WWII THIS MONTH…
SEPTEMBER 1944
To commemorate 80 years since the Second World War, History of War will be taking a look at some of the key events taking place during each month of the conflict
Marines cautiously move along a beach on Peleliu while covered by an amphibious tank
Images © Alamy, Getty
SIEGFRIED LINE CAMPAIGN BEGINS
After the liberation of Paris in late August 1944, the Allies paused to regroup and consolidate their stretched supply lines. Facing demands from Generals Bernard Montgomery and Omar Bradley that the Allies should make direct thrusts into Germany, Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D Eisenhower opted for a ‘broad-front’ strategy to gain ground across all sectors. This advance faced the imposing Siegfried Line. Built in the late 1930s, this 390mile (630km) defensive system ran along the western border of Germany and featured 18,000 bunkers and scores of tank traps. Breaking through the entire line took until early 1945.