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Osprey Campaign #181
Siegfried Line 1944–45: Battles on the German frontier
The Siegfried Line campaign was one of the most frustrating and bloody series of battles fought by the US Army in Northwest Europe during World War II (1939-1945).
In order to break through the German-Belgian border north of the Ardennes and eventually reach the Rhine, the First and Ninth divisions of the US Army dispersed themselves along the German Siegfried Line.
The campaign kicked off in earnest in late September with the encirclement and eventual capture of Aachen, the first major German city to fall to the Allies. The paths to the Roer included not only the heavily urbanized area northeast of this city, but also the Hurtgen Forest along its southeastern flank. While a costly battle to seize the city continued throughout October, fighting also began in the forested area with initial attacks towards Schmidt.
The German offensive to the south in the Ardennes derailed the Siegfried campaign for nearly two months and proved to be extremely costly. However, with Operation Grenade in February 1945, Ninth Army were finally propelled over the Roer River and were able to seize the vital Roer dams.
Providing extensive coverage of the battle for Aachen and the fighting that ensued in the Hurtgen Forest, this title brings to life the Siegfried Line campaign which witnessed the US Army's most bitter fighting and set the stage for the final assault on the Rhine, leading the way into the heart of Germany.
In order to break through the German-Belgian border north of the Ardennes and eventually reach the Rhine, the First and Ninth divisions of the US Army dispersed themselves along the German Siegfried Line.
The campaign kicked off in earnest in late September with the encirclement and eventual capture of Aachen, the first major German city to fall to the Allies. The paths to the Roer included not only the heavily urbanized area northeast of this city, but also the Hurtgen Forest along its southeastern flank. While a costly battle to seize the city continued throughout October, fighting also began in the forested area with initial attacks towards Schmidt.
The German offensive to the south in the Ardennes derailed the Siegfried campaign for nearly two months and proved to be extremely costly. However, with Operation Grenade in February 1945, Ninth Army were finally propelled over the Roer River and were able to seize the vital Roer dams.
Providing extensive coverage of the battle for Aachen and the fighting that ensued in the Hurtgen Forest, this title brings to life the Siegfried Line campaign which witnessed the US Army's most bitter fighting and set the stage for the final assault on the Rhine, leading the way into the heart of Germany.
96 pages, Paperback
First published March 8, 2007
About the author
Steven J. Zaloga
381 books77 followersSteven Zaloga is an author and defense analyst known worldwide for his articles and publications on military technology. He has written over a hundred books on military technology and military history, including “Armored Thunderbolt: The US Army Sherman in World War II”, one of the most highly regarded histories of the Sherman Tank. His books have been translated into Japanese, German, Polish, Czech, Romanian, and Russian. He was a special correspondent for Jane’s Intelligence Review and is on the executive board of the Journal of Slavic Military Studies and the New York Military Affairs Symposium. From 1987 through 1992, he was the writer/producer for Video Ordnance Inc., preparing their TV series Firepower. He holds a BA in history from Union College and an MA in history from Columbia University.
Mr. Zaloga is also a noted scale armor modeler and is a host/moderator of the World War II Allied Discussion group at Missing-Lynx.com, a modelling website. He is a frequent contributor to the UK-based modeling magazine Military Modelling. He is a member of the Armor Modeling and Preservation Society.
Mr. Zaloga is also a noted scale armor modeler and is a host/moderator of the World War II Allied Discussion group at Missing-Lynx.com, a modelling website. He is a frequent contributor to the UK-based modeling magazine Military Modelling. He is a member of the Armor Modeling and Preservation Society.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 13, 2026
This book covers the battles of the German Siegfried line from just North of Aachen thru the Hürtgen Forest, so basically some of the most brutal fighting on the Western Front of the European Theatre of Operations. Like all the campaign series, it covers the; Chronology, Strategic Situation, Opposing Commanders, Armies, and Plans, the actual Campaign, a Campaign Retrospective, and finally Further Reading and a small Glossary.
As a volume in the Campaign series, it does a fine job of covering the battles involved. The Author, Steven Zaloga, knows his subject, has written extensively on WWII, and it shows. This campaign really was brutal for the attacking Allied, mostly American, forces. Aachen, being an ancient German capital, Charlemagne’s, and the first major city actually in Germany in the West was, as usual, declared a “festung” fortress city. Urban warfare is always tough. The Hürtgen Forest was a nightmare of mud, cold, limited access to armor due to the forest and mud, limited air support due to the weather, air burst artillery in the trees effecting the attacking forces, and yet, the Americans took the city and fought their way through the forest.
My only, standard quibble is the two page maps that are difficult to read due to the spine of the book. So, definitely worth reading if you have and interest in WWII and the late war ETO.
As a volume in the Campaign series, it does a fine job of covering the battles involved. The Author, Steven Zaloga, knows his subject, has written extensively on WWII, and it shows. This campaign really was brutal for the attacking Allied, mostly American, forces. Aachen, being an ancient German capital, Charlemagne’s, and the first major city actually in Germany in the West was, as usual, declared a “festung” fortress city. Urban warfare is always tough. The Hürtgen Forest was a nightmare of mud, cold, limited access to armor due to the forest and mud, limited air support due to the weather, air burst artillery in the trees effecting the attacking forces, and yet, the Americans took the city and fought their way through the forest.
My only, standard quibble is the two page maps that are difficult to read due to the spine of the book. So, definitely worth reading if you have and interest in WWII and the late war ETO.
October 24, 2021
I wanted to read something about the fortifications (westwall) but this book was more about the battles (Aachen/Hurtgenwald).
Nevertheless it was a very interesting read, I was shocked by the numbers of casualties..
Nevertheless it was a very interesting read, I was shocked by the numbers of casualties..
September 13, 2010
An excellent account of the history of the Siegfried Line constructed by Germany on its border with France prior to WWII. The line consisted of a scattering of defensive military emplacements designed to slow down any attack by an invading army seeking to move into Germany. As Germany fought a defensive retreat into its own borders toward the end of WWII, the line caused some delay and inconvenience to the Allied soldiers, but their engineers quickly devised materiel and tactics to overcome these bunker defenses. Though the Siegfried line stretched along much of the border between German and France/Belgium, the book focused particularly on the fighting around and through the city of Aachen, Germany. A detailed and excellent read for WWII buffs.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews