What Is Bradley's Frontline Command

Bradley did not receive a frontline command until early 1943 after Operation

Torch. He had been given VIII Corps but instead was sent to North Africa to serve under

George S. Patton. He became head of II Corps in April and directed them in the final

battles of April and May. He then led his corps onto Sicily in July. In the approach to

Battle of Normandy Bradley was chosen to command the substantial First United States

Army First Army. During Operation Overlord he commanded three corps directed at the

areas codenamed Utah Omaha. Later in July he planned Operation Cobra, the beginning

of the breakout from the Normandy beachhead. By August, Bradley's command, the

newly created 12th Army Group, had swollen to over
Bradley's Army Group now covered a very wide front in hilly country, from the

Netherlands to Lorraine and, despite his being the largest Allied Army Group, there were

difficulties in prosecuting a successful broad-front offensive in difficult country with a

skilled enemy that was recovering his balance. U.S. First Army had difficulties in the

Aachen Gap and the Battle of Hurtgen Forest cost 24,000 casualties. Further south

George Patton's U.S. Third Army lost momentum as German resistance stiffened around

Metz's extensive defenses. While Bradley focused on these two campaigns, the Germans

had assembled troops and materiel for a surprise offensive. Bradley’s command took the

initial brunt of what would become the Battle of the Bulge.

Bradley used the advantage gained in March 1945 after Eisenhower authorized a difficult

but successful Allied offensive in February 1945 to break the German defenses and cross

the Rhine into the industrial heartland of the Ruhr area. Aggressive pursuit of the

decaying German troops by Bradley's forces resulted in the capture of a bridge across