Ken Hechler The Bridge at Remagen

On 7 March 1945, the Allied nations thrilled to the news of a stunning victory. Shortly after three o'clock in the afternoon, a small group of American infantrymen, engineers and tank personnel captured the Ludendorf Bridge at Remagen and made their way across the Rhine. From that victory sprang momentous consequences: Field Marshal von Rundstedt was dismissed as Commander-in-Chief of the German armies in the West, and nearly 50,000 German soldiers were taken as prisoners of war. Germany's defeat was brought weeks closer - saving thousands of American and British lives. The Bridge at Remagen, based on extensive interviews with German and American participants, is the first complete account of what happened on that fateful day. It is the story of a great risk boldly accepted, and of the surprising way in which a handful of men, acting with daring and initiative, altered the course of history. The story was made into a classic motion picture starring Robert Vaughn and George Segal. Ken Hechler entered the US Army as a draftee in 1942, received his commission as second lieutenant in the armoured forces, and emerged as a major with five battle stars after service in the European theatre of operations. He subsequently became a successful politician, a career which he continues to enjoy.