I just finished reading the book by Charles B. MacDonald and I was wondering if anyone can testify or comment on the accuracy of the book. There's some disturbing stuff in there that i've never heard of.

I haven't read the book, but I know a few things about this battle the ended up in the surrender of a huge amount of trapped Germans in this Rurh area. There are a couple of threads related on the forum , including pictures from the ninth Army. Sturmkreuz also posted a a threat in the roll of Honor section for a German who was killed when trying to save a wounded American in a mine field.

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disturbing as to what ? war is hell and this was quite a hellascious battle, both sides really got torn apart, hand to hand, grenades tossed over almost at two bodies length......some have called it similar to the WW 1 trench fighting though this was on the norm fought in very heavy woods, is some instances no quarter given

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I'm familiar with war and mortar and rocket attacks, etc. Vietnam wasn't a picnic, but the one part that bugged me was the guys throwing away their rifles and fleeing in panic. Under the circumstances it's understandable. Strange things happen, and I was wondering if that episode was true or not.

I've not read the book, but Charles MacDonald is a well respected and well-known author and I have read many of his other books, such as Company Commander and A Time For Trumpets. As with any other book, accept information only as you can verify in other sources. The Hurtgen Forest was a vicious fight and in retrospect, maybe should not have been fought. I would suspect his description of the action there is accurate.

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Best Regards,
JW

Thanks to all. This site has lots of good stuff and info. Just what I was looking for. Search works good too. I've been a WW2 buff for over 40 years, so I think I'll be a regular visitor.

You did not mention who was fleeing were you talking about Americans or Germans? If you ask me, these combats were more than useful to the allies. Not the combat itself, but the amount of prisonners that were taken there. The Germans captured there would otherwise have retreated and probably slightly delay the end of the war but certainly have caused many more deaths on both camps. For some Germans too capture in the west was a better alternative than being captured by the Russians or killed in action.

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Doug Nash's new book, Victory Was Beyond Their Grasp, should be available quite soon. I know it went to the printer's recently.

It's the German side, the 272 VGD, but it's a good book.

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www.mapsatwar.com

Always on the lookout for good information on 6.SS-Nord

"If you don't like the way we do things here, go to a different jail!"

The 28th Inf. guys. Most of the german troops were not top quality and were happy to surrender. But, enough of them put up a tough fight and made it a rough go. They just managed to slow things down and that gave them some time to organize the bulge offensive.

Thank you for mentionning this Tom, it sounds like a new book to put on my list and a winner too!

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Charles B. MacDonald, The Battle of the Hürtgen Forest, p. 205:

"...a misconceived and basically fruitless battle that could have, and should have, been avoided."

(As quoted in Carlo D'Este's Patton: A Genius for War, p. 670. MacDonald fought at the Hürtgen Forest, according to D'Este.)

MacDonald's opinion would see the battle as another Peleliu.

JT

Was the HERO "Friedrich Lengfeld" named in the book? Otherweise the book is quite a shame if he isn't mentioned.

And for me he is a real Hero and for many Germans AND AMERICANS he is too.
"Friedrich Lengfeld the real Hero of Hürtgen forest"

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The quotes came from D'Este's book, which I am reading. I have not read MacDonald's work.

JT

Nobody named Lengfeld was mentioned in the book.

Most of the American units were disabbeld by weatherconditions than by enemy fire. I believed it was arround 70% of the casualties.
Pretty intens...

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Eine Lichtung im Walde wo die Sonne scheint.
Eingeschlossen durch Bäume sind wir gefangen,
in dieser Lichtung Gottes...

What a shame, hope you know him?

I made a topic on this forum, check it out:

Friedrich Lengfeld

You could read there why he became famous.

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Very impressive. Good soldiers like that are hard to come by.

The book by Charles B. MacDonald is very accurate. One reason the Battle was so tough was the terrain, lots of trees and hills. Plus the weather; constant rain and snow. I highly recommend the following book; "Three Battles; Arnaville, Altuzzo, and Schmidt", ( the part about Schmidt is waht you want to read) and "The Seigfried Line Campaign", also by Charles B. MacDonald.

Charles B. MacDonald was a Infantry Officer WWII, and after the war worked at The Office of the Chief of Military History. He died in 1990.

I'll have to read this MacDonald's book. I've been wanting to know more about the Hürtgen Forest situation. This thread is a great reminder and has some interesting thoughts as well. Thanks!

MacDonald also wrote two excellent books on the US experience on in Europe that are well worth reading.

Company Commander, an autobiography
A Time For Trumpets, a good study of the Battle of the Bulge.

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Best Regards,
JW

Thank you very much for the info Slipdigit! It looks like his books will be the next that I read. Cheers!

Hi Guys, there is a picture of Lengfelds memorial stone at Hurtgenwald cemetery

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What manner of men are these who wear the Red Beret ?Their duty lies in the van of battle.They are in fact men apart Every man an Emperor.
Field Marshal Montgomery

Neil

That's awesome (above pic)....

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Did MacDonald cite the reference to fleeing without arms? It should be in the foot notes or listed in references. Then again if he is a veteran of the battle, he may not be citing anything and relying strictly on personal experience.

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Cheers,
Daniel

Fleeing without arms? How did they lose their arms? Should not they be in an ambulance?

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Best Regards,
JW