 The Germans still held the commanding terrain of the Verrières Ridge , 5 mi ( 8 @.@ 0 km ) south of the city . The repeated British and Canadian attacks launched around Caen ( in part to distract the Germans from the western part of the front , where the First United States Army was preparing to break out of the Allied lodgement ) had caused the Germans to defend Verrières ridge with some of their strongest and most determined formations , including elements of three SS Panzer divisions of the I SS Panzer Corps . 
