Battle of Kassel (1945)

Battle of Kassel
Part of the Western Allied invasion of Germany in the Western Front of the European theatre of World War II
Date 1–4 April 1945 Location Kassel, Germany Result American victory
Belligerents
United States	Germany
Commanders and leaders
Horace McBride	Johannes Erxleben
Units involved
80th Infantry Division	510th Heavy Panzer Battalion 511th Heavy Panzer Battalion elements of unknown other units[1]
Strength
unknown	6,000
Casualties and losses
unknown	50+ killed 5,400+ captured

The Battle of Kassel was a four-day struggle between the U.S. Army and the German Army in April 1945 for Kassel, a medium-sized city 140 kilometers northeast of Frankfurt am Main, which also is the second-largest city in Hesse (after Frankfurt). The battle resulted as the U.S. Third Army pushed northeast from the region of Frankfurt and Mainz. The battle opened on April 1, 1945 and ended with an American victory three days later. Opposing the Third Army's 80th Infantry Division were an infantry replacement battalion, some heavy tanks, and anti-aircraft guns.^[1] Although the Germans gave battle at Kassel, their army was on the brink of collapse as the Western Allies and the Red Army made deep inroads into Germany. The defense of Kassel did not materially impede the Allied advance, and, one month after the battle ended, Germany was forced to capitulate.