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 primegateway 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.

Free term papers are not written to satisfy your specific instructions. You can use our professional writing services to buy a custom written research paper, term paper, or essay on Military Topics at affordable price. CustomTermPapers is the best solution for those who seek help in writing term papers, essays, and research papers related to Military Topics and other relevant topics.