Book Description

The Rhine Crossing, which was almost completely an "engineer show," is an excellent illustration of the work of our engineers in Europe. With the possible exception of the Normandy beaches, the Rhine River presented the most formidable natural obstacle in western Europe. From the standpoint of troops and equipment involved, the assault crossing of the Rhine was the largest military operation in history. It is questionable whether the vast extent and scope of the engineer studies and plans prepared in connection with an operation of this magnitude will ever be adequately described. This pamphlet attempts only to outline the work of the engineers of the Twelfth Army Group in preparation for the Rhine crossing, and to indicate the major accomplishments during the actual operation. However, an operation of such gigantic proportions could not have been successful without full cooperation from all arms and services. Emphasis will also be placed on the unique features of this undertaking. For instance, the idea of employing the Navy on the Rhine was conceived by engineers of the Twelfth Army Group and for the first time in history a part of our Navy was transported several hundred miles overland and launched on an inland waterway to support a river crossing. Contents include the situation, problem, preparation, and the actual crossing. -- Abstract.