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Hell in the Huertgen Forest
Published January 14, 2015
Journey with "War Stories" to Germany's Huertgen Forest when we take you to the scene of one the fiercest, bloodiest and least known battles of World War II.
From September of 1944 until February 1945, the densely wooded hills near the Belgium-German border not far from the medieval town of Aachen, thundered with artillery, mortar, machine gun and tank fire.
In September 1944, the American generals hoped for a quick push into Germany's industrial heartland. But battle-hardended Wehrmacht troops were determined to hold their ground. For five long months thousands of American and German soldiers battled each other and the harsh terrain of the forest in bitter cold that claimed combatants on both sides.
With shells bursting in the trees of the "Huertgenwald," as it was known in Germany, well-prepared and tenacious German defenders turned the American offensive into a nightmare.
For every yard gained, this was the the deadliest campaign in the European theater.
In this riveting episode of "War Stories," meet the men — both American and German — who fought to their death in this dark and frightening forest.
Staff for this episode:
Executive producer: Pamela Browne
Written and produced by: Gregory M. Johnson
Co-producer: Greg Ebben
Editor: Mitch Udoff
https://www.foxnews.com/story/hell-in-the-huertgen-forest