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Dear all,

Reading up on the 1944 campaigns. Got stuck into the Battle of the Hurtgen Forest.

Wiki:
"
It was also thought necessary to remove the threat posed by the Rur dam. The stored water could be released by the Germans, swamping any forces operating downstream. In the view of the American commanders, Bradley, Hodges and Collins, the direct route to the dam was through the forest.[11]:239
Military historians are no longer convinced by these arguments. Charles B. MacDonald—a U.S. Army historian and former company commander who served in the Hürtgen battle—has described it as "a misconceived and basically fruitless battle that should have been avoided."[11]"

Flanking Aachen could also be an argument.

In light of everything we now know, It seems to me it boiled down to ego: Bradley's, Eisenhover, others?

Was there any major strategic gain? what would it mean to just leave it alone? Could it be left alone? The argument was also that it would be jump-off point for German counter-attacks (before Ardennes ofensive, though).

Anyone?

Ivan
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