A captured Bismarck in dock would be vulnerable to V-weapons only if German launch positions were within range. Fighters could intercept a V-1 and sometimes deflect it, but a V-2's ballistic flight made that response impractical. The rocket's reach still depended on where its launch unit could operate. As Allied armies advanced, German launch positions moved farther from intended targets. Pushing the launch positions beyond a target's range could end the threat even when the missile itself could not be intercepted.
Notable Point · 3:28:01-3:29:01
Ground advances put targets beyond V-2 range
Unlike the interceptable V-1, a V-2 followed a ballistic path, so Allied ground forces defeated much of its threat by pushing launch sites beyond useful range.