Operation Plunder

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Operation Plunder
Part of the Western Allied invasion of Germany in the Western Front of the European theatre of World War II
U.S. 89th Division crossing the Rhine under fire
Date 23–27 March 1945 (1945-03-23 – 1945-03-27) Location Lower Rhine region, Germany Result Allied victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom  United States  Canada	Germany
Commanders and leaders
Bernard Montgomery Miles Dempsey William H. Simpson	Johannes Blaskowitz Alfred Schlemm
Units involved
21st Army Group British 2nd Army U.S. 9th Army 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade[1]	Army Group H 1st Parachute Army
Strength
1,284,712 men 5,481 artillery pieces[2]	69,000 men 45 tanks
Casualties and losses
United Kingdom 3,968 casualties[3] United States 2,813 casualties[3] 6,781 casualties total	16,000 captured[3]

Operation Plunder was a military operation to cross the Rhine on the night of 23 March 1945, launched by the 21st Army Group under Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery. The crossing of the river was at Rees, Wesel, and south of the river Lippe by the British Second Army under Lieutenant General Miles Dempsey, and the United States Ninth Army under Lieutenant General William H. Simpson. The battle of the Rhine was crucial for the advancement of USA and the allies.

The First Allied Airborne Army conducted Operation Varsity on the east bank of the Rhine in support of Operation Plunder, consisting of U.S. XVIII Airborne Corps, the British 6th and the U.S. 17th Airborne Divisions.

Preparations such as accumulation of supplies, road construction, and the transport of 36 Royal Navy landing craft, were hidden by a massive smoke screen from 16 March. The operation commenced on the night of 23 March 1945. It included the Varsity parachute and glider landings near Wesel, and Operation Archway, by the Special Air Service.