How America Drove Trucks Across the Rhine and Ended Nazi Germany in 72 Hours In March 1945, Nazi Germany believed the Rhine River was its final, unbreakable line of defense. For over 2,000 years, the Rhine had protected the heart of Germany from invading armies. German generals were confident: without bridges, no modern army could cross it under fire. They were wrong. What followed was one of the most shocking and underestimated moments of World War II history—when American industrial power turn

The final hurdle of the Rhineland Offensive was the Rhine itself. The crossing near Wesel (Operation Plunder) was one of several coordinated Rhine crossings. A million Allied soldiers participated. In support of the crossing, 14.000 paratroopers were dropped behind enemy lines (Operation Varsity). The operations were a complete success. Hitler’s days were numbered. | Joël Stoppels Battlefield Tours