Struggle for the Scheldt 1944 - the crucial battle for Western Europe

The battle of the Scheldt is often seen as a side-show, an unglamorous campaign of months of hard fighting. This image needs to change. The Scheldt was at the heart of the German strategy to keep the Allies at bay, and its control was essential for the Allied effort to push into Germany. In this book the battle is analysed from all sides (including the civilians!) and from all perspectives - land, air and sea. It highlights often forgotten but important efforts, like the Allied anti-aircraft defense around Antwerp.



The book spans from September 1944 until March 1945, when the Germans still tried to strike at the Scheldt from the air and the sea. It delves into ambitious goals and missed opportunities, and it highlights the focal points and key personalities. The battle is described from multiple angles - the strategic desktop of the generals to the suffering by the common soldier. It is above all a testament of the many difficulties the Allies had to overcome before their final victory in May 1945.