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The first and northernmost fortified group in the Maginot Line east of the Moselle was the
Metrich Group with a system of fire tied in with old fort Koenigsmacher 1,000 yds to the south.
Metz and its surrounding ring of steel, as can be seen, formed a formidable obstacle; but, the
route of XX Corps had to be cleared at almost any cost. Dominating the surrounding countryside, the
citadel of Metz could force the entire Third Army to lengthen its supply lines by 100 miles in order to
by-pass the ring of forts.
Leading also through the historic city were three of the classic invasion routes into Germany: 1)
the valley of the Moselle leading northeast through Trier (used in the November push); 2) the
Kaiserslautern Pass, leading east through Saarbrucken; and 3) the Saverne Gap, pointing east to
Strasbourg and the Rhine. These were tempting vistas to the Third Army’s armored columns.
Metz was a crossroads of this part of Europe. To bypass Metz would also leave a grave threat to
the rear installations and supply lines. To contain the ring of forts with their strong garrison, it would be
necessary to leave behind several divisions, needed for the all-out drive into Germany.
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