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Battle of Maastricht
The Battle of Maastricht was one of the first battles that took place during the German Campaign on the Western Front during World War II. Maastricht was a key city in order to capture the Belgian Fort Eben-Emael and split the allied armies in half.[citation needed]
The German goal of the operation was to take the main bridges over the river Maas intact, to have an easier road to central Belgium. Therefore, the Germans sent in teams disguised as civilians whose job was to sabotage the bridge charges. However, they were spotted and arrested, and when they attempted to run, shot.
In May 1940, the German Army executed Fall Gelb, the plan for the conquest of the Low Countries to gain a base for air-attacks on the United Kingdom and a possible continued offensive to occupy the whole of France, the so-called Fall Rot. Between September 1939, the start of the Second World War, and May 1940, the plans had changed often and fundamentally. By March 1940, the General staff had accepted a proposal by Erich von Manstein to let the smaller Army Group B lure the best French and British divisions into central Belgium in order to have them cut off by a surprise advance through the difficult terrain of the Ardennes by the larger Army Group A.
To make that feint possible, Army Group B would have to move as quickly as possible towards central Belgium. The Belgians fully understood the importance of the key border positions. When during the 1930s the Albert Canal was constructed, a deep waterway allowing the largest motorised riverboats to sail from Antwerp to the Meuse, a continuous line of pill-boxes was excavated into the rock face. Where the canal met the Meuse one of the most modern forts of the period was deeply dug into the natural marl rock. Consisting of a number of artificial tunnels made it practically impervious to air or artillery bombardments. The gun turrets of the fort controlled the canal bridges at this point. To neutralise them was an absolute precondition for a fast advance. To this end Adolf Hitler personally devised a commando operation to land with twelve glider planes on the top of the fort complex and penetrate with heavy hollow charges the cannon turrets. However, even if this high risk endeavour would succeed, it would still be necessary for ground forces to link up with airborne troops and take the bridges.
The Germans could not reach the Albert Canal directly. It was shielded by the south of the Dutch province of Limburg, the so-called "Dutch Appendix". The river Meuse or Maas runs through it to the north. The main east-west road crosses the river at the fortress city of Maastricht. This strategic position was the main reason the city became part of the Dutch Republic in the first place when it was captured in 1632 by stadtholder Frederick Henry, prince of Orange. In subsequent centuries, the city was repeatedly besieged. During the Belgian Revolution of 1830, the garrison remained loyal to the Kingdom of Netherlands. In 1839 the area was split between a Dutch part and a Belgian part immediately bordering Maastricht to the southwest. As a result, in the opening phases of the First World War, in which the Dutch were not attacked, during August 1914 the German Army had to squeeze itself awkwardly under the Appendix to reach Liège. At the end of the war, in 1918, the Belgians understood that in future conflicts the Germans would not limit themselves so and demanded that South-Limburg would be ceded to them to improve their defences. The Dutch protested vehemently and the Allies refused to impose the annexation. This was the reason the Belgians had to block the Maastricht-Liège axis with a special large fort on their side of the border.
The Low Countries offered many geographical advantages to withstand a German attack. North of the French Maginot Line the Ardennes stretched out, a densely forested semi-mountainous area with a very poor road network. The few routes available winded through deep ravines, bridging torrents, offering many natural ambush and blocking positions. At Maastricht this zone connected to the river Maas running from south to north which in turn via canals and the Lower Rhine connects to the IJssel and Lake IJssel.
The sluice complex at Borgharen—just north of Maastricht—was another waterworks that could not be destroyed. A section of infantry was stationed there. Close to the bridge, a casemate with a machine gun could assist. In the early morning hours, a patrol of six motorised infantrymen approached the eastern guard post. They were a reconnaissance party of the Hocke squad. They were ordered to stop, and four of them were taken prisoner. The other two were able to escape. The Dutch Lieutenant was confident that more would be coming, and he ordered his men to remain prepared. Not much later, more German soldiers appeared on motorcycles. The Dutch let them approach to within 50 m (55 yd), then opened fire with two machine guns and every rifle available. The Germans temporarily retreated. However, when the Germans brought in reinforcements, the squad was overwhelmed. The defenders tried to draw back to the sluice. The move was difficult under ever-increasing German fire. The men at the sluice itself were able to resist the Germans, but the southeastern squad—which defended the northern entrance into Maastricht—had to give in when their machine gun failed. The gap that now existed in the outer defences of the city was soon penetrated by the majority of the Germans that had agitated against the sluice.
The 4. Panzerdivision encountered resistance around Gulpen, delaying them for hours. A column instructed to advance against Maastricht from the south was able to move forward faster. It appeared in front of the outer defences at Heugem. There, the barricades had been sealed and locked as instructed. The defending unit was ordered to move back behind the Maas once it become clear that the outer defences had been penetrated.
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Battle of Maastricht AI simulator
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Battle of Maastricht
The Battle of Maastricht was one of the first battles that took place during the German Campaign on the Western Front during World War II. Maastricht was a key city in order to capture the Belgian Fort Eben-Emael and split the allied armies in half.[citation needed]
The German goal of the operation was to take the main bridges over the river Maas intact, to have an easier road to central Belgium. Therefore, the Germans sent in teams disguised as civilians whose job was to sabotage the bridge charges. However, they were spotted and arrested, and when they attempted to run, shot.
In May 1940, the German Army executed Fall Gelb, the plan for the conquest of the Low Countries to gain a base for air-attacks on the United Kingdom and a possible continued offensive to occupy the whole of France, the so-called Fall Rot. Between September 1939, the start of the Second World War, and May 1940, the plans had changed often and fundamentally. By March 1940, the General staff had accepted a proposal by Erich von Manstein to let the smaller Army Group B lure the best French and British divisions into central Belgium in order to have them cut off by a surprise advance through the difficult terrain of the Ardennes by the larger Army Group A.
To make that feint possible, Army Group B would have to move as quickly as possible towards central Belgium. The Belgians fully understood the importance of the key border positions. When during the 1930s the Albert Canal was constructed, a deep waterway allowing the largest motorised riverboats to sail from Antwerp to the Meuse, a continuous line of pill-boxes was excavated into the rock face. Where the canal met the Meuse one of the most modern forts of the period was deeply dug into the natural marl rock. Consisting of a number of artificial tunnels made it practically impervious to air or artillery bombardments. The gun turrets of the fort controlled the canal bridges at this point. To neutralise them was an absolute precondition for a fast advance. To this end Adolf Hitler personally devised a commando operation to land with twelve glider planes on the top of the fort complex and penetrate with heavy hollow charges the cannon turrets. However, even if this high risk endeavour would succeed, it would still be necessary for ground forces to link up with airborne troops and take the bridges.
The Germans could not reach the Albert Canal directly. It was shielded by the south of the Dutch province of Limburg, the so-called "Dutch Appendix". The river Meuse or Maas runs through it to the north. The main east-west road crosses the river at the fortress city of Maastricht. This strategic position was the main reason the city became part of the Dutch Republic in the first place when it was captured in 1632 by stadtholder Frederick Henry, prince of Orange. In subsequent centuries, the city was repeatedly besieged. During the Belgian Revolution of 1830, the garrison remained loyal to the Kingdom of Netherlands. In 1839 the area was split between a Dutch part and a Belgian part immediately bordering Maastricht to the southwest. As a result, in the opening phases of the First World War, in which the Dutch were not attacked, during August 1914 the German Army had to squeeze itself awkwardly under the Appendix to reach Liège. At the end of the war, in 1918, the Belgians understood that in future conflicts the Germans would not limit themselves so and demanded that South-Limburg would be ceded to them to improve their defences. The Dutch protested vehemently and the Allies refused to impose the annexation. This was the reason the Belgians had to block the Maastricht-Liège axis with a special large fort on their side of the border.
The Low Countries offered many geographical advantages to withstand a German attack. North of the French Maginot Line the Ardennes stretched out, a densely forested semi-mountainous area with a very poor road network. The few routes available winded through deep ravines, bridging torrents, offering many natural ambush and blocking positions. At Maastricht this zone connected to the river Maas running from south to north which in turn via canals and the Lower Rhine connects to the IJssel and Lake IJssel.
The sluice complex at Borgharen—just north of Maastricht—was another waterworks that could not be destroyed. A section of infantry was stationed there. Close to the bridge, a casemate with a machine gun could assist. In the early morning hours, a patrol of six motorised infantrymen approached the eastern guard post. They were a reconnaissance party of the Hocke squad. They were ordered to stop, and four of them were taken prisoner. The other two were able to escape. The Dutch Lieutenant was confident that more would be coming, and he ordered his men to remain prepared. Not much later, more German soldiers appeared on motorcycles. The Dutch let them approach to within 50 m (55 yd), then opened fire with two machine guns and every rifle available. The Germans temporarily retreated. However, when the Germans brought in reinforcements, the squad was overwhelmed. The defenders tried to draw back to the sluice. The move was difficult under ever-increasing German fire. The men at the sluice itself were able to resist the Germans, but the southeastern squad—which defended the northern entrance into Maastricht—had to give in when their machine gun failed. The gap that now existed in the outer defences of the city was soon penetrated by the majority of the Germans that had agitated against the sluice.
The 4. Panzerdivision encountered resistance around Gulpen, delaying them for hours. A column instructed to advance against Maastricht from the south was able to move forward faster. It appeared in front of the outer defences at Heugem. There, the barricades had been sealed and locked as instructed. The defending unit was ordered to move back behind the Maas once it become clear that the outer defences had been penetrated.