Editing World War II (section)

===Invasion of Germany===
[[File:WWII,_Europe,_Germany,_"U.S._First_Army_at_Remagen_Bridge_before_four_hours_before_it_collapsed_into_the_Rhine"_-_NARA_-_195341.jpg|thumb|Ludendorff Bridge, March 1945]]
The final obstacle to the Allies was the Rhine River, which was crossed in late March 1945, aided by the fortuitous capture of the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen. Also, Operation Varsity, a parachute-assault in late March, got a foothold on the east bank of the Rhine River. Once the Allies had crossed the Rhine, the British fanned out northeast towards Hamburg, crossing the Elbe River and moving on towards Denmark and the Baltic Sea.

The Ruhr region of Germany contained most of its heavy industry, and was vital to the German war effort.  Once across the Rhine, the U.S. 12th Army group, numbering over 1.3 million men, encircled the Ruhr.  Under General Omar Bradley, they reduced the pocket, capturing some 300,000 German soldiers commanded by Field Marshal Walther Model.  The Americans then turned east, halting their advance at the Elbe River where they met up with Soviet troops in mid-April.