![]() ![]() Reaching the Rhine, though, was a lot different than crossing the Rhine.Īs can be seen, behind the cathedral is a railroad bridge, which ostensibly needed to be kept out of Allied hands because river lines typically formed German defensive perimeters. ![]() The British and the Americans then closed up upon the Rhine River. This had led to a delaying action by the Germans along the German border throughout January and February 1945, during which they were slowly pried out of the Rhineland with great difficulty. To understand what was really going on there, it is necessary to take a look at the strategic situation and Cologne Cathedral itself.Ī view from the east side of the river, showing the blown bridges.The Germans had been chased out of France and had expended their reserves in the Battle of the Bulge aka the Ardennes Offensive aka the Von Rundstedt Offensive. ![]() Cologne 1945.The brief tank battle at Cologne Cathedral is perhaps the single most famous tank duel of all time. ![]()
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