The Victory Engineers: Anglo-Canadian and American Engineering Operations in Northwest Europe 1944-1945
“When another night came the columns, changed to purple streaks, filed across two pontoon bridges. A glaring fire wine-tinted the waters of the river. Its rays, shining upon the moving masses of troops, brought forth here and there sudden gleams of silver or gold.” -Stephen Crane The Victory Engineers: Anglo-Canadian and American Engineering Operations in Northwest Europe 1944-1945. By Eric Burton Greisinger M.A., History, Indiana University Of Pennsylvania, 2001 B.A., History, Saint Vincent College, 1999 A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor Of Philosophy in the Graduate Academic Unit of History Supervisor: J. Marc Milner, PhD., History Examining Board: Trevor Hanson, PhD., Civil Engineering, Chair David Charters, PhD., History Lee Windsor, PhD., History External Examiner: Roger Sarty, PhD., History, Wilfrid Laurier University This dissertation is accepted by the Dean of Graduate Studies THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW BRUNSWICK June, 2015 ©Eric B. Greisinger, 2015 ABSTRACT Volumes of studies have investigated the strategy and tactics used in pursuit of Allied victory in Northwest Europe during World War II. These focus primarily on the actions of the combat arms – infantry, armor, and artillery – with vital supporting elements such as engineering given limited exposure. This is unfortunate, since the victory of mechanized Allied armies would have been impossible without effective combat engineer support. This study presents the operations of Anglo-Canadian and American engineering troops during the Northwest European campaign, highlighting the efforts of such troops as vibrant, necessary elements in the pursuit and final defeat of German forces in 1945. Drawing upon extant source material this study highlights Allied engineering equipment, doctrine and operations as the foundation for Allied operational and tactical mobility.
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