The human element was perhaps the most audacious part. Soldiers of the 23rd wore the shoulder patches of the 30th and 79th Divisions. Vehicles were marked with those units’ insignia. The unit staged fake headquarters with the visible signs of division-level command: antennas, vehicles, staff officers moving purposefully between buildings. Men were reportedly sent to local bars and cafes with instructions to drink conspicuously and talk loudly about the upcoming river crossing — a classic tradecraft approach to feeding information to German intelligence agents who might be present.
The goal was to create a complete intelligence picture — not just one or two indicators of a coming crossing, but the full set of signals that a German intelligence analyst would expect to see from two divisions genuinely preparing to assault the Rhine.
## The German Response
The German military’s response to the Viersen deception was an indication that it worked. Enemy forces made specific military moves that reflected belief in the fake intelligence picture the 23rd had created.
The German command kept two panzer-type divisions in reserve opposite the XIII Corps zone — the sector where the deception was focused. These reserves were held in position to respond to the expected major crossing, rather than being available to reinforce the XVI Corps zone where the real crossing was actually being prepared.
German aerial reconnaissance increased over the deception area. Artillery fire was directed at the positions where the inflatable tanks and simulated headquarters were located. These responses confirmed that the visual and electronic picture the 23rd had created was being taken seriously by German intelligence.