ Rule (2003), p. 62
  77. ↑ 77.0 77.1 Hitler's Army, p. 324
  78. ↑ Whiting (1976), p. 93
  79. ↑ Whitlock (2008), p. 40
  80. ↑ Whiting (1976), p. 96
  81. ↑ Hitler's Army, p. 326
  82. ↑ Whiting (1976), p. 98
  83. ↑ Yeidel (2005), p. 68
  84. ↑ Yeide (2005), p. 70
  85. ↑ Whiting (1976), pp. 190–191
  86. ↑ Whiting (1976), pp. 102–103
  87. ↑ Yeide (2005), p. 71
  88. ↑ Hitler's Army, p. 327
  89. ↑ Yeide (2005), pp. 71–72
  90. ↑ Yeide (2005), p. 72
  91. ↑ Yeide (2005), p. 73
  92. ↑ Rule (2003), pp. 63–64
  93. ↑ Yeide (2005), pp. 77–78
  94. ↑ Whiting (1976), pp. 106–108
  95. ↑ Rule (2003), pp. 62–63
  96. ↑ Whitlock (2008), pp. 40–41
  97. ↑ Whitlock (2008), p. 41
  98. ↑ Ferrell (2000), p. 33
  99. ↑ Yeide (2005), p. 76
  100. ↑ Yeide (2005), pp. 76–77
  101. ↑ Whiting (1976), p. 110
  102. ↑ Whiting (1976), p. 111
  103. ↑ Whiting (1976), pp. 111-112
  104. ↑ Whiting (1976), pp. 113–114
  105. ↑ Hitler's Army, p. 329
  106. ↑ Yeide (2005), p. 80
  107. ↑ Yeide (2005), pp. 80–81
  108. ↑ Whiting (1976), p. 115
  109. ↑ Whiting (1976), pp. 115–116
  110. ↑ Whiting (1976), pp. 117–118
  111. ↑ Yeide (2005), p. 81
  112. ↑ Yeide (2005), pp. 81–82
  113. ↑ Yeide (2005), p. 82
  114. ↑ Hitler's Army, p. 331
  115. ↑ Hitler's Army, pp. 331–332
  116. ↑ Hitler's Army, p. 330
  117. ↑ Yeide (2005), p. 83
  118. ↑ Whiting (1976), pp. 122–123
  119. ↑ Yeide (2005), p. 87
  120. ↑ 120.0 120.1 Yeide (2005), p. 88
  121. ↑ Yeide (2005), p. 84
  122. ↑ Yeide (2005), pp. 87–88
  123. ↑ Combined Arms in Battle Since 1939, p. 164
  124. ↑ Whitlock (2008), p. 42
  125. ↑ Combined Arms in Battle Since 1939, pp. 164–166
  126. ↑ Rule (2003), p. 66
  127. ↑ Whiting (1976), pp. 137–139
  128. ↑ Combined Arms in Battle Since 1939, p. 167
  129. ↑ Rule (2003), pp. 66–67
  130. ↑ Whitlock (2008), pp. 42–43
  131. ↑ Whitlock (2008), p. 43
  132. ↑ Combined Arms in Battle Since 1939, pp. 167–168
  133. ↑ Yeide (2005), p. 93
  134. ↑ Yeide (2005), p. 92
  135. ↑ 'Combined Arms in Battle Since 1939, p. 168
  136. ↑ 136.0 136.1 Whitlock (2008), p. 45
  137. ↑ Whiting (1976), p. 148
  138. ↑ Whiting (197), pp. 149–150
  139. ↑ Whiting (1976), pp. 151–154
  140. ↑ Whiting (1976), p. 176
  141. ↑ Combed Arms in Battle Since 1939, p. 169
  142. ↑ Ambrose (1997), p. 151
  143. ↑ Hitler's Army, pp. 333–334
  144. ↑ Hitler's Army, pp. 334–335
  145. ↑ Monsoor (1999), pp. 184–185
  146. ↑ Monsoor (1999), p. 184
  147. ↑ Hitler's Army p. 335
  148. ↑ Ambrose (1997), p. 167
  149. ↑ Ambrose (1997), pp. 167–168

References

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Further reading