Liberation of Belgium facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Liberation of Belgium |
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| Part of the Allied advance from Paris to the Rhine in World War II | |||||||||
 British tanks arrive in Brussels on 4 September 1944, ending the German occupation. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 United Kingdom United States Canada Poland Belgium Netherlands |
 Germany |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
 Bernard Montgomery Omar Bradley Alexander Patch |
 Adolf Hitler Walter Model |
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| Units involved | |||||||||
| 21st Army Group 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division 12th Army Group 106th Cavalry Regiment |
Army Group B | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 600,000 (U.S.) | |||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 81,000 (U.S.) | 100,000 (Germany) | ||||||||
The Liberation of Belgium was a key event during World War II. It was when Allied forces freed Belgium from being controlled by Nazi Germany. This operation started on 2 September 1944. The entire country was declared free on 4 February 1945.
Belgium had been under German control for four years. After the Allies captured Brussels on 4 September 1944, the Belgian government was able to return to power just four days later.
How the Liberation Began
The effort to free Belgium started with Allied armies moving east. They were coming from a major battle in Falaise, France. On 2 September, Canadian soldiers were among the first Allied troops to enter Belgium.
That same evening, British commanders planned a surprise move. They decided to drive quickly towards Brussels, the capital city, which was about 110 kilometers away. This news made the soldiers very excited. Even though they faced some fighting, the German forces were still disorganized from their recent defeat. British armored divisions led the way, moving fast into Belgium.
People in Brussels were not expecting the Allies to arrive so soon. Huge crowds gathered to welcome the soldiers. Their joy was so great that it actually slowed down the advancing troops!
On 4 September, more British troops joined the fight. They met little resistance. On the same day, the British Second Army captured Antwerp. This was a very important port city in northern Belgium. It had deep water facilities, which made it valuable for bringing in supplies. However, controlling the port fully required securing the nearby Scheldt river estuary. This led to a difficult and costly battle known as the Battle of the Scheldt.
A few days later, on 6 September, another Canadian armored division crossed into Belgium. They took control of areas around Ypres and Passchendaele, famous places from World War I.
Fighting for the Ghent Canal
Between 9 and 11 September, Polish armored forces tried to capture the Ghent Canal. This was a tough fight because the land was difficult to cross. The Polish soldiers faced strong German resistance and suffered many losses.
Further along the river, about 5 kilometers south of Bruges, Canadian forces launched an attack on 8 September. They broke through German lines two days later, despite heavy enemy fire. They managed to open a narrow crossing over the river, which they slowly expanded.
The Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes
In early September 1944, American forces captured areas south of Brussels. These U.S. troops were spread out thinly. Their defensive line stretched from south of Liège, through the Ardennes forest, and into Luxembourg. This area was considered a "quiet sector" by the Americans. They used it to let tired units rest between September and 16 December.
However, on 16 December, Adolf Hitler launched Germany's last major attack on the Western Front. This surprise attack is known as the Battle of the Bulge. Hitler wanted his forces to push through the Ardennes Forest. His goal was to capture the coastal city of Antwerp. German armies attacked the American forces in the region.
On the morning of 16 December, German artillery fired for two hours, surprising the Allies. When the German troops attacked, it was foggy. This meant the Allies could not use their airplanes to help their ground troops. After advancing about 97 kilometers in two days, the Germans were stopped. By 22 December, the weather cleared. This allowed Allied planes to resupply their soldiers.
Fierce fighting continued until mid-January. German tank units eventually ran out of fuel. The battle ended with the Germans retreating completely. About 600,000 U.S. troops were involved in this battle. It was the largest ground battle the U.S. Army has ever fought. Around 81,000 U.S. soldiers were killed or wounded. German losses were also very high.
