Infopedia:Today's featured article/February 23, 2023

American transportation in the Siegfried Line campaign of World War II played a crucial part in the military logistics of the campaign between September and December 1944. The Germans attempted to delay the Allied advance by denying access to ports and demolishing communications. Cherbourg was the only deep-water port in northwest Europe in Allied hands, and it had been badly damaged. Insufficient port capacity caused a backlog of ships awaiting discharge in European waters, precipitating a global shipping crisis. Additional capacity was obtained by opening Rouen, Le Havre and Antwerp. Port clearance then became a bottleneck. Motor transport was used until the railways could be brought back into service. Antwerp was subject to attack from German V-weapons, so it was considered unwise to unload ammunition there. The German Ardennes offensive in December threatened Antwerp and the depot areas around Liège, but by the year's end preparations were under way for the final assault on Germany.