Allies (United States)Objective
The Allied objective was to seize the high ground for observation over German routes, artillery positions, and the Roer River approaches.
Hill 400AxisDefault Garrisons
Hill 400, also called Castle Hill, dominated the village of Bergstein during the brutal fighting in the Hurtgen Forest in late 1944.
Axis (German Army)Objective
The Axis objective was to retake or neutralize the hill to deny American observers control over the surrounding forest and valleys.
The hill changed hands under heavy fire, and the costly struggle showed how the Hurtgen fighting slowed the Allied advance toward the Roer.