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Metz
Mar 5, 2013 23:17:22 GMT -5
Post by boxcar on Mar 5, 2013 23:17:22 GMT -5
Here is an interesting episode in the battles of Patton that has received little attention, the battle for Metz. This may have been the most troubling situation Patton ever encountered. This happened just before the battle of the bulge. Unlike his usual maneuvers of position, this amounted to a siege, a strategy for which he has not noted. www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPwwfXo_sVMAn interesting observation is that it appeared that most of the Metz defenses were located in the southwest rather than the east. And remember, these defenses were built by the French. Just whom were they defending against, one has to ask.
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Metz
Mar 6, 2013 0:52:11 GMT -5
Post by Swampy on Mar 6, 2013 0:52:11 GMT -5
Interesting. I'm wondering if he should have just contained it and moved on - the purpose was to get to Germany and conquer the Nazis, not fight every one of them.
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Metz
Mar 6, 2013 0:54:50 GMT -5
Post by Sir John on Mar 6, 2013 0:54:50 GMT -5
I have always thought the same for Monte Cassino.
SJ
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Metz
Mar 6, 2013 1:15:29 GMT -5
Post by boxcar on Mar 6, 2013 1:15:29 GMT -5
S>Interesting. I'm wondering if he should have just contained it and moved on - the purpose was to get to Germany and conquer the Nazis, not fight every one of them. <
My first thought was that to by passed them may have interfered with his supply lines. But then remember, this was exactly the situation Rommel encountered at Tobruk.
Good question Swampy.
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Metz
Mar 6, 2013 1:52:42 GMT -5
Post by mcnoch on Mar 6, 2013 1:52:42 GMT -5
There were too many of such islands of resistance left in France at that time and they were on land and not in an ocean nearly completely controlled by the USN. They had to tackle all these fortresses to free France.
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Metz
Mar 6, 2013 3:08:12 GMT -5
Post by boxcar on Mar 6, 2013 3:08:12 GMT -5
Other than Metz, I did not see any islands of resistance. The Germans tended to retreat as a group. In numbers was safty. Hitler's orders be damned.
Also Metz, at that time, was not an island. It was the next objective.
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Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Metz
May 14, 2013 22:23:02 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on May 14, 2013 22:23:02 GMT -5
Monty Paton Sicily and the Germans escape at Massina make good reading .
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Metz
May 14, 2013 23:19:32 GMT -5
Post by Sir John on May 14, 2013 23:19:32 GMT -5
A siege without any avenue of re-supply will not be a siege for long.
The defender must make a decision and soon, surrender or attempt to break out.
I am not familiar with Metz, what options did they have?
SJ
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