Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial

Just a few months after the landings at Normandy, the U.S First Army had marched its way across Belgium and Luxembourg and into the Netherlands near Maastricht.  At the same time, the U.S Third Army was making its way across France while the British Second Army located farther north in Belgium, had already liberated Brussels and Antwerp.  Advancements were being made quicker than expected but heavily defended cities by German troops, numerous canals and rivers would prove to be difficult. On September 14, 1944, Maastricht would be the first Dutch town to be liberated.

Progress would slow during the fall months.  The enemy would launch its final counteroffensive of the war in Ardennes and Alsace on December 16, 1944.  But by January 1945, the allied troops had retaken these areas and once again continued their push towards the Rhine River.  Taking control of the Rhine River would be of major importance to the allies in order to continue their push into Germany, but this would prove to be difficult.  The Germans would often destroy bridges in order to slow the allied forces advances.   They had also destroyed the discharge valves of the dams on the Roer River, allowing large amounts of water to flow slowing progress for two weeks. 

Finally, on March 24, 1945, allied troops crossed the Rhine and began their pursuit of the enemy throughout Germany and Austria.  The enemy forces surrendered on May 8, 1945.