THE FIRST BATTLE FOR KESTERNICH: Hurtgen Forest, The Ardennes, Roer/Urft Dams, December 1944

1-251970

A detailed study of the Battle of Kesternich, revealing its strategic impact during the Ardennes Offensive. Drawing on both American and German archival sources, including untranslated German Foreign Military Studies and firsthand oral histories, re-examines the complexity and strategic implications of this little-known battle. Through a tapestry of combat reports, personal recollections, and previously inaccessible documentation, restores Kesternich to its rightful place in the narrative of the European Theater. It reveals not only a forgotten battle but also the evolving nature of mid-war tactics, training, and organization on both sides of the front. Contains over 100 photographs and maps.