The Final Push: How the Ninetieth Infantry Division Crossed Hitler's Last Barrier

Описание: On March twenty-third, nineteen forty-five, First Lieutenant Robert Henderson crouched on the banks of the Rhine River, writing what he thought might be his final letter home. Hours later, he would lead Fox Company across Hitler's last natural barrier in the largest single-day river crossing in military history. This is the story of the Ninetieth Infantry Division—the "Tough 'Ombres"—and their transformation from failure to triumph.
Drawn from declassified NARA records, official U.S. Army histories, and first-hand veteran accounts, this video chronicles the division's journey from the disaster of Normandy to redemption at the Rhine. We explore the brutal combat in the hedgerows, the desperate fighting during the Battle of the Bulge, and the final victorious push into Germany that covered one hundred eighty miles in eighteen days.
This is a story of ordinary Americans—farmers from Texas, factory workers from Oklahoma—who became the soldiers that broke the Wehrmacht. They suffered eighteen thousand casualties across eleven months of continuous combat, captured over one hundred nineteen thousand German prisoners, and liberated hundreds of towns. Their courage under fire earned four Medals of Honor and thousands of lesser decorations. Their sacrifice secured freedom for millions.
We honor the Greatest Generation by telling their stories with accuracy, depth, and the respect they deserve. If your family served in World War Two, please share their story in the comments below. Subscribe to this channel to ensure these stories of American valor continue to be told for generations to come.
Sources:
• National Archives and Records Administration - "Ninetieth Infantry Division Combat Operations Reports" - https://catalog.archives.gov/
• U.S. Army Center of Military History - "The Rhineland Campaign 1944-1945" - https://history.army.mil/
• Library of Congress Veterans History Project - "Ninetieth Infantry Division Oral Histories" - https://www.loc.gov/vets/
• After Action Reports, Ninetieth Infantry Division, March 1945 - NARA Record Group 407
• James Van Fleet Papers, George C. Marshall Research Library - https://www.marshallfoundation.org/