Osprey - Campaign 242 - Metz 1944. Patton's Fortified Nemesis.pdf

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METZ 1944
Patton’s fortified nemesis
STEVEN J ZALOGA
ILLUSTRATED BY STEVE NOON
© Osprey Publishing • www.ospreypublishing.com
CAMPAIGN • 242
METZ 1944
Patton’s fortified nemesis
STEVEN J ZALOGA
ILLUSTRATED BY STEVE NOON
Series editor
Marcus Cowper
© Osprey Publishing • www.ospreypublishing.com
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
CHRONOLOGY
THE STRATEGIC SETTING
OPPOSING COMMANDERS
American commanders • German commanders
4
5
7
13
OPPOSING FORCES
US Army • German Army
18
OPPOSING PLANS
American plans • German plans
28
CAMPAIGN
Operation
Thunderbolt:
Fort Driant The October pause
Operation
Madison
begins: XII Corps Operation
Madison
begins: XX Corps
The battle for Metz On to the Saar: XII Corps XX Corps advances beyond Metz
34
THE CAMPAIGN IN RETROSPECT
THE BATTLEFIELD TODAY
FURTHER READING
87
90
92
95
INDEX
© Osprey Publishing • www.ospreypublishing.com
INTRODUCTION
The Metz campaign by Patton’s Third US Army in the late autumn of 1944
is often forgotten or dismissed as a setback. Yet the task faced by his forces
in Lorraine in October–December 1944 was amongst his most daunting. The
Third US Army had shrunk to only two corps since its glory days in the race
to Paris in August 1944, and Patton’s units were short of both supplies and
fresh troops. Facing them was the most heavily fortified region along the
western German frontier, starting with the sturdy 19th-century German forts
along the Moselle, followed by a belt of Maginot Line forts, and finally the
Westwall pillboxes from the 1930s. In the autumn of 1944, the Wehrmacht
modernized and deepened these defensive belts as part of the West-Stellung
program. Patton’s original attempts to breach the Moselle River on the run
in September had mixed results. XII Corps had gained substantial
bridgeheads in the areas east of Nancy, but in the XX Corps area Patton had
only a small toehold near Metz. The river-crossing sites near Metz were well
protected by the neighboring forts and smothered with artillery fire. XX
Corps tried to capture Fort Driant in early October 1944, but the attacks
failed in the face of fierce resistance. Hitler declared Metz to be a “Festung”
(fortress) to be defended to the last bullet.
After a lull in the fighting through most of October dictated by logistics
problems, Eisenhower authorized a new round of offensives in early
November. Operation
Madison
aimed to reduce Festung Metz but, taking to
heart the lessons of the failed Fort Driant attack, intended to infiltrate past
the forts where possible and leave them to rot on the vine. The main
impediment during the November offensive proved to be the weather.
Unusually heavy rains flooded the Moselle Valley, making river-crossing
operations especially difficult. In the XII Corps sector, the sodden, muddy
conditions turned the battlefield into a quagmire that subverted Patton’s usual
finesse with tank warfare. In the XX Corps sector, the raging river swept
away many bridges, but in the end, the key forts around Thionville were
overcome or avoided, and two divisions enveloped Metz. Once the outer crust
of forts had been overcome, the city quickly fell on November 18.
In spite of the atrocious weather, Patton’s Third US Army managed to
overwhelm German forces in Lorraine. By early December, footholds had
been secured over the Saar River in the shadows of the Westwall. The ultimate
prize was the Rhine River and it seemed to be within their grasp. Operation
Tink
was planned for December 19, 1944, to leap to the Rhine near Mainz
and Mannheim in anticipation of a drive on Frankfurt. Days before the
launch of this bold winter offensive, the Wehrmacht struck in the Ardennes,
diverting Patton’s Third US Army northward on its legendary campaign to
relieve Bastogne.
© Osprey Publishing • www.ospreypublishing.com
4
CHRONOLOGY
1944
September 5
General der Panzertruppen Otto von Knobelsdorff takes over
command of AOK 1 from General der Infanterie Kurt von
Chevallerie.
The 5th Division attempts to cross the Moselle at Dornot, but the
bridgehead is overwhelmed by artillery and counterattacks.
Another 5th Division river crossing at Arnaville proves more
successful once a vehicle bridge is erected.
General der Panzertruppen Hermann Balck takes over command of
Heeresgruppe G from Johannes Blaskowitz.
Eisenhower orders a moratorium on major operations in the Third
US Army sector which lasts for six weeks.
First attack on Fort Driant is repulsed.
Second attack is launched against Fort Driant, and a toehold secured
inside the fort.
US commanders decide to call off attack on Fort Driant.
Last US troops withdraw from Fort Driant during the night.
Heeresgruppe G loses 5. Panzerarmee, reducing it to only two field
armies for Alsace and Lorraine.
The 90th Division finally captures the Hôtel de Ville in Maizières-les-
Metz.
Operation
Madison
begins in XII Corps’ sector.
Operation
Madison
begins in XX Corps’ sector, starting with a
“demonstration” by the 95th Division at Uckange.
September 7
September 10
September 21
September 22
September 27
October 3
October 9
October 12–13
October 15
October 20
November 8
November 9
5
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