For 26 hours, U.S. troops had been locked in intense fighting inside Cherbourg. But on the city’s perimeter, formidable Maginot-type forts—begun by Vauban in the 17th century, enhanced by Napoleon in 1808, and perfected by Todt in the 1940s—still resisted fiercely.
On a hillside near Octeville, overlooking the southwest approaches to the port, Major General Manton S. Eddy, commander of the 9th Division, stood with one of his regimental commanders. Together, they watched the barrel of a machine gun that was firing across a vast quarry. Following its line of fire, they could make out the mouth of a tunnel.
Suddenly, a white flag appeared at the tunnel entrance. A German lieutenant emerged, holding it aloft with rigid formality. He stepped into the open, first turning to the right, then to the left, and finally facing General Eddy, each movement deliberate and precise. With a slight dip of the flag, he signaled his intention.
Eddy gave a brief, deliberate nod, motioning for the lieutenant to approach. The German officer stepped forward and, with a crisp salute, delivered the message: he came on behalf of Lieutenant General Karl Wilhelm Dietrich von Schlieben, the military commander of Cherbourg, and Rear Admiral Walter Hennecke, the naval commander. They sought to arrange for an officer to be sent into the tunnel to escort them out for formal surrender.
Nazi Underground
The Germans in the tunnel did not wait for the designated American officer to conduct them. Instead, a steady stream of them poured out, led by their commander.
Standing at an imposing six feet three, Lieutenant General Karl Wilhelm Dietrich von Schlieben emerged, his black helmet gleaming under the dim light, and the Iron Cross hanging at his throat. He looked like a man defeated. His once-pristine grey-green greatcoat was mud-splattered and deeply creased, his weary face drawn and gray. The starch had gone out of both him and his uniform.
Admiral Walter Hennecke followed, his expression as harsh as ever, his hawk-like nose tilted in a gesture of condescension. Recently awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross, Hennecke’s spirits had been momentarily lifted. The citation for his decoration read, “Hennecke performed a feat unique in the history of coastal defense, carrying out an exemplary destruction of the port of Cherbourg.” His triumph, however, was tainted by the stark reality of their surrender.
Surrender and Small Talk
Major General Manton S. Eddy, now in control of the situation, transported his prisoners to his headquarters. Inside his command car, he offered them his best brandy, while he radioed Major General Joseph Lawton Collins, the commander of VII Corps. “Lightning Joe” Collins responded quickly, saying he’d be over shortly.
As they waited, Eddy made an attempt at small talk, but Schlieben was silent, and only Hennecke seemed willing to engage. The conversation, however, was stiff and strained, a far cry from the cordiality that might have been expected under different circumstances.
The Form of Surrender
When Collins arrived, the formality of the meeting was as stiff as a military inspection on the grounds of West Point. He asked Schlieben to surrender the entire garrison of Cherbourg. Schlieben’s answer was blunt and emphatic: “Nein!”
Collins pressed further, arguing that it was unjust for Schlieben to surrender himself alone, leaving his men to continue the fight and, in many cases, die. Schlieben, however, was unyielding. His experiences in Russia had taught him the value of delaying tactics, especially those employed by small, holdout groups.
With a resigned nod, Collins dismissed Schlieben and Hennecke. They were driven away past grinning military police, while the mop-up operation continued.
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The Lower Levels of Resistance
Schlieben’s strategy of small, holdout groups would buy a few more hours of delay. Time and again, U.S. forces cleared one level of a Vauban-Todt fort, only to find that Germans would emerge from a lower level, continuing the fight.
The extensive tunnel system under Cherbourg proved valuable to the defenders. Initially, around 300 German soldiers emerged from the network, and later, another 500 more came from deeper underground.
The 2nd Battalion of one of the 9th Division’s regiments stormed Fort Equeurdreville, a heavily fortified position on the extreme left of the line. Meanwhile, in the center, Major General Ira Wyche’s 79th Division shattered the layers of Fort du Roule, and on the right, Major General Raymond O. Barton’s 4th Division pushed toward the waterfront.
The Germans fought fiercely, exacting a heavy toll on U.S. forces. They fought with brutal determination up until the point of near annihilation. At Fort du Roule, there were even disputes among the German soldiers about whether to surrender. Few chose to die for the Führer despite orders to fight to the death. Many fought their final battle with a revolver at their backs, and the battle’s intensity was underscored by the observations of TIME correspondent Charles Christian Wertenbaker: “The prisoners do not look gallant now; in fact, they never were very gallant.”
Covering the Waterfront
As the U.S. forces pressed on, Admiral Hennecke’s naval gunners continued to defend the port from waterside batteries with names such as Bromm, Yorck, Hamburg, and Landemer. The American response was swift and overwhelming. Rear Admiral Morton L. Deyo, leading a division of ancient U.S. battleships, including the Nevada, Texas, and Arkansas, as well as four cruisers and seven destroyers, pounded the German positions relentlessly.
Deyo, however, had a strategic concern: “This port is going to be ours, so we don’t want to mess it up more than we have to,” he told his gunnery officers. Despite his caution, the barrage from both sides caused significant damage to Cherbourg before U.S. forces, led by Commodore William A. Sullivan, could begin the port’s restoration.
The Aftermath of Destruction
By the time the port’s initial observers arrived, they were shocked by the level of destruction. Major General Cecil Ray Moore, the chief engineer for ETOUSA, remarked that Hennecke had “knocked hell out of the port,” but noted that it was “in better shape than I expected.”
Cherbourg had originally been a passenger port, not equipped to handle the large volume of military supplies needed for the invasion. With only 155,000 tons of freight handled in 1938 compared to the 1.3 million tons handled by Caen, Cherbourg was ill-suited to support the massive flow of supplies. However, plans had been in place for a year to rehabilitate the port, and with the help of U.S. Navy Seabees and Army Engineers, work on its reconstruction began immediately.
The goal was clear: supplies for two divisions needed to flow in quickly. By the end of the week, it was estimated that “a few weeks” would be sufficient to restore Cherbourg to a level capable of supporting the massive logistics operation needed to sustain General Montgomery’s ongoing offensive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the significance of Cherbourg in the context of WWII?
Cherbourg was a crucial port during the Normandy Invasion, serving as the primary logistical hub for the Allied forces. Capturing it allowed the Allies to begin moving supplies, reinforcements, and equipment into France, significantly aiding the momentum of their campaign across Western Europe.
Who were the key German commanders involved in the surrender?
The key German commanders in the surrender of Cherbourg were Lieutenant General Karl Wilhelm Dietrich von Schlieben, the military commander of the city, and Rear Admiral Walter Hennecke, the naval commander responsible for the port defenses.
What did the Germans do after they surrendered?
After their surrender, the German officers were driven to U.S. headquarters, where Major General Manton S. Eddy offered them brandy. While waiting for Major General Joseph Lawton Collins, the officers engaged in formal discussions about the terms of their surrender, but ultimately Schlieben refused to surrender the entire garrison, instead opting for small holdout groups to continue resisting.
Why did General Schlieben refuse to surrender the entire garrison?
Schlieben’s refusal to surrender the entire garrison stemmed from his past experiences, particularly in Russia, where he learned the value of delaying tactics by small, holdout groups. He believed that by delaying the inevitable, he could buy more time for his forces, even if it meant prolonging the suffering of the men under his command.
How did the U.S. forces deal with the German holdout groups?
The small, holdout groups managed to delay the U.S. advance by emerging from lower levels of the Vauban-Todt fortifications and tunnel systems. The U.S. forces had to clear each level repeatedly, with more German soldiers emerging from the depths of the fortifications. This prolonged the battle but ultimately ended with the destruction or surrender of the remaining German forces.
What was the state of Cherbourg after the battle?
Cherbourg was heavily damaged during the battle, particularly the port infrastructure. The German naval batteries inflicted significant damage to the port’s waterfront, and Admiral Hennecke’s demolition efforts made the area nearly unusable. However, U.S. engineers quickly began working to repair and restore the port, ensuring that it could eventually support the logistical needs of the Allied forces.
How long did it take to restore Cherbourg’s port?
The restoration of Cherbourg’s port was estimated to take a few weeks. Although the port was initially in a poor state, engineers and Navy Seabees worked quickly to rebuild its capacity. The port had once been a passenger terminal with limited freight capabilities, but efforts were made to expand its capacity to handle supplies for two divisions, vital for sustaining General Montgomery’s offensive.
What role did U.S. Navy and Army engineers play in Cherbourg’s rehabilitation?
U.S. Navy Seabees and Army Engineers were instrumental in the rapid rehabilitation of Cherbourg’s port. They used pre-existing plans for the port’s restoration, developed a year before its liberation, to restore essential infrastructure and make the port operational for the flow of supplies to the front lines.
Conclusion
The surrender of Cherbourg marked a pivotal moment in the Allied campaign during World War II. The formal and reluctant capitulation of German commanders, including Lieutenant General Karl Wilhelm Dietrich von Schlieben and Rear Admiral Walter Hennecke, highlighted both the brutal resistance and the eventual inevitability of defeat. Despite their efforts to delay the Allied forces, the German defenders could not hold out forever, and the combination of strategic leadership and relentless combat led to the capture of the vital port.
The destruction of Cherbourg’s infrastructure by the retreating German forces posed significant challenges. Still, the swift action by U.S. Navy Seabees and Army Engineers ensured that the port would soon be restored and operational. This restoration was crucial to sustaining the momentum of the Allied advance, providing the logistical backbone needed to support subsequent offensives, particularly in the push toward Germany.
