Battle of hurtgen forest book

The battle of huertgen forest was one of the bloodiest engagements of the second world war. Written with grit and honesty, this is a tale of one mans perspective of a larger battle. If you have any interest in the battle of the hurtgen forest, this book is for you. But tree cover would prevent them from providing the support they could in. But tree cover would prevent them from providing the support they could in other terrain. In september 1944, three months after the invasion of normandy, allied armies prepared to push german forces back into their homeland. The battle of the huertgen forest, first published in 1963 and written by official department of the army historian charles b. Both book and film deal with similar effects of war as when trumpets fade. He is famous for rallying demoralized troops on omaha beach on d.

Mcdonald was a highly decorated junior officer in wwii and was very aware of the conditions and mindset of leadership values utilized on the european battlefield of those times. Buy the hardcover book battle of hurtgen forest by charles whiting at indigo. The battle of hurtgen forest was fought in an area of heavy forestation, of some 50 square miles in an area that begins about 5 miles south and east of aachen, germany and falls into a triangle outlined by aachen, duren and monschau. Army, division after division were sent into the hurtgen forest on the. Major general cota and the battle of the huertgen forest. This hurtgen forest crossroads is located in the town of zweifall 50434.

Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. The battle of the hurtgen forest has been long ignored by historians and the armed forces because it was a defeat of the first order for the united states. Great book this book gives great insight into the view of combat from a platoon or company leader. Battle of iwo jima, omaha beach, battle of anzio, battle of hurtgen forest. Charles whiting thirty thousand american gis were killed or wounded in the longest battle ever fought by the us army a battle that should never have been fought. Whitings book delves into the details of the battle itself and the decisions that fed so many young men into a meat grinder. May 30, 1893 october 4, 1971 was a senior united states army officer who fought during world war ii. The long battle for hurtgen forest was brutal and personal. First presented on june 27, 1998, produced by john kemeny and written by w. May 12, 2015 in this match we take a view from the german perspective during the battle of hurtgen forest on october 7, 1944.

The battle of the huertgen forest is one of his best books, not only compulsively readable, but tackling a part of ww2 very few americans know about mainly because it was conveniently edited out of the postwar histories including eisenhowers entertaining exercise in. In september 1944, three months after the invasion of normandy, the allied. Why america struggled at the battle of hurtgen forest. As with all of astors books, this is an oral history. Wilson describes the terrain as a hundredsquaremile forest of extremely steep hills, rough ridges, and. Fought between american and german forces between 19th september to 16th december it was the longest single battle the u. A chilling excerpt from the final book in rick atkinsons liberation trilogy. Here is an interesting thenandnow montage posted at link here. The story of a marine grunt in the first battle of. To marcus caelius, son of titus, of the lemonian district, from bologna, first centurion of. Goodreads members who liked the battle of hurtgen forest also. The basic idea of keeping a relatively straight line.

It was a site of great heroism and futile tragedy, in which the fighting was so deadly that soldiers called it the death factory. Thunderbolts, lightnings, and typhoons pounded the german border defenses. The ordeal of a world war ii gi from the home front to the hurtgen forest. The war in sicily and italy, 19431944 rick atkinson. New linked scenarios, rules, troop types and theatre selectors provide plenty of options for novice and veteran players alike. Battle of huertgen forest the longest battle of the second world war on german soil during the autumn and winter of 194445, the longest battle of the second world war on german soil took place in the huertgen forest. In september 1944, three months after the invasion of normandy, the allied armies prepared to push the german forces back into their homeland. Buy a cheap copy of the battle of hurtgen forest book by charles b.

From the hurtgen forest to the bulge battle of the bulge. Macdonald assesses this major american operation, discussing the opposing forces on the eve of the battle and offering a clearly written and welldocumented history of the battle and the bitter consequences of the american move into the forest. Early in the morning of september 14th, 1944, elements of the 9th infantry division, supported by the 746th tank battalion started their advance across the belgian german border at the villages of roetgen and monschau. Despite this, the battle is not among the famous ones of world war ii. The battle of the huertgen forest was first published in 1963. Buy the battle of hurtgen forest pb first thus by charles whiting isbn. The nightmare battle of hurtgen forest warfare history network. This excerpt from the massachusetts school of laws hour long program, books of our time, is dedicated to two books by mr. Cenotaph of marcus caelius, 1st centurion of xviii, who fell in the war of varus bello variano. Dec 03, 2012 mike morones military times reenactors portraying german soldiers cross an open field during a reenactment representing the battle of hurtgen forest in late 1944 in enfield, nc on saturday. The first american unit involved in the hurtgen forest battle was the 9th infantry division. The infantry that fought there called it the death factory. This new campaign book for bolt action allows players to take command of both armies in this desperate battle, fighting it as they believe it should have been fought.

From september 1944 to february 45, in the longest battle ever fought by the u. The bloody forest is an account of the battle of the huertgen forest, which took place during the fall of 1944. The battle of the hurtgen forest was the most costly unforced error in the american armys campaign in europe. The battle for hurtgen forest was a difficult book to finish, not because the subject matter the bloodiest and most futile american campaign of the war in western europe was so disheartening, but because the book is so poorly written. It is for this reason, for those who may not have heard of the battle or for those who simply want to learn more about the battle. The bulge was a hard fought and wellearned allied victory that overshadowed the debacle that had occurred less than twenty miles north of the ardennes. The attack into the hurtgen was preceded by air attacks by the usaaf and the raf. The most notable feature of that battle was the nearepic struggle to get a handful of m4 tanks and m10 tank destroyers down the steep and narrow forest trail into the kall river gorge and back. The author fought in southern france and his experience culminates in the battle in the huertgen forest. Schlacht im hurtgenwald was a series of fierce battles. University press of kansas, lawrence, ks 2001 isbn 0700611282 oclc 47081237. Why didnt the allies simply bypass the hurtgen forest.

It was the longest battle ever fought by the us army. To mark the 75th anniversary of the battle of hurtgen forest, chris hartley talks about his book, the lost soldier. From the hurtgen forest to the bulge during the winter of 1944, i was front line infantry with the 4th infantry division in the hurtgen forest, germany. Focusing on the bitterly fought battle between the american 22d infantry regiment. New york, ballantine books, 1987 isbn 978080438 eyewitness account 4th infantry division. The forest up there was a hell of an eerie place to fight, reported technical sergeant george morgan, an armorerartificer of the 1st battalion, 22nd infantry regiment. M10 in the hurtgen forest 893 tank destroyer battalion. From reading many wwii books over the years i was aware of the battle of the hurtgen forest but didnt know the details until i picked up this book by charles.

Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The battle of hurtgen forest wwii photos from the battle of the bulgethe ardennes 1944 page 3. Siegfried line campaign center of military history, united states army, 1984. The rugged terrain of this area was the scene of a long, bloody, drawnout battle during world war ii, often referred to as the battle of hurtgen forest, which took place over five months during a cold winter from 19 september 1944 to 10 february 1945. On the other hand, only a handful of books and articles have been written about the huertgen forest battle and most of them in the last decade.

Find books like the battle of hurtgen forest from the worlds largest community of readers. The author creates an environment where you feel you are there. Jun 18, 1988 the battle for hurtgen forest was a difficult book to finish, not because the subject matter the bloodiest and most futile american campaign of the war in western europe was so disheartening, but because the book is so poorly written. Famed novelist ernest hemingway, a friend of colonel lanham and a correspondent for collier s magazine, described the battle of hurtgen forest as passchendaele with tree bursts. The battle of the huertgen forest by charles b macdonald. Army a battle that was ignored for so long, a battle that should never have been fought. Army regards the hurtgen forest as one of the most desperate battles it has ever fought.

Seusss classic cautionary tale, introduces readers to the important lesson of respecting differences. Schlacht im hurtgenwald was a series of fierce battles fought from 19 september to 16 december 1944, between american and german forces on the western front during world war ii, in the hurtgen forest, a 140 km 2 54 sq mi area about 5 km 3. The battles took place from september 19, 1944 to february 10, 1945, in an area of barely 50 square miles, east of the belgiangerman border and southeast of aachen. Army, division after division were sent into the hurtgen forest on the belgiangerman border. Army at dawn the war in north africa, 19421943 rick atkinson. Show me a man who went through the battle and who says he never had a feeling of fear, and ill show you a liar. The definitive account of one of world war iis bloodiest campaignsthe fivemonth battle between american and german forces in the huertgen foresttold. This means its really a book based on the recollections by participants more than a scholarly and objective analysis of the battles. The rur dam holds back the rurstausee and is the major structure in a network. The battle of hurtgen forest by charles whiting goodreads.

The dense hurtgen forest the hurtgen forest, located on the germanbelgian border, was a heavilywooded forest in which wilsons fourth division was ordered to break through to the cologne plains. The battle for hurtgen forest was a difficult book to finish. It was some of the most brutal fighting of the second world war, a grinding battle in which thousands of american and german lives were lost. Battle of hurtgen forest, revisited military times. Macdonald, recounts the story of one of the bloodiest battles of world war ii. It would last three months and result in a nazi victory. The battle for the forest ended abruptly in december, when a sudden german offensive through the ardennes to the south forced the allied armies to fall back, regroup, and start their attack again, this time culminating in the collapse of the nazi regime in may 1945. Instead of enveloping hurtgen forest and move the bulk of his forces eastwards into the heart of germany, hodges decided to eliminate the german forces in. If you survive george wilson not 9th infantry division, but a great account about fighting in the hurtgen forest. By the time the smoke cleared, nearly 30,000 gis had been killed or wounded.

Battle for hurtgen, september 1944january 1945 31 oct 2000. With this battle, the war precipitated by the nazi regime returned to germany. Battle of hurtgen forest by charles whiting, hardcover barnes. Battle of hurtgen forest, book by charles whiting hardcover. Although it is little remembered today, the battle for the hurtgen forest was one of the worst defeats ever suffered by the u. Buy world war ii hurtgen forest books at low prices. Over the winter of the american army fought against german forces holding a defensive line in the hurtgen forest. Thomas, peter, veteran of the bat tle o f the hurtgen fo rest an d battle of the bulge december 15, 2008. Cota was heavily involved in the planning and execution of the allied invasion of normandy, in june 1944, codenamed operation neptune, and the subsequent battle of normandy. Joe collinss vii corps would again lead the attack, but first, v corps on his right was to clear out the hurtgen forest and capture the highground village of schmidt, providing first army with more maneuver room and forestalling any counterattack into vii corpss right flank by enemies who might be skulking in the forest dark. Operation marketgarden and the battle of the bulge are two of the most documented and written about battles in history, ensuring that they will never be forgotten by present and future generations. That is because the us does not like to talk about losses.

The battle for the forest ended abruptly in december, when a sudden german offensive. The ordeal and triumph of an american infantry regiment. Books about battle campaigns that the 9th infantry division was involved in. We suffered heavy losses from constant shelling and mortar attacks. Hurtgen forest was a grinding battle of attrition similar to the slaughter of ww1s western front. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study.

Battle of hurtgen forest by charles whiting, hardcover. The hurtgen forest and the roer river dams, 19411945 williamsford texas. Nov 11, 2000 im interested in reading a book which covers the whole of the hurtgen forest fighting. University military history series book 42 14 jan 2003.