World Battlefronts: Durable Driant

Hell-for-leather Lieut. General George S. Patton fumed, and he had reason. A tank expert who specialized in roving maneuver, he was now forced to measure his progress in yards. His Third Army was barred from the Saar by defenses west of the Siegfried Line. Core of his army's troubles was a 43 -year-old French fort manned by former cadets of the German officers' school at Metz.

Fort Driant, south of Metz on the Moselle River, is three-quarters of a mile long by half a mile wide. Built as a defense against German invasion, it...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!