Help support TMP


"74 years ago, US troops got their first foothold..." Topic


5 Posts

All members in good standing are free to post here. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the posters, and have not been cleared with nor are they endorsed by The Miniatures Page.

Please remember not to make new product announcements on the forum. Our advertisers pay for the privilege of making such announcements.

For more information, see the TMP FAQ.


Back to the WWII Discussion Message Board


Areas of Interest

World War Two on the Land

Featured Hobby News Article


Featured Link


Featured Ruleset

Brigadier General


Rating: gold star gold star gold star gold star gold star gold star 


Featured Workbench Article

Combatpainter Does Battlefront's 15mm Kubelwagens

When combatpainter Fezian criticized a recent Workbench entry, I challenged him to show that he could do better... grin


Current Poll


Featured Book Review


Featured Movie Review


580 hits since 9 Mar 2019
©1994-2025 Bill Armintrout
Comments or corrections?

Tango01 Supporting Member of TMP09 Mar 2019 3:19 p.m. PST

…. in Nazi Germany — here are 8 photos of the Battle for Remagen

"Perhaps the most distinguishing feature of the old Roman town of Remagen, about halfway between Dusseldorf and Frankfurt on the Rhine River, in 1945 was the 1,000-foot, double-track Ludendorff railroad bridge.

Despite the bridge's presence, Remagen didn't really factor into Allied plans as they stormed across France and Belgium in late 1944. The town's narrow roads and imposing cliffs made it unsuitable for a military crossing…."
Main page
link


Amicalement
Armand

ScottWashburn Sponsoring Member of TMP10 Mar 2019 4:51 a.m. PST

Well, they got their first foothold across the Rhine. They had been across the the actual border of Germany since the previous September.

Mark 1 Supporting Member of TMP11 Mar 2019 4:37 p.m. PST

Fair to give the Remagen "adventure" credit for the first crossing of the Rhine, even if, as Scott suggests, not the first entry into Germany.

But I wonder how important it was in the larger scheme of things.

On March 7 the US 9th Armored Division got a toe hold across the Rhine at Remagen.

The Remagen crossing was useful, no doubt. But the Rhine was going to be crossed in decisive fashion in the month of March, Remagen bridge or no Remagen bridge.

Montgomery's Twenty-First Army Group was already just two weeks away from their forced crossing (Operations Plunder and Varsity), which was a coordinated effort of three armies (2 British, 1 American) that rivaled Overloard in the size of forces and amount supplies being marshaled for the job.

9th Armored was in the US 1st Army, part of Bradley's Twelfth Army Group. Even Twelfth Army Group was not sitting on it's Remagen laurels. Patton's 3rd Army (also in the Twelfth AG) also did a crossing in March, just ahead of Montgomery. Tweaking his nose a second time, perhaps?

In any case, Remagen was but one bridge in a fairly remote location. Across at Remagen or not across at Remagen made almost no difference in my view. Bragging rights? Sure, fair enough. Important? That's a different question.

-Mark
(aka: Mk 1)

ScottWashburn Sponsoring Member of TMP11 Mar 2019 5:32 p.m. PST

The Germans were forced to divert a lot of troops to try and contain the Remagen bridgehead. Troops they desperately needed elsewhere.

Tango01 Supporting Member of TMP12 Mar 2019 11:16 a.m. PST

Agree!

Amicalement
Armand

Sorry - only verified members can post on the forums.