Inspired by true events, this short film is a tale of isolation and survival during the battle of the hurtgen forest. When trumpets fade is the best movie ever made about the battle of hurtgen forest. To put it mildly, the forest was the ideal place to defend. Yet the battle of hurtgen forest is largely forgotten. This was the first documentary series produced for television. Battle of hurtgen forest battlefield 1 bazooka 1 begins with text 1 bloody dog tag 1 british police whistle 1 burned to death 1 christmas 1 combat 1 cowardice 1 crawling 1 dog tag 1 dragons teeth tank trap 1 ends with text 1 facial scar 1 field promotion 1 flak 37 88 mm gun 1 flame thrower 1 flamethrower 1. Battle of the teutoburg forest autumn, 9 ce, conflict between the roman empire and germanic insurgents. Factbased war drama about an american battalion of over 500 men which gets trapped behind enemy lines in the argonne forest in october 1918 france. The battle of hurtgen forest was overshadowed by the american victory in the battle of the bulge, and as a result, few books and articles have been written about it. Mcdonald was a highly decorated junior officer in wwii and was very aware of the conditions and mindset of leadership values utilized on the european battlefield of those times.
Belgian guests were occasionally invited to movie screenings in a nearby. When trumpets fade is a 1998 hbo television movie directed by john irvin and starring ron eldard, frank whaley, zak orth, and dylan bruno. Although it is little remembered today, the battle for the hurtgen forest was one of the worst defeats ever suffered by the u. Most people have heard the story of the frontline, christmastime, truce in france during world war one, partially due to its retelling in the 2005 movie, joyeux noel, but not many have heard of the small christmas eve truce forced upon a handful of american and german soldiers by a godly german woman during the. When trumpets fade tv movie 1998 when trumpets fade. Schlacht im hurtgenwald was a series of fierce battles. The battle for hurtgen forest was a difficult book to finish, not because the subject matter the bloodiest and most futile american campaign of the war in western europe was so disheartening, but because the book is so poorly written. American troops man a machine gun in a captured german position during the 1944 battle of hurtgen forest.
The germanic leader arminius ambushed three roman legions headed by publius quinctilius varus. Us troops who fought in the hurtgen forest nicknamed it the death factory. Sep 09, 2019 the battle of the hurtgen forest on the germanbelgian border in september to december 1944 is rightly remembered as the meat grinder, when us troops endured heavy casualties at the hands of. Based on the title of general eisenhowers book, combat film from from world war ii. Schlacht im hurtgenwald was a series of fierce battles fought from 19 september to 16 december 1944, between american and german forces on the western front during world war ii, in the hurtgen forest, a 140 km 2 54 sq mi area about 5 km 3. The battle of the huertgen forest was first published in 1963. Hurtgen forest was a grinding battle of attrition similar to the slaughter of ww1s western front.
Most popular hurtgen forest movies and tv shows imdb. Films2027 official hurtgen film, directed by coilin donaghy. Into the woods from september 1944 to february 1945, american and german forces fought over the hurtgen forest, an area of wooded hills on the border between belgium and germany. Air force f16 fighting falcon fighter aircraft assigned to the 18th aggressor squadron takes off from eielson air force base, alaska. Hurtgenwald is located along the border between belgium and germany, in the southwest corner of the german federal state of north rhinewestphalia. Us troops on a trench line in the hurtgen forest, the border between. When trumpets fade tv movie 1998 when trumpets fade tv. Battle of huertgen forest the longest battle of the second world war on german soil during the autumn and winter of 194445, the longest battle of the second world war on german soil took place in the huertgen forest. A flourishing resort since the 1500sthe german travelguide publisher karl baedeker had called it the oldest european wateringplace of any importancespa reached its zenith in the 18th century with visits by peter the great and other potentates keen to promenade beneath the elms or. Patrick talbot devon gummersall as lonnie dan futterman as doug despin steven petrarca as baxter dwight yoakam as lieutenant colonel martin donovan as capt. Battle of hurtgen forest by september 1944, the allied offensive in western europe had swept from the normandy beaches all the way to the west wall, or siegfried line, the formidable defensive position along the german border consisting of concrete bunkers fronted by. Hbo made a film about the battle of the hurtgen forest, when trumpets fade 1998. Along a road that rises from the kall river valley to the town of schmidt, there is still a length of tank track that melted.
Battle of hurtgen forest, revisited military times. With ron eldard, zak orth, frank whaley, dylan bruno. This is a lessknown but very impressive battle during the allied 1944autumn offensives in western europe. Scarcely 50 square miles km 2 in area, the forest lies within a triangle outlined by the german towns of aachen, monschau, and duren. From september 1944 to february 1945, american and german forces fought over the hurtgen forest, an area of wooded hills on the border between belgium and germany. This might be due to the fact that its closed in by the famous operation market garden and the battle of the bulge. In september 1944, three months after the invasion of normandy, allied armies prepared to push german forces back into their homeland. Plus a discussion about the hand to hand, house to house close combat, that ensued, to. We hope to capture this gritty and brutal landscape in hurtgen movie. A private in the latter days of wwii on the german front struggles between his will to survive and what his superiors perceive as a battlefield instinct. The battle of hurtgen forest is very well researched and contains excellent details and descriptions of attacks, battles, battlefield exploits and heroics.
Here, a 9th infantry division soldier walks down a muddy road. David manning zak orth as warren sandy sanderson frank whaley as medic chamberlain dylan bruno as sgt. First army set up its winter headquarters in the belgian town of spa. Hurtgen forest was a grinding battle of attrition similar. The hurtgen forest is located along the border between belgium and. The battle was the longest battle fought on german soil during the war. Jan 28, 2014 when trumpets fade is the best movie ever made about the battle of hurtgen forest. The battle of the huertgen forest, first published in 1963 and written by official department of the army historian charles b. Hurtgen forest archival footage 2 atlantic wall 2 bazooka 2 d day 2 dragons teeth tank trap 2 flame thrower 2 siegfried line 2 world war two 2 year 1944 2 1940s 1 aachen gap 1 aachen germany 1 allies 1 american soldier 1 anzio 1 armed forces 1 arnhem holland 1 autumn 1 backhand slap 1 barbed wire 1 barbed. The three month battle from septemberdecember 1944 inflicted 24,000 casualties on the u. During the winter of 1944 before the battle of the bulge. Most popular battle of hurtgen forest movies and tv shows refine see titles to watch instantly. This is a video featuring the allied army fightning against the german army during. The first american unit involved in the hurtgen forest battle was the 9th infantry division.
A reporter wrote that even in battle he sounds like a georgia farmer leaning on the. The 22d pulled out of the forest on 3 december and headed for luxembourg. Only the battles of the bulge, okinawa, and iwo jima resulted in more casualties for the u. Ww2 battle of hurtgen forest hill 493 call of duty ww2. Most popular battle of hurtgen forest movies and tv shows imdb. The view as you commence your journey into hurtgen forest. Friedrich lengfeld was a german officer in the wehrmacht who died in november 1944 during the battle of hurtgen forest hurtgenwald whilst trying to save the life of a u. The battle caused numerous casualties on both sides.
It might as well be an unpopular item for american historywriting because of. Anyone familiar with the battle knows it will be bleak if realistic. Dec 07, 2017 films2027 official hurtgen film, directed by coilin donaghy. The site of one of the bloodiest battlegrounds for u. This documentary features original film from us archives that bring. Instead, the regiment fought its way through the woods virtually unsupported in a battle of attrition against three german divisions and elements of two. The battle of hurtgen forest was a series of battles fought between german and american forces in hurtgen forest. Battle of hurtgen forest 1 battle of the bulge 1 battlefield 1. It is the type of movie that could not have been made before its time. First released on june 27, 1998, the film is set in world war ii during the battle of the hurtgen forest.
Clades variana by roman historians, took place in the teutoburg forest in 9 ce, when an alliance of germanic tribes ambushed and destroyed three roman legions and their auxiliaries, led by publius quinctilius varus. The longest land battle in us history was a huge mistake. Jun 18, 1988 the battle of the hurtgen forest would take place in summer and fall of 1944 and the battle of the bulge that started on my birthday ten yrs. Here is a good war movie called the battle of hurtgen forest it was a series of fierce battles fought from 19 september to 16 december 1944. Archival footage 1 autumn 1 backhand slap 1 barbed wire fence 1 battle of hurtgen forest battlefield 1 bazooka 1 begins with text 1 bloody dog tag 1 british police whistle 1 burned to death 1. Battle of crucifix hill when trumpets fade, a 1998 hbo film which depicts the battle.
Arminius destroyed all three legions and ultimately prevented rome from subjugating germania east of the rhine river. Macdonald, recounts the story of one of the bloodiest battles of world war ii. The conflict eventually inflicted 33,000 american casualties. The 22d infantry entered the hurtgen forest expecting a lowcost success. Sergeant thomas nycum oversees vital communications. Instead, the regiment fought its way through the woods virtually unsupported in a battle of attrition against three german divisions and elements of two others. Notably, he may also be the only german soldier whom received a monument from former u. The bloodbath in the hurtgen forest was a battle that could have been avoided. I was unaware of author charles whiting before, and after reading just a few chapters, i did a little research to find out just who he wasi downloaded this.
The allies failed to capture the area and the germans held it until they launched the ardennes offensive. The rugged terrain of the hurtgen forest was the scene of a long, bloody, drawnout battle during world war ii, often referred to as the battle of hurtgen forest, which took place over three months during a very cold winter from 19 september 1944 to 10 february 1945. Early in the morning of september 14th, 1944, elements of the 9th infantry division, supported by the 746th tank battalion started their advance across the belgian german border at the villages of roetgen and monschau. Dec 24, 2019 the battle of the hurtgen ended in a german defensive victory234 and the whole offensive was a dismal failure for the allies. The battle of the hurtgen ended in a german defensive victory234 and the whole offensive was a dismal failure for the allies. Battle of hurtgen forest, revisited december 3, 2012 a u. The battle of the hurtgen forest started 75 years ago today. Schlacht im teutoburger wald, hermannsschlacht, or varusschlacht, described as the varian disaster latin. Based on a true story, the hurtgen forest battle, where 24,000 soldiers died, this film shows, without any clemency or romance, how stupid a war is. Most popular battle of hurtgen forest movies and tv.
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