TheLiberation of Belgium fromGerman occupation began on 2 September 1944 whenAllied forces entered the province ofHainaut^[1] and was completed on 4 February 1945 with the liberation of the village ofKrewinkel.^[2] The liberation came after four years ofGerman-occupied rule. TheBelgian government was returned to power on 8 September 1944 after Allied forces had capturedBrussels four days earlier.^[3]

Liberation of Belgium
Part of theAllied advance from Paris to the Rhine inWorld War II
British tanks arrive in Brussels on 4 September 1944, ending the German occupation.
Date 2 September 1944 – 4 February 1945 Location Belgium Result Allied victory Territorial changes Belgium liberated from German occupation
Belligerents
United Kingdom  United States  Canada Poland Belgium Netherlands	Germany
Commanders and leaders
Bernard Montgomery Omar Bradley	Adolf Hitler Walter Model
Units involved
21st Army Group 1st US Army	Army Group B
Strength
600,000 (U.S.)
Casualties and losses
81,000 (U.S.)	100,000 (Germany)

The liberation began with21st Army Group heading eastwards from thebreakout from Falaise. Units ofXXX Corps, including the2nd Canadian Division entered Belgium on 2 September.Forge-Philippe [fr], located on the French border, was the first settlement to be liberated,^[4] althoughLa Glanerie [fr] also claims that honor.^[5]

On the evening of 2 SeptemberBrian Horrocks briefed officers of theGuards Armoured Division inDouai that their objective for the following day would beBrussels, 110km further east.^[1] The announcement was greeted with "delighted astonishment". The Division suffered casualties on their drive into Belgium but with the Germans still in disarray after their defeat at Falaise, theHousehold Cavalry on the British left and theGrenadier Guards on the right led the way with the Welsh and Irish Guards following close behind.

People in the Belgian capital had not expected to be liberated that soon, and huge crowds greeted and slowed the liberators. As Brussels was being liberated, an attempt by the Germans to deport 1,600 political prisoners and Alliedprisoners of war from Brussels toconcentration camps in Germany via theNazi ghost train was thwarted by Belgian railway workers and the Belgian resistance.^[6]

The Welsh Guards advanced from Douai on 3 September crossing into Belgium with minimal resistance until they met some atHalle, but they pressed on that day to Brussels.^[1][7] TheBritish Second Army capturedAntwerp, the port city on the riverScheldt in northern Belgium, close to theNetherlands, on 4 September. In the following days and weeks, theBattle of the Scheldt claimed many lives, as the port of Antwerp could not be operated effectively without control of theScheldt estuary.^[8] Antwerp was the first port to be captured by the Allies in near perfect condition, making it very valuable, especially with its deep water facilities. On 6 September, the4th Canadian Armoured Division crossed the border with Belgium and took areas aroundYpres andPasschendaele.^[9]

After the capture of Brussels the Germans formed a defensive line in the municipality ofHechtel.^[10] There they held against the Welsh Guards, in what is known as theBattle of Hechtel,^[11] until 12 September, when the Irish Guards made a flanking maneuver, capturing Bridge number 9 (Joe's Bridge), and isolating the Germans.^[12]

Between 9 and 11 September, the1st Polish Armoured Division attempted to capture control of theGhent Canal, which resulted in heavy losses for the Poles after they had run into fierce resistance over difficult terrain. Further up the river, 3 miles (5 kilometres) south ofBruges, the 4th Canadian Armoured Division launchedan offensive on 8 September and broke through two days later, after coming under heavymortar fire. A narrow river crossing was opened and extended slowly due to heavy enemy resistance.^{[citation needed]}

TheFirst United States Army, under GeneralCourtney Hodges, captured areas south of Brussels in early September 1944. The U.S. units were spread very thinly from south ofLiège, through theArdennes and intoLuxembourg, leaving their defensive line lightly reinforced. Between September and 16 December, the Ardennes Forest was the "quiet sector"—the Americans used this area to rest tired units.^{[citation needed]}

Adolf Hitler launched Germany's last offensive of the Western Front on 16 December, known as theBattle of the Bulge. He intended to push through theArdennes Forest with the6th Panzer Division advancing and capturing the coastal town of Antwerp.^[13] TheFifth Panzer Army, under German generalHasso von Manteuffel,^[14] was to attack the U.S. forces in the region, and the7th German Army was to attack to the south to cut off supplies and create abuffer zone.^{[citation needed]}

On the morning of the 16 December, a two-hour German artillery bombardment startled the Allies. When the German forces attacked, it was foggy, and the Allies could not use their air superiority to resupply ground units. On 18 December, after advancing 60 miles (97 kilometres) in two days,^[13] the Germans reached a point ofstalemate. By the 22nd, the weather had cleared, allowing the Allies to be resupplied. Vicious fighting followed and ended in mid-January, when the German tank units began to run out of fuel.^[15]

The battle ended with the Germans in full retreat. 600,000 U.S. troops were involved in the battle, which made it the largest ground battle that the U.S. Army has ever fought: 81,000 U.S. troops were killed or wounded. Estimates ofGerman casualties range from 67,675 to 125,000 killed, wounded and missing.

• Belgian Government Information Center (1946).The Liberation of Belgium. New York: Belgian Government Information Center.OCLC 4251364.

• Entry into Brussels, newsreel onBritish Pathé YouTube Channel
• Antwerp (1944), newsreel onBritish Pathé YouTube Channel