The War of Attrition - 1944

Dec 1944 from USMA

Marlene Dietrich autographs the cast on the leg of Earl E. McFarland at U.S. hospital in Belgium, 11/24/44, from Patch-NA

Lorraine campaign

• one of bloodiest and most difficult for Patton's 3rd Army
• 16 weeks - Sept. to Dec. 1944
• toward Nancy and Metz, the most heavily fortified part of West Wall, built 1936 following remilitarization of Rhineland, 40 forts per 1000 yards with 5-foot concrete roofs
• Oct. 9 - Fort Driant at Metz was the 1st defeat of Patton's 3rd Army
• Patton hated Lorraine: "this nasty country where it rains every day and the whole wealth of the people consists in assorted manure piles"

"Battle Rages Along Nazi Wall," Universal 17-333 newsreel, 9/28/44 on DVD54

Arrancourt Sept 19-22 - U.S. destroyed 43 tanks, lost only 5

Gremecey Forest end Sept. - Germany attacked salient of Patton's army

• Patton would not retreat Sept. 30, won 4-day battle

October Pause

• while Ike waited for Antwerp, supply operations began to function:
• Red Ball Express
• portable fuel cars of Minor & Major systems
• Pluto pipeline under the ocean
• first refrigerated whole blood
• Marlene Dietrich and Bing Crosby

   

Corporal Charles H. Johnson of the 783rd Military Police Battalion, waves on a "Red Ball Express" motor convoy rushing priority materiel to the forward areas, near Alencon, France, 1944/9/5, from Patch-NA

Mulberry harbor at Normandy, aerial view, from ILN 1944/10/28

Mulberry harbor at Normandy, from ILN 1944/10/28

Allied vehicles ready to roll, from ILN 1944/09/02

Political Problems

2nd Quebec Conference

Photo taken at the instant bullets from a French firing squad in Rennes hit a Frenchman who collaborated with the Germans 11/21/44, from Patch/NA

• Warsaw uprising Aug. 1 for 63 days
• occupation of Rumania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia
• Russian army into Baltics

Sept. 12-16 - 2nd Quebec

• Morgenthau plan to pastoralize Germany
• map of proposed partition of Germany at Quebec

Oct. 8 - Churchill met Stalin, carved up the Balkans

• British invaded Greece

Oct. 22 - Allies recognized deGaulle

• allowed to join SEAC, keep colonies

Ike prepared for a war of attrition with 3 army groups:

1. Jacob Devers & 6th Army Group - active Sept. 15, 1944
   • stopped at Colmar pocket
   • to include Alex Patch & 7th Army
2. Monty & 21st group
3. Bradley and 12th group, including new 9th Army of Wm Simpson
   • Oct. 21 - fall of Aachen to 1st Army - 1st major German city

Ike used all available manpower

• 761st "Black Panthers" Tank Battalion
• 92nd Division needed replacements in Italy
• 666th truck and 57th Ordnance and 588th Medical units
• The Negro Soldier film

Nov. 6 election - FDR won 4th term over Dewey

• promised strong Security Council in U.N.

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