Battle of Nancy (1944) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Nancy |
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| Part of the Lorraine campaign of World War II | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States |
 Germany |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Manton S. Eddy | Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 3 divisions | 2 divisions and 2 regiments | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| at least 2,851 (80th Division only) |
at least 4,081 (3rd PG and 553rd VG Divisions) |
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The Battle of Nancy was a major fight during World War II in September 1944. It lasted for 10 days on the Western Front. American forces fought against German troops defending the city of Nancy, France. They also fought for control of the Moselle River crossings.
The battle ended with American forces successfully crossing the Moselle River. They then freed the city of Nancy from German control.
Contents
What Happened at Nancy?
When the American Third United States Army tried to capture Nancy, they had just faced a big problem. They ran out of fuel, which made them stop for five days. This break gave the German defenders time to make their positions stronger.
The U.S. XX Corps was supposed to capture the city of Metz. Nancy, another important city nearby, was given to the U.S. XII Corps. At first, the XII Corps was not at full strength. One of its divisions, the 35th Infantry Division, was busy guarding the southern side. This left only two main divisions for the attack on Nancy.
Who Fought?
The American forces were led by Major General Manton Eddy. His main units were:
- The 4th Armored Division
- The 35th Infantry Division
- The 80th Infantry Division
The German forces were led by General der Panzertruppe Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz. His main units included:
- The 3. Panzergrenadierdivision
- The 553. Grenadierdivision (later called Volksgrenadierdivision)
First Attempts to Cross the Moselle River
Commanders decided not to risk the 4th Armored Division right away. Instead, the 80th Infantry Division was chosen to secure three crossing points. These points were along the Moselle River at Pont-à-Mousson, Toul, and Marbache. The plan was for the 4th Armored Division to then attack Nancy from the east. Infantry from Toul would attack from the west.
At Pont-à-Mousson, the American soldiers tried to surprise the Germans. They did not scout the area or use artillery first. This was a bad idea. The German defenders were stronger and better prepared than expected. They could easily see the American movements. Both daytime and nighttime attempts to cross the river failed. General Eddy called off the attack there.
Near Marbache, the 318th Infantry fought hard through the woods. They tried to capture high ground from the German 92. Luftwaffe-Regiment. After two days, they took the hill. But a German counter-attack soon pushed them back.
At Toul, the 319th Infantry seemed to have more success. They crossed a loop of the Moselle River. However, the German defenders simply fell back. They set up a strong defense line about 10 miles (16 km) away. This stopped the American advance.
Americans Try Again
By September 7, things started to look better for the Americans. The Seventh Army was coming closer from the south. Also, the XV Corps rejoined the Third Army. This meant the 35th Infantry Division was now free to join the attack.
A new plan was made for September 11. The 80th Division would attack in the north. The 35th Division would attack in the south. The 4th Armored Division would be ready to support either side.
Crossing at Dieulouard
After the first failed attempts, the Americans planned a more organized attack. General Eddy decided to surround the German forces near Nancy. Dieulouard, about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Pont-à-Mousson, was chosen as a new crossing point.
The plan was for the 317th Infantry to cross first and secure a spot. Then, the 318th Infantry would follow. They would capture Mousson Hill, which was high ground. After that, a heavy bridge would be built. This would allow the 4th Armored Division to attack Château-Salins, an important rail center.
Extra support was called in because of the strong German positions. On September 10, American bombers destroyed a bridge at Custines. This stopped German reinforcements from Nancy. The next evening, they attacked Mousson Hill. To trick the enemy, most artillery and air strikes hit Pont-à-Mousson.
The infantry crossed the river on September 12 with little resistance. The advance was so fast that parts of the 4th Armored Division crossed that same day. This was easy because the Americans crossed where two German divisions met. These divisions were spread out very thinly. Most German reserves had already gone north to fight another American corps.
The Germans tried to destroy the bridge around 1:00 AM on September 13. They pushed the American infantry back almost to the bridge. But an American commander gathered troops and tanks. They stopped the Germans. By morning, the Germans started to retreat. The 4th Armored Division, led by Lt. Col. Creighton Abrams, pushed across the bridgehead. They quickly moved southeast, capturing prisoners and destroying German vehicles. By that evening, the bridgehead was safe. This allowed all of Abrams' unit to cross and move towards Château-Salins.
The next day, the Germans launched more counterattacks. But the 80th Division, with help from the 4th Armored Division, fought them off.
Crossings at Flavigny and Bayon
On September 10, the 35th Division moved into position. They found a bridge at Flavigny that was ready to be blown up but was still intact. The 134th Infantry Regiment captured it and set up a bridgehead. However, reinforcements did not arrive. The Americans fought off two German attacks. But German artillery destroyed the bridge the next morning. The American troops had to retreat, suffering heavy losses.
Other American units managed to cross at Bainville-aux-Miroirs and near Bayon. A large bridge was built at Bayon that night. German forces tried to destroy it but were surrounded and defeated.
The 137th Infantry also secured a spot at Crévéchamps. They used a trick by moving north first. After crossing, they were pinned down. But they fought their way out after the Germans were weakened from their failed attack at Bayon.
Surrounding Nancy
Abrams' 37th Tank Battalion reached Fresnes-en-Saulnois on September 13. This village was west of Château-Salins. The next day, orders changed. The 4th Armored Division was told to capture high ground at Arracourt. This would cut off German escape routes from Nancy.
When they arrived, they met German forces and defeated them easily. They then set up a defense facing east. From here, they bothered German forces on the main road to Nancy. They also sent units to meet other American patrols. This raiding party was very successful. They captured over 400 prisoners and destroyed many German vehicles and guns.
After the American forces crossed the Moselle in the south, the German defenders retreated. They went to the Forêt de Vitrimont, across the Meurthe River. The Germans had little time to prepare their defenses. The Americans crossed the Meurthe River on September 14. Most Germans fell back to Lunéville. That night, American units met at the Marne-Rhin Canal. This completed the encirclement of Nancy.
Nancy is Liberated
The American attack around Nancy sped up the German withdrawal. The German army group commander had already allowed them to leave the city on September 13.
The 320th and 137th Infantry Regiments pushed out from the Bayon bridgehead. They crossed the Meurthe River by the evening of September 14. By September 16, the 320th Infantry had crossed the Marne-Rhin Canal. The 137th Infantry had reached it near Saint-Nicolas-de-Port. At this point, the German resistance became strong again. Both regiments faced heavy fire.
On September 14, the 319th Infantry was ready to advance into Nancy itself. French resistance fighters told the American troops that the Germans had left the Forêt de Haye. On September 15, the 3rd Battalion, 319th Infantry entered Nancy. They faced no opposition and pushed through to the eastern edge of the city.
What Happened Next?
Capturing Nancy was important for the Allies. It gave them a key communications center in France. The city later became the headquarters for the Third Army. However, most of the German defenders escaped the city. They were able to fight in other battles during the Lorraine Campaign. The American success at Nancy also led to a German counter-attack at Arracourt.
