Metz 1944

Patton’s fortified nemesis

Metz 1944 cover

Description

A complete examination of Patton's campaign to take the fortified city of Metz.

General George Patton's most controversial campaign was the series of battles in autumn 1944 battles along the German frontier which centered on the fortified city of Metz. In part, the problem was logistics. As was the case with the rest of the Allied forces in the European Theatre, supplies were limited until the port of Antwerp could finally be cleared. Also problematic was the weather. The autumn of 1944 was one of the wettest on record, and hardly conducive to the type of mechanized warfare for which Patton was so famous.

However at the heart of the problem was the accretion of sophisticated fortifications. Metz had been fortified since ancient times, heavily rebuilt by France in the post-Napoleonic period, modernized by Germany in 1870–1914, and modernized by France during the Maginot effort in 1935–40. The Germans hoped to hold Metz with a thin screen of second-rate troops, counting on the impregnable fortifications.

This book covers the entire campaign from beginning to end, offering an unbiased assessment of the success and failures of both the Allied and Axis efforts.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Chronology

The strategic setting
Opposing commanders
Opposing forces
Opposing plans
Campaign
The campaign in retrospect

The battlefield today
Further reading
Index

Product details

Published 20 Mar 2012
Format Ebook (PDF)
Edition 1st
Extent 96
ISBN 9781849085922
Imprint Osprey Publishing
Illustrations 30 b/w; 41 col
Series Campaign
Short code CAM 242
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Steven J. Zaloga

Steven J. Zaloga received his BA in History from U…

Illustrator

Steve Noon

Steve Noon was born in Kent, UK, and attended art…

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