REMAGEN

Remagen: In March of 1945, the Allied armies had made remarkable progress on gaining access to the Rhine River. The bridges were down in all spots along the river except at the small city of Remagen. On March 7th units of the US First Army captured the Ludendorff railroad bridge (also called the Remagen bridge). By March 24 The British Secopnd Army under Montgomery sent forces to the area while the US Ninth Army was sent across the river. The U.S. First Army was occupying a sprawling bridgehead between Bonn and Koblenz. On March 22nd the U.S. Third Army seized the bridgehead south of Mainz. The whole barrier of the Rhine river was broken, and Eisenhower ordered the armies to strike east on a broad front.