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Rhineland Offensive
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<h2 id="opposing-forces">Opposing forces</h2> <h3>Allies</h3> <p><i>Forces deployed North to South:</i><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a>: 87 <a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p><p><a href="/facts/21st_Army_Group/NDWBTqGX">Allied 21st Army Group</a> Field Marshal Sir <a href="/facts/Bernard_Montgomery%2c_1st_Viscount_Montgomery_of_Alamein/Jlo77RF1">Bernard Law Montgomery</a> </p> <a href="/facts/Canadian_First_Army/dreSG9b8">Canadian First Army</a> Lieutenant General <a href="/facts/Henry_Crerar/VNlfd58n">Harry Crerar</a> <a href="/facts/XXX_Corps_(United_Kingdom)/QDz1PgyC">British XXX Corps</a> (<a href="/facts/Lieutenant_General_(United_Kingdom)/uzkwCfHl">Lt Gen</a> <a href="/facts/Brian_Horrocks/r4SDxNa9">Brian Horrocks</a>) <a href="/facts/15th_(Scottish)_Infantry_Division/TQb0CT1g">British 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division</a> (<a href="/facts/Major_General_(United_Kingdom)/ABDbhew9">Maj Gen</a> <a href="/facts/Colin_Barber/k4CQgM6v">Colin Barber</a>) <a href="/facts/43rd_(Wessex)_Division/3HpnDK5A">British 43rd (Wessex) Division</a> (Maj Gen <a href="/facts/Ivor_Thomas_(British_Army_officer)/fkSR9EpX">Sir Ivor Thomas</a>) <a href="/facts/51st_(Highland)_Division/SSkPeokJ">British 51st (Highland) Division</a> (Maj Gen <a href="/facts/Tom_Rennie/R235THjD">Tom Rennie</a>) <a href="/facts/53rd_(Welsh)_Division/9VoLwBl0">British 53rd (Welsh) Division</a> (Maj Gen <a href="/facts/Robert_Knox_Ross/T9VHbwe8">Robert Knox Ross</a>) <a href="/facts/Guards_Armoured_Division/B6QIPbpN">British Guards Armoured Division</a> (Maj Gen <a href="/facts/Allan_Adair/YEBor3Pl">Allan Adair</a>) <a href="/facts/Canadian_2nd_Infantry_Division/5Kv5d5Bz">Canadian 2nd Infantry Division</a> (Maj Gen <a href="/facts/Bruce_Matthews_(Canadian_Army_officer)/vSU3nV46">Bruce Matthews</a>) <a href="/facts/Canadian_3rd_Infantry_Division/74kqTtTK">Canadian 3rd Infantry Division</a> (Maj Gen <a href="/facts/Daniel_Spry/RnrC9Hcc">Daniel Spry</a>) <a href="/facts/Canadian_II_Corps/dreSG9b8">Canadian II Corps</a> (Lt Gen <a href="/facts/Guy_Simonds/3Gvs1Vx4">Guy Simonds</a>) <a href="/facts/Canadian_4th_Armoured_Division/lQzbS4FN">Canadian 4th Armoured Division</a> (Maj Gen <a href="/facts/Christopher_Vokes/1JPuk8k3">Christopher Vokes</a>) <a href="/facts/Second_Army_(United_Kingdom)/pSde0F8U">British Second Army</a> Lieutenant General <a href="/facts/Miles_Dempsey/fKSzMcNo">Miles Dempsey</a> <a href="/facts/79th_Armoured_Division_(United_Kingdom)/CFsYUv66">79th Armoured Division</a> (Maj Gen <a href="/facts/Percy_Hobart/CThQBBkG">Sir Percy Hobart</a>) <a href="/facts/I_Corps_(United_Kingdom)/M9xCe2dL">British I Corps</a> (Lt Gen <a href="/facts/John_Crocker/3vELhqda">John Crocker</a>) <a href="/facts/1st_Armoured_Division_(Poland)/o9jpvjph">Polish 1st Armoured Division</a> (Maj Gen <a href="/facts/Stanis%25C5%2582aw_Maczek/na2mGrWw">Stanisław Maczek</a>) <a href="/facts/49th_(West_Riding)_Infantry_Division/VRlNoqRx">49th (West Riding) Infantry Division</a> (Maj Gen <a href="/facts/Gordon_MacMillan/lcIhmawT">Gordon MacMillan</a>) <a href="/facts/VIII_Corps_(United_Kingdom)/6DrFBunt">British VIII Corps</a> (Lt Gen <a href="/facts/Evelyn_Barker/j1KLtzCD">Evelyn Barker</a>) <a href="/facts/11th_Armoured_Division_(United_Kingdom)/SP8TEagW">11th Armoured Division</a> (Maj Gen <a href="/facts/Philip_Roberts_(British_Army_officer)/hVsvoIKY">Pip Roberts</a>) <a href="/facts/3rd_Infantry_Division_(United_Kingdom)/2F8PHRgg">3rd Infantry Division</a> (Maj Gen <a href="/facts/Lashmer_Whistler/6vG8h77e">Lashmer Whistler</a>) <a href="/facts/XII_Corps_(United_Kingdom)/lIRbtyvu">British XII Corps</a> (Lt Gen <a href="/facts/Neil_Ritchie/Y8T78mgC">Neil Ritchie</a>) <a href="/facts/7th_Armoured_Division_(United_Kingdom)/BtFSIyLw">7th Armoured Division</a> (Maj Gen <a href="/facts/Lewis_Lyne/QBlL0A3z">Lewis Lyne</a>) <a href="/facts/52nd_(Lowland)_Division_(United_Kingdom)/18IfXsKn">52nd (Lowland) Division</a> (Maj Gen <a href="/facts/Edmund_Hakewill-Smith/sXAyNcUv">Edmund Hakewill-Smith</a>) <a href="/facts/Ninth_United_States_Army/VC4JlcER">US Ninth Army</a> Lieutenant General <a href="/facts/William_H._Simpson/71JpCFpq">William H. Simpson</a> <a href="/facts/75th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)/XMV4PtoV">75th Infantry Division</a> (Maj. Gen. <a href="/facts/Ray_E._Porter/TWolPIkY">Ray E. Porter</a>) <a href="/facts/95th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)/jhLRVAu2">95th Infantry Division</a> (Maj. Gen. <a href="/facts/Harry_L._Twaddle/0snp8G06">Harry L. Twaddle</a>) <a href="/facts/XVI_Corps_(United_States)/qQpuTQtJ">US XVI Corps</a> (Maj. Gen. <a href="/facts/John_B._Anderson_(United_States_Army_officer)/tn07t7pK">John B. Anderson</a>) <a href="/facts/8th_Armored_Division_(United_States)/ewpLWIMw">8th Armored ("Thundering Herd") Division</a> (Maj. Gen. <a href="/facts/John_M._Devine/uupjqqF8">John M. Devine</a>) <a href="/facts/35th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)/rBeLWPJg">35th Infantry ("Santa Fe") Division</a> (Maj. Gen. <a href="/facts/Paul_W._Baade/2K8aAkda">Paul W. Baade</a>) <a href="/facts/79th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)/RtsyYVa2">79th Infantry ("Cross of Lorraine") Division</a> (Maj. Gen. <a href="/facts/Ira_T._Wyche/ph0cQk8k">Ira T. Wyche</a>) <a href="/facts/XIII_Corps_(United_States)/ol21a19f">US XIII Corps</a> (Maj. Gen. <a href="/facts/Alvan_Cullom_Gillem_Jr./F4pHaE86">Alvan C. Gillem Jr.</a>) <a href="/facts/5th_Armored_Division_(United_States)/TVK6V5u3">5th Armored ("Victory") Division</a> (Maj. Gen. <a href="/facts/Lunsford_E._Oliver/40EbpPn3">Lunsford E. Oliver</a>) <a href="/facts/84th_Division_(United_States)/K4pGsFIs">84th Infantry ("Railsplitters") Division</a> (Maj. Gen. <a href="/facts/Alexander_R._Bolling/K86gqGgd">Alexander R. Bolling</a>) <a href="/facts/102nd_Infantry_Division_(United_States)/trgx8CCY">102nd Infantry ("Ozark") Division</a> (Maj. Gen. <a href="/facts/Frank_A._Keating/8HRpaSI1">Frank A. Keating</a>) <a href="/facts/XIX_Corps_(United_States)/nQ7ugKw3">US XIX Corps</a> (Maj. Gen. <a href="/facts/Raymond_S._McLain/8hNaklaA">Raymond S. McLain</a>) <a href="/facts/2nd_Armored_Division_(United_States)/RButNog9">2nd Armored ("Hell on Wheels") Division</a> (Maj. Gen. <a href="/facts/Isaac_D._White/hof28jpy">Isaac D. White</a>) <a href="/facts/29th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)/RvltCepk">29th Infantry ("Blue and Gray Division") Division</a> (Maj. Gen. <a href="/facts/Charles_H._Gerhardt/s3BUySwA">Charles H. Gerhardt</a>) <a href="/facts/30th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)/zX1yV3l7">30th Infantry ("Old Hickory") Division</a> (Maj. Gen. <a href="/facts/Leland_S._Hobbs/X936NE9P">Leland S. Hobbs</a>) <a href="/facts/83rd_Infantry_Division_(United_States)/GPYVwSrD">83rd Infantry ("Thunderbolt") Division</a> (Maj. Gen. <a href="/facts/Robert_C._Macon/4QApYMkm">Robert C. Macon</a>) <h3>Axis</h3> <p><i><a href="/facts/Oberbefehlshaber_West/5G9xY7A0">Oberbefehlshaber West</a></i> <i>Generalfeldmarschal</i> <a href="/facts/Gerd_von_Rundstedt/SIgdR8AX">Gerd von Rundstedt</a> </p><p><i>Forces deployed North to South:</i><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a>: 86 <a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p> <i><a href="/facts/Heeresgruppe_H/VKsBcj0F">Heeresgruppe H</a></i> <i>Generaloberst</i> <a href="/facts/Johannes_Blaskowitz/XTPdH66o">Johannes Blaskowitz</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> <a href="/facts/25th_Army_(Wehrmacht)/du1JDjMc">Twenty-Fifth Army</a> <i>General der Infanterie</i> <a href="/facts/G%25C3%25BCnther_Blumentritt/W3t1JDeL">Günther Blumentritt</a> <a href="/facts/XXX_Corps_(Wehrmacht)/mTcuBVXv">XXX Corps</a> (<a href="/facts/Otto_Fretter-Pico/nD2shsbD">Otto Fretter-Pico</a>) <a href="/facts/LXXXVIII_Army_Corps_(Wehrmacht)/V8r9sIVc">LXXXVIII Corps</a> (<a href="/facts/Hans-Wolfgang_Reinhard/c2LV2X00">Hans-Wolfgang Reinhard</a>) <a href="/facts/1st_Parachute_Army/CX5STMoS">First Parachute Army</a> <i>General der Fallschirmtruppe</i> <a href="/facts/Alfred_Schlemm/AamYfjVb">Alfred Schlemm</a> <a href="/facts/XLVII_Panzer_Corps/btl7Gomx">XLVII Panzer Corps</a> (<a href="/facts/Heinrich_Freiherr_von_L%25C3%25BCttwitz/lYUYdNTf">Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz</a>) <a href="/facts/II_Parachute_Corps_(Wehrmacht)/FGLUmA5d">II Parachute Corps</a> (<a href="/facts/Eugen_Meindl/t0mT4wXR">Eugen Meindl</a>) <a href="/facts/LXXXVI_Army_Corps_(Wehrmacht)/loUlMj0j">LXXXVI Corps</a> (<a href="/facts/Erich_Straube/bdfU825a">Erich Straube</a>) <i><a href="/facts/Heeresgruppe_B/K2uL5Yk7">Heeresgruppe B</a></i> <i>Generalfeldmarschal</i> <a href="/facts/Walter_Model/uVHjykUI">Walter Model</a> <a href="/facts/15th_Army_(Wehrmacht)/nBK6oswl">Fifteenth Army</a> <i>General der Infanterie</i> <a href="/facts/Gustav-Adolf_von_Zangen/WNYWKs34">Gustav-Adolf von Zangen</a> <a href="/facts/XII_SS_Corps/542x522P">XII SS Corps</a> (<a href="/facts/Eduard_Crasemann/NRdp66jR">Eduard Crasemann</a>) <a href="/facts/LXXXI_Army_Corps_(Wehrmacht)/HmLqH4Qe">LXXXI Corps</a> (<a href="/facts/Friedrich_K%25C3%25B6chling/9z395wH0">Friedrich Köchling</a>) <a href="/facts/LVIII_Panzer_Corps/gwTczsA8">LVIII Panzer Corps</a> (<a href="/facts/Walter_Kr%25C3%25BCger_(Wehrmacht_general)/N6lQI3dM">Walter Krüger</a>) <a href="/facts/Fifth_Panzer_Army/daYEdbon">Fifth Panzer Army</a> <i>General der Panzertruppe</i> <a href="/facts/Hasso_von_Manteuffel/BdXY5stX">Hasso von Manteuffel</a> thru 9 Mar, then <i>Generaloberst</i> <a href="/facts/Josef_Harpe/93NNACRK">Josef Harpe</a> <a href="/facts/LXXIV_Army_Corps_(Wehrmacht)/I7mAKTBM">LXXIV Corps</a> (<a href="/facts/Carl_P%25C3%25BCchler/XYFrWDjb">Carl Püchler</a>) <a href="/facts/LXVII_Army_Corps_(Wehrmacht)/uNygdXzp">LXVII Corps</a> (<a href="/facts/Otto_Hitzfeld/10XSpP8N">Otto Hitzfeld</a>) <a href="/facts/LXVI_Army_Corps_(Wehrmacht)/gVkIfEl5">LXVI Corps</a> (<a href="/facts/Walther_Lucht/WrDC3Sdo">Walther Lucht</a>) <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Allied_advance_from_Paris_to_the_Rhine/3tMUIlDh">Allied advance from Paris to the Rhine</a></li></ul> <h2 id="notes">Notes</h2> <h2 id="further-reading">Further reading</h2> <ul><li>Berkel, Alexander (2004). <i>Krieg vor der Eigenen Haustür</i>, Kleef, B.o.s.s. Druck und Medien. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 3924380228.</li> <li>Hag, Leo ten (2014). <i>Het natuurgebied rondom Nijmegen bezien als militair landschap</i>3. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 9789090292595.</li> <li>Rawson, A. (2006). <i>The Rhine Crossing. 9th US Army & 17th US Airborne</i>, South Yorkshire, Pen & Sword Military. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 1844152324.</li> <li>Rosendaal, J. (2014). <i>De Bevrijding in Beeld. Van Neerpelt tot Wesel, 1944–1945</i>, Nijmegen, Vantilt. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 9789081450003.</li> <li>Saunders, Tim (2006). <i>Operation Plunder. The British & Canadian Rhine Crossing</i>, South Yorkshire, Pen & Sword Military. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 1844152219.</li> <li>Whitaker, W.D. en Whitaker, S. (1989). <i>Rhineland. The Battle to end the war.</i>, Stoddart. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 978-0312034191.</li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://legionmagazine.com/en/2002/09/the-start-of-the-rhineland-offensive/">The Start Of The Rhineland Offensive</a>, legionmagazine.com</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Paul Douglas Dickson (2007). A thoroughly Canadian general : a biography of General H.D.G. Crerar. Toronto : University of Toronto Press, p.360. <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Rosendaal, J. (2014). De Bevrijding in Beeld. Van Neerpelt tot Wesel, 1944–1945, Nijmegen, Vantilt, p.6. 9789081450003. <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Ford, Ken (2000). The Rhineland 1945: The last killing ground in the West. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85532-999-7. <a href="978-1-85532-999-7" target="_blank">978-1-85532-999-7</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Stanton, Shelby L. (1984). World War II Order of Battle. New York: Galahad Books. ISBN 0-88365-775-9. <a href="0-88365-775-9" target="_blank">0-88365-775-9</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Ford, Ken (2000). The Rhineland 1945: The last killing ground in the West. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85532-999-7. <a href="978-1-85532-999-7" target="_blank">978-1-85532-999-7</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Tessin, Georg (1975). Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945. Vol. 2. Osnabrück: Biblio-Verlag. p. 283. ISBN 978-3764810832. <a href="978-3764810832" target="_blank">978-3764810832</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Charged with war crimes; committed suicide May 1948. <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>