Aachen, Battle of

Aachen, near Germany's border with the Netherlands and Belgium, first distinguished in history as the capital of Charlemagne's empire, was the site of the first battle by U.S. forces on German soil and was the first German city to fall to the Allies. Located near the line of German fortifications known as the West Wall, Aachen was a prime gateway into Germany. During September 12–15, 1944, Courtney Hodges's First U.S. Army attempted a penetration through the south side of Aachen. Repulsed, Hodges began an encirclement and, on October 2, launched a new assault, this time from the north as well as south. By October 16, Hodges completed his encirclement of the city and penetrated it generally. This resulted in days of costly street fighting, which finally produced the surrender of Aachen on October 21. While Aachen was a major American triumph, it is also true that the German defense of the city, led by Col. Gerhard Wilck (under Gen. Hermann Balck), was highly effective in that it halted the advance of the First U.S. Army for more than five weeks. Hodges suffered nearly 8,000 casualties in operations in and around Aachen. See also Siegfried Line. Further reading: Astor, Gerald. The Bloody Forest. Novato, Calif.: Presidio, 2000; Rush, Robert S. Hell in the Hurtgen Forest: The Ordeal and Triumph of an American Infantry Regiment. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 2001; Whiting, Charles. Battle of Hurtgen Forest. New York: Da Capo, 2000; Whiting, Charles. Bloody Aachen. New York: Da Capo, 2000.