bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Germany > The ETO > Central Europe, © 2023 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 19 Dec 2023.
Most of Germany lies east of the Rhine River in central Europe. The ETO's Central European Campaign began with various Rhine crossings into this area in March 1945 and ending with the cessation of hostilities on 8 May.
Most of Germany lies east of the Rhine River in central Europe. The ETO's Central European Campaign began with various Rhine crossings into this area in March 1945 and ending with the cessation of hostilities on 8 May.
Links to Big Pigeon's The ETO > Central Europe webpages:
- Crossing the Rhine, March 1945 (almost done)
- Beyond the Rhine, Central Europe Campaign, Phase 1, activity through 4 April
- The ETO Order of Battle, 4 April 1945
- Central Germany Occupied, Central Europe Campaign, Phase 2, 5 April - 18 April
- Southern Germany Occupied, Central Europe Campaign, Phase 3, 19 April - 8 May
- Germany Surrenders (almost done)
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When the Central Europe campaign officially began on 22 March 1945, the ETO front line ran from the North Sea to Switzerland along or near the Rhine River. Only in the Remagen area was the front line east of the Rhine.
In eastern Germany, the Soviet line ran south from the Baltic Sea near the Oder River. When Germany unconditionally surrendered less than seven weeks later, almost all of today's Germany lay in Allied hands. |
The Advance Across Germany, 23 March - 8 May 1945
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Although the general ETO movement was to the east, the western Allies fanned out after crossing the Rhine.
- In the north, Montgomery's 21st Army Group moved north and northeast, into the eastern Netherlands and across the lower areas of the North German Plain.
- In the middle, with the benefit of better terrain and more vehicles, Bradley's 12th Army Group raced east towards the demarcation line with Soviet troops, and then Patton's Third Army moved south and southeast into southern Germany.
- In the south, Devers' Sixth Army group moved southeast and south against heavier German resistance.
Although German resistance lessened as the Western Allies moved across Germany, overall casualties during the Central European Campaign were still high. I have seen a figure of around 15,000 US deaths.
Sources for Big Pigeon's The ETO > Central Europe webpage:
- The webpage header photo, View of the Rhine Gorge, by Alexander Hoernigk was found at en.wikipedia.org. Looking upstream, it shows Burg Katz with the Lorelei Rock in the background. It was here that the 89th Infantry Division crossed the Rhine on 26 March 1945. Nine days later, this division liberated the German concentration camp at Ohrdruf.
- The Advance Across Germany map was taken from p. 589 of the Official History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War and was found at http://tothosewhoserved.org/can/army/canarmy03/img/img589.jpg.
- http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-E-Last/maps/USA-E-Last-XVII.jpg
- Victory in Europe, 8 May 1945, map excerpted from http://liberationtrilogy.com/books/guns-at-last-light/maps-from-the-guns-at-last-light/images-for-maps-from-the-guns-at-last-light/.