D-day to Berlin: The Americans Cross the Rhine
2025/3/5
Dan Snow's History Hit
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Dan Snow
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John McManus
Dan Snow: 本期节目讲述了二战中盟军，特别是美军，在莱茵河意外发现并夺取一座完整桥梁的故事。这座桥是德国最后的天然防线，它的失守加速了战争的结束。莱茵河是盟军前进的主要障碍，希特勒曾寄希望于它能阻挡盟军。盟军将领一直在思考如何跨越莱茵河，这是他们战略中的核心问题。德军在3月初摧毁了四座桥中的三座，但美军第一军却意外发现了一座仍然屹立的桥。美军第一军的快速推进让他们意外发现了一座仍然屹立的莱茵河桥。德军试图炸毁这座桥，但只引爆了部分炸药，桥仍然屹立。威廉·霍奇将军立即下令夺取这座桥，认为这是千载难逢的机会。美军成功跨越莱茵河，比蒙哥马利的计划提前了两周。美军的提前跨越莱茵河给德军带来了巨大的问题，甚至引起了希特勒的注意。
John McManus: 自诺曼底登陆以来，东线战场上发生了许多重要事件，苏军已经推进到德国边境。苏军在1944年6月发动了巴格拉季昂行动，将轴心国军队赶出了白俄罗斯和乌克兰。苏军已经推进到波兰，接近柏林，而西线的阿登战役也接近尾声。德国高层没有投降的迹象，希特勒坚持战斗到底。德军在为保卫家园而战，特别是担心苏军的暴行。西线战场上，盟军已经接近莱茵河，这是希特勒的最后一道防线。盟军已经在1945年初恢复了阿登战役的失地，并继续向莱茵河推进。希特勒坚持不撤退，认为莱茵河是保卫德国的最后一道屏障。盟军已经在西西里岛等地多次进行河流跨越，莱茵河并不是无法克服的障碍。盟军计划通过空降和两栖作战来跨越莱茵河，这是蒙哥马利的“大学行动”。美军第一军在雷马根发现了一座未被摧毁的桥，这是德军的一个致命错误。德军未能成功炸毁雷马根桥，美军迅速夺取了它。美军迅速夺取了雷马根桥，并在东岸建立了桥头堡。德军试图通过空袭和炮击摧毁它。德军甚至派出了特种部队试图通过游泳的方式炸毁雷马根桥，但失败了。雷马根桥在美军控制下坚持了大约10天，最终因结构损坏而坍塌。雷马根桥的夺取加速了盟军进入德国心脏地带的进程，打破了希特勒的最后希望。尽管雷马根桥最终坍塌，但它为盟军提供了关键的桥头堡，帮助盟军进入德国。希特勒对雷马根桥的失守极为愤怒，下令处决了四名负责的军官。
supporting_evidences
Dan Snow: 'There was the most extraordinary moment when Allied troops, American troops, arrived at the Rhine to discover a precious bridge still standing.'
Dan Snow: 'The Rhine presented a major obstacle. It was a big river with steep banks, hilly ground. This was where Hitler hoped against hope that he could somehow... hold back the Allies indefinitely, indefinitely.'
Dan Snow: 'Don't forget, crossing the Rhine had been uppermost in the mind of Montgomery during his attack towards Arnhem in the previous autumn, the previous fall.'
John McManus: 'Yeah, well, gosh, a lot has happened. The Soviets actually, like in mid-January, launched a massive offensive that they've been building up to for really much of the fall of 1944.'
John McManus: 'So after the Normandy invasion, they had launched what was called Operation Bagrati on June 22nd, 1944.'
John McManus: 'And they're really on the gates of getting to Germany.'
John McManus: 'Pretty much. Yeah. So part of that, of course, is unconditional surrender.'
John McManus: 'They're fighting for their own soil. They're fighting for their own homes and their own families.'
John McManus: 'Yeah, they are approaching the Rhine River.'
John McManus: 'All of that is pretty much recovered by the last week of January or so.'
John McManus: 'And it's Hitler's old, he's playing his favorite tune, no tactical withdrawals.'
John McManus: 'The Allies aren't rookies at this. They've been doing river crossings since Sicily.'
John McManus: 'So the answer that they've got on the books as we enter March is what's called Operation Varsity'
John McManus: 'But there are a few bridges surviving.'
John McManus: 'I mean, no one knows exactly why they were not able to blow it up'
John McManus: 'So here we've got one that is really at the point of the spear for first army'
John McManus: 'So they launch a lot of airstrikes.'
John McManus: 'And they lose, I think, something on order of about 100 aircraft'
John McManus: 'So I think it's about a week after the initial capture of the bridge'
John McManus: 'Well, I think it does. Yeah.'
John McManus: 'But the fact the bridge was captured intact and remains for 10 days or so just about usable'
John McManus: 'And famously, of course, Hitler is just enraged by the whole thing.'
Deep Dive
An unexpected opportunity arose for the US First Army when they discovered the Ludendorff Bridge still standing across the Rhine, allowing them to advance into Germany, much ahead of schedule.
- The Rhine was seen as a major obstacle and the last natural defense for the Germans.
- The US First Army, led by Brigadier General William Hodge, seized the opportunity to capture the bridge.
- The capture of the bridge allowed American troops to set foot on the eastern side of the Rhine two weeks ahead of schedule.
Shownotes Transcript