Bloody Aachen Author:Charles Whiting Aachen. For more than 1000 years it stood as an imperial city, symbol of German nationalism. But in September 1944 as Allied forces pressed for ward and the Third Reich neared collapse, Aachen earned a new place in history as the first German city ever besieged by the U.S. Army — Aachen's citizens. fierce in defense of their city, held off the ... more »attacking Americans for six weeks, giving Hitler the time he desperately needed to mobilize his forces for the Battle of the Bulge-an operation that extended the Allied campaign in Europe by six months and cost 80,000 American lives. Had it not been for the unexpected resistance at Aachen, the Battle of the Bulge might never have occurred.« less