Germany's West Wall: The Siegfried Line (Fortress) - Softcover

Short, Neil

Softcover

ISBN 10: 184176678X ISBN 13: 9781841766782

Publisher: Osprey Publishing, 2004

Synopsis

The West Wall (or the Siegfried Line as the Allies called it) played a crucial role in the bitter fighting of 1944 and 1945 in North-West Europe. Constructed in the period immediately after the remilitarisation of the Rhineland in 1936, the Wall stretched for 300 miles from Cleve in the north to the Swiss Border and consisted of some 14,000 pillboxes. The Wall initially blunted the US attack, and Hitler used it as a foundation from which to launch the Ardennes Offensive. This title takes a detailed look at the development and form of this key fortification, examining the principles of its defence in visual depth, and discussing its fate in the wake of the Allied onslaught.

About this title

About the Author:

After completing an Honours Degree in History at the University of Lancaster, Neil Short gained a Master's Degree in Military History at the University of Leeds. He is a fully qualified Management Accountant working for the Ministry of Defence, but in his spare time undertakes research on World War II. Neil lives and works in Bristol, UK.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:

Although the enormous effort invested in the West Wall as a result of the Limesprogramm undoubtedly increased the strength of Hitler’s border defences they still suffered from a number of shortcomings. One of the main criticisms was that for a system of defences designed to delay an enemy attack relatively little space had been provided for the storage of ammunition or provisions that might allow the defenders to fight an extended campaign. A further criticism was that the main fighting compartment often doubled up as the garrison’s accommodation, or was separate to the main bunker.

The Aachen-Saar Programm sought to rectify these problem and more. The bunkers were strengthened with thicker walls and ceilings. The new designs were also far roomier and new storage areas for food and ammunition were introduced, as was a special room for an observer equipped with either a periscope or observation cupola.

About this edition

• Publisher: Osprey Publishing
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 184176678X
• ISBN 13: 9781841766782
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 64
• Illustrator: Taylor Chris