🔗=============>> The WWII Germany > The ETO > The Siegfried Line, 1945 Submodule <<=============🔗
prior ETO section: Ardennes/The Bulge next ETO section: To the Rhine
Siegfried Line subpages: Order of Battle Jan '45 Blackcock First US Effort Roer River Dams
Seventh Army in Stasis VIII Corps to Prüm XII Corps to Bitburg XX Corps to Trier
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Seventh Army in Stasis ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
prior ETO section: Ardennes/The Bulge next ETO section: To the Rhine
Siegfried Line subpages: Order of Battle Jan '45 Blackcock First US Effort Roer River Dams
Seventh Army in Stasis VIII Corps to Prüm XII Corps to Bitburg XX Corps to Trier
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Seventh Army in Stasis ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Germany > The ETO > Siegfried Line, 1945 > Seventh Army in Stasis, © 2025 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 23 Jun 2025
Early in 1945, the 6th Army Group, consisting of the US Seventh Army and the French First Army, engaged in two vicious battles in Alsace-Lorraine:
With the conclusion of Colmar Pocket combat, US units, including XXI Corps, which had been assisting the French First Army to the south, were repositioned. XXI Corps was assigned to the Seventh Army's left flank, with XV Corps in the middle and VI Corps on the right flank. All three corps now faced northwards, towards the Siegfried Line.
For the next eight weeks, the Seventh Army front remained relatively stable. Although a moderate level of combat continued, most of the territory lost to the Germany Army during Nordwind remained in German hands. Seventh Army focused on preparing for the impending Operation Undertone, an attack northward into the German Siegfried Line fortifications.
To the south, the French First Army now generally faced eastwards along the upper Rhine.
On 15 March 1945, the Seventh Army began attacking northwards during Operation Undertone. The Seventh Army advanced into the German field of fortifications known as the Siegfried Line. German resistance crumbled sooner than expected due to the appearance of elements of the Third Army in the rear of the Siegfried Line.
- Operation Nordwind, the German attack on the Seventh Army in northern Alsace-Lorraine, sputtered to an end around 25 January.
- Combat in the Colmar Pocket in southern and central Alsace ended on 9 February with the withdrawal of the remaining German forces across the Rhine River.
With the conclusion of Colmar Pocket combat, US units, including XXI Corps, which had been assisting the French First Army to the south, were repositioned. XXI Corps was assigned to the Seventh Army's left flank, with XV Corps in the middle and VI Corps on the right flank. All three corps now faced northwards, towards the Siegfried Line.
For the next eight weeks, the Seventh Army front remained relatively stable. Although a moderate level of combat continued, most of the territory lost to the Germany Army during Nordwind remained in German hands. Seventh Army focused on preparing for the impending Operation Undertone, an attack northward into the German Siegfried Line fortifications.
To the south, the French First Army now generally faced eastwards along the upper Rhine.
On 15 March 1945, the Seventh Army began attacking northwards during Operation Undertone. The Seventh Army advanced into the German field of fortifications known as the Siegfried Line. German resistance crumbled sooner than expected due to the appearance of elements of the Third Army in the rear of the Siegfried Line.
Sources for Big Pigeon's WWII Germany > The ETO > Siegfried Line, 1945 > Seventh Army in Stasis webpage:
These ETO situation maps give division dispositions between the end of Nordwind and the beginning of Undertone.
Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead - WWII Germany > The ETO > Siegfried Line, 1945 > Seventh Army in Stasis:
† Drake, Eldon C., SN 37-403-963, US Army, Cass Co.
These ETO situation maps give division dispositions between the end of Nordwind and the beginning of Undertone.
- ETO, noon 28 Jan 1945 - https://www.loc.gov/resource/g5701s.ict21238/?r=0.588,0.593,0.271,0.12,0
- ETO, noon 14 Mar 1945 - https://www.loc.gov/resource/g5701s.ict21283/?r=-0.631,-0.028,2.262,1.004,0
Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead - WWII Germany > The ETO > Siegfried Line, 1945 > Seventh Army in Stasis:
- Access full individual records through bigpigeon.us > WWII Dead > Roster Records.
† Drake, Eldon C., SN 37-403-963, US Army, Cass Co.
- Co. B., 25th Tank Bn., 14th Armored Div., VI Corps, Seventh Army, attached to 36th Inf. Div. at time of death; KIA 7 Feb 1945 near Haguenau, Alsace, France.
- WWII Germany > The ETO > Siegfried Line, 1945 > Seventh Army in Stasis
- Co. I, 255th Inf. Regt., 63rd Inf. Div., XV Corps, Seventh Army; KIA 8 Feb 1945 near Sarreguemines, Lorraine, France.
- WWII Germany > The ETO > Siegfried Line, 1945 > Seventh Army in Stasis