Battle of Metz
| Battle of Metz | |||||||||
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| Part of the Lorraine Campaign, World War II | |||||||||
 Troops of the U.S. 5th Infantry Division entering Metz on 18 November 1944. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 United States
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 Nazi Germany
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| George S. Patton | Otto von Knobelsdorff | ||||||||
The Battle of Metz was a battle fought during World War II at the city of Metz, France, from late September 1944 through mid-December between the U.S. Third Army commanded by Lieutenant General George Patton and the German Army commanded by General Otto von Knobelsdorff. Strong German resistance resulted in heavy casualties for both sides. The city was captured by U.S. forces and hostilities formally ceased on November 22; the last of the forts defending Metz surrendered on December 13.
Metz is located between the rivers Moselle and Seille. The fortifications of Metz consisted of several forts and observation posts with connecting entrenchments and tunnels. The city had fallen to the German forces when France was defeated in 1940. Following the fall of France, the city was immediately annexed to the Third Reich. Most of the Nazi dignitaries assumed it was obvious that Metz, where so many German army officers were born, was a German city. At that time, the Wehrmacht did not consider it an important location and the city's defenses were reduced with many guns and equipment removed.
However, as the Allied forces advanced rapidly into German-held territory following the Normandy landings, Metz became an important location for the German command to organize its defenses and attempt to contain the Allied advance. By the end of August 1944, German forces in Lorraine had managed to reestablish a defensive line and the U.S. Third Army had come to a halt in face of the German defenses, resulting in a brief pause of operations in this area of the western front. According to an order issued by Hitler in March 1944, fortress commanders were ordered to allow their forts to be surrounded if necessary and hold them, surrendering only with Hitler's approval. Metz was required to follow this order by early September, since the U.S. Third Army led by General George S. Patton had reached Verdun and was posing a threat to the Sarre region of Germany. The German command intended to obtain more time for the strengthening of the West Wall through this strategy. The defense was undertaken by the German First Army, commanded by General Otto von Knobelsdorff. The number of German troops positioned in the vicinity of Metz was equivalent to four and a half divisions.
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