NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Battle of the Bulge memorial

The Ardennes Offensive (called Unternehmen: Wacht am Rhein (Watch on Rhine) by the German military Army Gruppe B), officially named the Battle of the Ardennes by the U.S. Army (and known to the general public as the Battle of the Bulge), started on December 16, 1944. ^[1] Wacht am Rhein was supported by subordinate operations known as Bodenplatte, Greif, and Wahrung. The goal of these operations as planned by the Germans was to split the British and American Allied line in half, capturing Antwerp and then proceeding to encircle and destroy four Allied armies, forcing the Western Allies to negotiate a peace treaty in the Axis' favour. The Ardennes attack was planned in total secrecy in almost total radio silence. Even Ultra (the allies reading of secret German radio messages) revealed nothing about the up-coming buildup and offensive. Moreover, the degree of surprise achieved was compounded by Allied overconfidence, preoccupation with their own offensive plans, poor aerial reconnaissance, and the relative lack of combat contact by the US First Army. Allied intelligence failed completely to detect the upcoming offensive and almost complete surprise against a weak section of the Allies line was achieved at a time of heavy overcast when the Allies strong air forces would be grounded. The "bulge" refers to the "dent" the Germans initially put into the Allies' line of advance, as seen in maps presented in newspapers of the time.^[2]^[3] During World War II, the Western Front was the theater of fighting west of Germany, encompassing France, Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Denmark. ... Combatants United States United Kingdom Canada Free France Poland Germany Commanders Dwight Eisenhower (Supreme Allied Commander) Bernard Montgomery (land) Bertram Ramsay (sea) Trafford Leigh-Mallory (air) Gerd von Rundstedt (OB WEST) Erwin Rommel (Heeresgruppe B) Friedrich Dollmann () Strength 326,000 (by June 11) Unknown, probably some 1,000,000 in... Combatants United States1 Free France, United Kingdom Germany Commanders Jacob L. Devers Johannes Blaskowitz Strength 250,000 (approx) 230,000 (approx) Casualties 4,500 American, 4,500+ French 125,000+ (approx) Monument to the landings of Allied troops under General Patch on the beach of St Tropez, France. ... The drive to the Siegfried Line was one of the final Allied phases in World War II of the Western European Campaign. ... During World War II, the Western Front was the theater of fighting west of Germany, encompassing France, Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Denmark. ... Combatants Kingdom of the Netherlands Nazi Germany Commanders Henry G. Winkelman, Jan Joseph Godfried baron van Voorst tot Voorst Fedor von Bock (Army Group B) Strength 9 divisions, 676 guns, 1 tank (inoperational), 124 aircraft Total: 350,000 men 22 divisions, 1,378 guns, 759 tanks, 1150 aircraft Total: 750... Combatants United Kingdom, France Germany Commanders Lord Gort Gerd von Rundstedt (Army Group A), Ewald von Kleist (Panzergruppe von Kleist) Strength approx. ... Dieppes chert beach and cliff immediately following the raid on 19 August 1942. ... Combatants Croat SS soldiers Germany Commanders Ferid DÅ¾aniÄ‡ Unknown Strength 500-1,000 Unknown Casualties 146 N/A The Villefranche-de-Rouergue uprising took place on September 17, 1943, when a division composed of about 500-1000 Croats and Bosnian Muslims from Croatia, which has been sent by force... Combatants United States United Kingdom Canada Free France Poland Germany Commanders Dwight Eisenhower (Supreme Allied Commander) Bernard Montgomery (land) Bertram Ramsay (sea) Trafford Leigh-Mallory (air) Gerd von Rundstedt (OB WEST) Erwin Rommel (Heeresgruppe B) Friedrich Dollmann () Strength 326,000 (by June 11) Unknown, probably some 1,000,000 in... Combatants United States1 Free France, United Kingdom Germany Commanders Jacob L. Devers Johannes Blaskowitz Strength 250,000 (approx) 230,000 (approx) Casualties 4,500 American, 4,500+ French 125,000+ (approx) Monument to the landings of Allied troops under General Patch on the beach of St Tropez, France. ... Combatants United Kingdom United States Poland Germany Commanders Bernard Montgomery Gerd von Rundstedt Strength XXX Corps, 35,000 airborne 20,000 Casualties 17,000 casualties 8,000 casualties Operation Market Garden (September 17-September 25, 1944) was an Allied military operation in World War II. Its tactical objectives were to... Combatants Canada United Kingdom Poland Belgium Norway Germany Commanders Guy Simonds (acting) (First Canadian Army) Gustav-Adolf von Zangen (German 15th Army) Strength ? ? Casualties 12,873 total; including 6,367 Canadian ? The Battle of the Scheldt was a series of military operations which took place in northern Belgium and south... Combatants United States Germany Commanders Courtney Hodges Walther Model Strength 120,000 unknown Casualties 33,000 dead and wounded 12,000 dead - number of wounded and captured not exactly known The Battle of Hurtgen Forest (German: Schlacht im HÃ¼rtgenwald) is the name given to the series of fierce battles... Combatants United States Germany Commanders William Simpson Gerhard Wilck Strength 100,000 soldiers 12,000 soldiers Casualties 2000 killed 3000 wounded 5500 killed or wounded, 5,600 POW The Battle of Aachen was a battle in World War II that took place in October 1944 in the German city of... During World War II, Operation Plunder was the crossing of the Rhine river at Rees, Wesel and south of the Lippe Canal by the British Second Army, under Lieutenant-General Miles C Dempsey, and the US Ninth Army, under Lieutenant-General William H Simpson. ... Operation Varsity was an airborne operation towards the end of World War II, intended to gain a foothold across the River Rhine. ... The Battle of Overloon (Code named Operation Aintree) took place between September 30th and October 18th 1944. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The United States Army is the largest branch of the United States armed forces and has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... December 16 is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ... Operation Bodenplatte, launched on 1st January 1945, was an attempt to cripple Allied air forces in the Low Countries of Europe. ... Operation Greif was a special operation commanded by the notorious Waffen-SS commando Otto Skorzeny during the Battle of the Bulge. ... During the Battle of the Bulge in WWII, Operation Währung (Currency in German) was a special operation conducted as part of the Wacht am Rhein. ... The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis Powers during the Second World War. ... The Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal (Cathedral of our Lady) at the Handschoenmarkt, in the old quarter of Antwerp is the largest cathedral in the Low Countries and home to several triptychs by Baroque painter Rubens. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Ultra (sometimes capitalized ULTRA) was the name used by the British for intelligence resulting from decryption of German communications in World War II. The term eventually became the standard designation in both Britain and the United States for all intelligence from high-level cryptanalytic sources. ...

Battle Outline

Most of the American casualties occurred within the first three days of battle, when two of the 106th division’s three regiments were forced to surrender. In its entirety, the "Battle of the Bulge" was the most bloody battle American Forces experienced in WWII, the 19,000 American dead unsurpassed by any other engagement. For the U.S. Army, the Battle of the Ardennes was a battle incorporating more American troops and engaging more enemy troops than any American conflict prior to WWII. Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America Commanders George G. Meade Robert E. Lee Strength 93,921 71,699 Casualties 23,055 (3,155 killed, 14,531 wounded, 5,369 captured/missing) 22,231 (4,708 killed, 12,693 wounded, 5,830 captured/missing) The Battle of... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ...

Although the German objective was ultimately unrealized, the Allies' own offensive timetable was set back by months. In the wake of the defeat, many experienced German units were left severely depleted of men and equipment, as German survivors retreated to the defenses of the Siegfried Line. The original Siegfried line (Siegfriedstellung) was a line of defensive forts and tank defenses built by Germany as a section of the Hindenburg Line 1916-1917 in northern France during World War I. However, in English, Siegfried line more commonly refers to the similar World War II defensive line, built...

Background

The breakout from Normandy at the end of August 1944, coupled with landings in southern France, saw the Allies advance towards Germany faster than anticipated. ^[4] The rapid advance, coupled with an initial lack of deep water ports, presented the Allies with enormous supply problems. Aside from the temporary Mulberry harbours established in Normandy and direct landing of LST's on the beaches, the only deep water port in Allied hands was at Cherbourg near the original invasion beaches. The port of Antwerp, Belgium was captured much later than the original planning had assumed and was severely damaged when finally captured. German forces remained in control of several major ports on the Channel coast until May 1945; those ports that did fall to the Allies in 1944 were sabotaged to deny their immediate use by the Allies. The extensive destruction of the French railroad system prior to D-Day, intended to deny movement to the Germans, now proved equally damaging to the Allies as it took time to repair the system of tracks and bridges. A trucking system known as the Red Ball Express was instituted to bring supplies to front line troops; however, for every gallon of fuel that reached the front line near the Belgian border, five gallons of fuel had been expended delivering it. By early October the supply situation had halted major Allied offensives as they paused to build up their supplies. Combatants United States United Kingdom Canada Free France Poland Germany Commanders Dwight Eisenhower (Supreme Allied Commander) Bernard Montgomery (land) Bertram Ramsay (sea) Trafford Leigh-Mallory (air) Gerd von Rundstedt (OB WEST) Erwin Rommel (Heeresgruppe B) Friedrich Dollmann () Strength 326,000 (by June 11) Unknown, probably some 1,000,000 in... A Mulberry harbour was a type of temporary harbour developed in World War II to offload cargo on a beach during the Allied invasion of Normandy. ... Cherbourg-Octeville is a town and commune in Normandy, north-west France. ... For other uses, see Antwerp (disambiguation). ... This is the top-level page of WikiProject trains Rail tracks Rail transport refers to the land transport of passengers and goods along railways or railroads. ... Sign posted along the Red Ball route The Red Ball Express was an enormous convoy system created by Allied forces to supply their forces moving through Europe following the breakout from the D-Day beaches in Normandy. ...

Bradley, Patton and Montgomery each pressed for priority delivery of supplies to his own army, in order to continue advancing and keeping pressure on the Germans while the supply situation was worked out. Eisenhower, however, preferred a broad-front strategy—though with priority for Montgomery 's Northern forces, since their short-term goal included opening the urgently needed port of Antwerp, and their long-term goal was the capture of the Ruhr area, the industrial heart of Germany. With the Allies paused for lack of supplies, Gerd von Rundstedt was able to reorganize the disrupted German armies into a semi-coherent defence. Dwight David Eisenhower (also known as Ike) (born David Dwight Eisenhower on October 14, 1890 â€“ March 28, 1969) was an American soldier and politician. ... The Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal (Cathedral of our Lady) at the Handschoenmarkt, in the old quarter of Antwerp is the largest cathedral in the Low Countries and home to several triptychs by Baroque painter Rubens. ... Map of the Ruhr Area The Ruhr Area (German Ruhrgebiet, colloquially Ruhrpott or Kohlenpott or simply Pott) is an urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, consisting of a number of large (former) industrial cities bordered by the rivers Ruhr to the south, Rhine to the west, and Lippe to... Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt (December 12, 1875 - February 24, 1953) was a field marshal of the German Army during World War II. He held some of the highest field commands in all phases of the war. ...

Bernard Montgomery's Operation Market Garden, a September offensive designed to cross the Rhine and bypass the Siegfried Line, was unsuccessful and left the Allies little better off than before. In October the Canadian First Army fought the Battle of the Scheldt, clearing the Westerschelde by taking Walcheren and opening the ports of Antwerp to shipping. By the end of the month the supply situation was easing. The Allied seizure of the large port of Marseilles in the south also improved the supply situation. Bernard Law Montgomery Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein (November 17, 1887 - March 24, 1976) was a British military officer during World War II often referred to as Monty. ... Combatants United Kingdom United States Poland Germany Commanders Bernard Montgomery Gerd von Rundstedt Strength XXX Corps, 35,000 airborne 20,000 Casualties 17,000 casualties 8,000 casualties Operation Market Garden (September 17-September 25, 1944) was an Allied military operation in World War II. Its tactical objectives were to... Loreley At 1,320 kilometres (820 miles) and an average discharge of more than 2,000 cubic meters per second, the Rhine (Dutch Rijn, French Rhin, German Rhein, Italian: Reno, Romansch: Rein, ) is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe. ... The original Siegfried line (Siegfriedstellung) was a line of defensive forts and tank defenses built by Germany as a section of the Hindenburg Line 1916-1917 in northern France during World War I. However, in English, Siegfried line more commonly refers to the similar World War II defensive line, built... The Canadian First Army was the overall command for the Canadian military forces in Europe during World War II. It was formed in early 1942 to command two corps composed of the three infantry divisions, two armoured divisions, and two armoured brigades that had assembled in England. ... Combatants Canada United Kingdom Poland Belgium Norway Germany Commanders Guy Simonds (acting) (First Canadian Army) Gustav-Adolf von Zangen (German 15th Army) Strength ? ? Casualties 12,873 total; including 6,367 Canadian ? The Battle of the Scheldt was a series of military operations which took place in northern Belgium and south... Satellite image of the Scheldt delta showing the Western Scheldt (b) The Western Scheldt (Westerschelde) in the province Zeeland in the southwestern Netherlands, is an estuary of the Scheldt river. ... Satellite image of the Scheldt estuary Walcheren is a former island in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands at the mouth of the Scheldt estuary. ... Marseilles redirects here. ...

Despite a pause along the front after the Scheldt battles, the German situation remained dire. While operations continued in the autumn, notably the Lorraine Campaign, the Battle of Aachen, and the fighting in the Hurtgen forest, the strategic situation in the west changed little. In the east, Operation Bagration destroyed much of Army Group Center during the summer; Soviet progress was so fast that the offensive ended only when the advancing Red Army forces outran their supply lines. By November it was clear the Soviet forces were preparing for a winter offensive, most likely in December. Combatants United States Germany Commanders William Simpson Gerhard Wilck Strength 100,000 soldiers 12,000 soldiers Casualties 2000 killed 3000 wounded 5500 killed or wounded, 5,600 POW The Battle of Aachen was a battle in World War II that took place in October 1944 in the German city of... Battle of Hurtgen Forest (German: Schlacht im HÃ¼rtgenwald) is the name given to the series of fierce battles fought between the Americans and the Germans during World War II in the HÃ¼rtgen forest (or Huertgen forest). ... Combatants Axis Soviet Union Commanders Ernst Busch Konstantin Rokossovski Georgy Zhukov Aleksandr Vasilevsky Strength 800,000 1,700,000 Casualties (Soviet est. ... Army Group Centre (Heeresgruppe Mitte in German) was one of three German army formations assigned to the invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, code-named Operation Barbarossa. ... The short forms Red Army and RKKA refer to the Workers and Peasants Red Army, (in Russian: Ð Ð°Ð±Ð¾Ñ‡Ðµ-ÐšÑ€ÐµÑÑ‚ÑŒÑÐ½ÑÐºÐ°Ñ ÐšÑ€Ð°ÑÐ½Ð°Ñ ÐÑ€Ð¼Ð¸Ñ - Raboche-Krestyanskaya Krasnaya Armiya), the armed forces first organized by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War in 1918. ...

Meanwhile, the Allied air offensive of early 1944 had effectively grounded the Luftwaffe, leaving them with little battlefield intelligence and no way to interdict Allied supplies. The converse was equally damaging: daytime movement of German forces was almost instantly noticed, and interdiction of supplies combined with the bombing of the Romanian oilfields starved Germany of oil and gasoline. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Drilling rig in a small oil field Near Sarnia, Ontario, 2001 An oil field is an area with an abundance of oil wells extracting petroleum (oil) from below ground. ... Natural olive oil Synthetic motor oil Oil, in a general sense, is a chemical compound that is not miscible with water, and is in a liquid state at ambient temperatures. ... Gasoline, also called petrol, is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture consisting mostly of hydrocarbons and enhanced with benzene or iso-octane to increase octane ratings, used as fuel in internal combustion engines. ...

The only advantage for the German forces by November 1944 was that they were no longer defending all of western Europe. The front lines in the west were considerably shorter and closer to the German heartland, dramatically improving their supply problems regardless of the Allied air control. Additionally, their extensive telephone and telegraph network meant that radios no longer had to be used for communications, which deprived the Allies of their most powerful weapon, ULTRA intercepts. Ultra (sometimes capitalized ULTRA) was the name used by the British for intelligence resulting from decryption of German communications in World War II. The term eventually became the standard designation in both Britain and the United States for all intelligence from high-level cryptanalytic sources. ...

Drafting the offensive

Hitler felt that his armies still might be able successfully to defend Germany in the long term, if only they could somehow neutralize the Western front in the short term. Further, Hitler believed that he could split the Allies and make the Americans and British sue for a separate peace, independent of the Soviet Union. Success in the West would give the Germans time to design and produce more advanced weapons (such as jet aircraft and super-heavy tanks) and permit the concentration of forces in the East. This assessment is generally regarded as unrealistic, given Allied air superiority throughout Europe and the ability to intervene significantly in German offensive operations.

Several senior German military advisors expressed their concern that favourable weather would permit Allied air power to effectively stop any offensive action undertaken. Hitler ignored or dismissed these concerns, though the offensive was intentionally scheduled for late autumn, when northwestern Europe is often covered by heavy fog and low-lying cloud, to neutralize the Allied air forces.

When the Allied offensive in the Netherlands (Operation Market Garden) wound down in September 1944, at about the same time as Operation Bagration, strategic initiative briefly swung to the Germans. Given the reduced manpower of German land forces at the time, it was believed that the best way to take advantage of the initiative would be to attack in the West, against the smaller Allied forces deployed there, rather than against the vast Soviet forces. Even the unrealistic encirclement and destruction of entire Soviet armies would still have left the Soviets with a large numerical superiority. Also, in the East, most of the "natural" defensive lines remained under German control. Combatants United Kingdom United States Poland Germany Commanders Bernard Montgomery Gerd von Rundstedt Strength XXX Corps, 35,000 airborne 20,000 Casualties 17,000 casualties 8,000 casualties Operation Market Garden (September 17-September 25, 1944) was an Allied military operation in World War II. Its tactical objectives were to... Combatants Axis Soviet Union Commanders Ernst Busch Konstantin Rokossovski Georgy Zhukov Aleksandr Vasilevsky Strength 800,000 1,700,000 Casualties (Soviet est. ...

In the West, supply problems were beginning to significantly impede Allied operations, even though the opening of Antwerp in November 1944 did slightly improve the situation. The Allied armies were overextended - their positions ran from southern France to the Netherlands. German planning revolved around the premise that a successful strike against thinly manned stretches of the line would halt Allied advances on the entire Western front.

Several plans for major Western offensives were put forward, but the German High Command quickly concentrated on two. A first plan for an encirclement maneuver called for a two-prong attack along the borders of the U.S. armies around Aachen, hoping to encircle the 9th and 3rd armies and leave the German forces back in control of the excellent defensive grounds where they had fought the U.S. to a standstill earlier in the year. A second plan for a blitzkrieg maneuver called for a classic blitzkrieg attack through the thinly defended Ardennes, splitting the armies along the U.S.-British lines and capturing Antwerp. The blitzkrieg plan was dubbed the "Wacht am Rhein," or "Watch on the Rhine." This name was deceptive in nature, implying a watch and wait strategy on the Western Front (A popular German song also shared this name for the offensive). Aachen, Dutch Aken, French Aix-la-Chapelle, Spanish AquisgrÃ¡n, Latin Aquisgranum, Ripuarian Oche) is a spa city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, on the border with Belgium and the Netherlands, 65 km to the west of Cologne, and the westernmost city in Germany. ... One of the defining characteristics of what is commonly known as Blitzkrieg is close co-operation between infantry and tanks. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal (Cathedral of our Lady) at the Handschoenmarkt, in the old quarter of Antwerp is the largest cathedral in the Low Countries and home to several triptychs by Baroque painter Rubens. ... Die Wacht am Rhein (in English, The Watch on the Rhine) is a German patriotic anthem which was particularly popular during the First World War. ...

Hitler chose the second plan, believing that a successful encirclement would have little impact on the overall situation and finding the prospect of splitting the Anglo-American armies more appealing. The disputes between Montgomery and Patton were well known, and Hitler hoped he could exploit this perceived disunity,^[5] If the attack were to succeed, the capture of the port of Antwerp would trap four complete armies without supplies behind German lines. It was hoped that this might even bring about a repeat of the Allied evacuation of Dunkirk. Bernard Law Montgomery Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein (November 17, 1887 - March 24, 1976) was a British military officer during World War II often referred to as Monty. ... George Smith Patton, Jr. ... Combatants United Kingdom, France Germany Commanders Lord Gort Gerd von Rundstedt (Army Group A), Ewald von Kleist (Panzergruppe von Kleist) Strength approx. ...

Both plans centered on attacks against the American forces, due largely to Hitler's view of Americans as incapable of fighting effectively, and his belief that the American home front was likely to crack upon hearing of a decisive American loss. There is no evidence that Hitler realized, or any of his military staff pointed out, that of all the major combatants, the United States was the one which, up to this point in the war, had been damaged the least and had the greatest restorative powers.

Planning

The German High Command decided by the middle of September, on Hitler's insistence, that the offensive be mounted in the Ardennes, as was done in France in 1940. While German forces in that battle had passed through the Ardennes before engaging the enemy, the 1944 plan called for battle to occur within the forest itself. The main forces were to advance westward until reaching the Meuse River, then turn northwest for Antwerp and Brussels. The close terrain of the Ardennes would make rapid movement difficult, though open ground beyond the Meuse offered the prospect of a successful dash to the coast. Image File history File links Wikisource-logo. ... The original Wikisource logo. ... Image File history File links Wikisource-logo. ... The original Wikisource logo. ... Image File history File links Wikisource-logo. ... The original Wikisource logo. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (544x697, 85 KB) {{Information |Description=Western Front, Ardennes, 1944 |Source=US Army Center for Military History |Date=1944 |Author= |Permission= â€“ US Army Center for Military History |other_versions File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (544x697, 85 KB) {{Information |Description=Western Front, Ardennes, 1944 |Source=US Army Center for Military History |Date=1944 |Author= |Permission= â€“ US Army Center for Military History |other_versions File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages... Meuse near Grave The Meuse (Dutch Maas) is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea. ... Nickname: The Capital Of Europe, Comic City City of a 100 Museums Map showing the location of Brussels in Belgium Coordinates: Country Belgium Region Brussels-Capital Region Founded 797 Founded (Region) June 18, 1989 Mayor (Municipality) Freddy Thielemans Area - City 162 (Region) kmÂ² (62. ...

Overseeing the operation were Field Marshals Walther Model, the commander of the German Army Group B, and Gerd von Rundstedt, the overall commander of German troops in the West. Sixth SS Panzer Army The German Sixth SS Panzer Army, 6. ... SS-ObergruppenfÃ¼hrer Sepp Dietrich Josef Sepp Dietrich also known as Ujac (May 28, 1892â€“April 21/22, 1966) was a German Waffen-SS general, an SS-OberstgruppenfÃ¼hrer, and one of the closest men to Hitler. ... October 26 is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 66 days remaining. ... Waffen-SS recruitment poster; Volunteer to the Waffen-SS The Waffen-SS was the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel. ... The Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (Lifeguard Standarte of the SS Adolf Hitler) was a Waffen SS guard and combat formation which saw action on both the Eastern and Western fronts during the Second World War. ... The 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend ( Hitler Youth) was a German Waffen SS armoured division of World War II. It was one of only two German divisions to carry Hitlers name and was formed as an extension of 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler. The 12th SS was... The Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal (Cathedral of our Lady) at the Handschoenmarkt, in the old quarter of Antwerp is the largest cathedral in the Low Countries and home to several triptychs by Baroque painter Rubens. ... 5. ... Hasso-Eccard Freiherr von Manteuffel (January 14, 1897 â€” September 24, 1978) was a German soldier and politician of the 20th century. ... Nickname: The Capital Of Europe, Comic City City of a 100 Museums Map showing the location of Brussels in Belgium Coordinates: Country Belgium Region Brussels-Capital Region Founded 797 Founded (Region) June 18, 1989 Mayor (Municipality) Freddy Thielemans Area - City 162 (Region) kmÂ² (62. ... The German Seventh Army (German: ) was a World War II field army. ... General Erich Brandenberger Erich Brandenberger (1892-1955). ... The German Fifteenth Army (German: ) was a World War II field army. ... Born in 1892, General Gustav-Adolf von Zangen was the commander of the German 15th Army in the Netherlands, 1944. ... Combatants United Kingdom United States Poland Germany Commanders Bernard Montgomery Gerd von Rundstedt Strength XXX Corps, 35,000 airborne 20,000 Casualties 17,000 casualties 8,000 casualties Operation Market Garden (September 17-September 25, 1944) was an Allied military operation in World War II. Its tactical objectives were to... Otto Moritz Walter Model (IPA /mo:dÉ™l/) (January 24, 1891â€“April 21, 1945) was a German general, and later a Field Marshal, during World War II. He was noted for his defensive skills, and was nicknamed Hitlers fireman. Model served as an infantry officer in World War I... Army Group B was the name of three different German Army Groups that saw action during World War II. The first was involved in the western campaign in 1940 in Belgium and the Netherlands which was to be aimed to conquer the Maas bridges after the German airborne actions in... Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt (December 12, 1875 - February 24, 1953) was a field marshal of the German Army during World War II. He held some of the highest field commands in all phases of the war. ...

For the offensive to be successful, four criteria were deemed critical by the planners.

The plan originally called for just under 45 divisions, including a dozen panzer and panzergrenadier divisions forming the armoured spearhead and various infantry units to form a defensive line as the battle unfolded. The German army suffered from an acute manpower shortage by this time, however, and the force had been reduced to around 30 divisions. Although it retained most of its armour, there were not enough infantry units due to the defensive needs in the east. These thirty newly rebuilt divisions used some of the German army's last reserves. Among them were Volksgrenadier units formed from a mix of battle-hardened veterans and recruits formerly regarded as too young or too old to fight. Training time, equipment, and supplies were inadequate during the preparations. German fuel supplies were precarious—those materials and supplies that could not be directly transported by rail had to be horse-drawn in order to conserve fuel—the mechanized and panzer divisions would depend heavily on captured fuel. The start of the offensive was delayed from November 27 to December 16 as a result. Panzer Division is the German term for armored division. ... This article needs cleanup. ... An armored spearhead is a formation of armored fighting vehicles, mostly tanks, that form the front of an offensive thrust during a battle. ... Symbol of the Polish 1st Legions Infantry Division in NATO code A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of around ten to fifteen thousand soldiers. ... Volksgrenadier was the name given to a type of German army division formed in the Fall of 1944 after the double loss of Army Group Center to the Soviets in Operation Bagration and the 6th Panzer Army to the Allies in Normandy. ... November 27 is the 331st day (332nd on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... December 16 is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

Before the offensive the Allies were virtually blind to German troop movement. During the reconquest of France the extensive network of the French resistance had provided valuable intelligence about German dispositions. Now that they had reached the German border this source dried up. In France orders had been relayed within the German army using radio messages enciphered by the Enigma machine, and these could be picked up and decrypted by Allied codebreakers to give the intelligence known as ULTRA. In Germany such orders were typically transmitted using telephone and teleprinter, and a special radio silence order was imposed on all matters concerning the upcoming offensive. The major crackdown in the Wehrmacht after the July 20 Plot resulted in much tighter security and fewer leaks. The foggy autumn weather also prevented Allied reconnaissance planes from correctly assessing the ground situation. Bold textItalic textLink title // Headline text Headline text Headline text == The cross of Lorraine used by the French Resistance as a symbolic reference to Joan of Arc. ... The plugboard, keyboard, lamps and finger-wheels of the rotors emerging from the inner lid of a three-rotor German military Enigma machine (version with labels) For other uses, see Enigma. ... Ultra (sometimes capitalized ULTRA) was the name used by the British for intelligence resulting from decryption of German communications in World War II. The term eventually became the standard designation in both Britain and the United States for all intelligence from high-level cryptanalytic sources. ... Look up Telephone in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Teletype machines in World War II A teleprinter (teletypewriter, teletype or TTY) is a now largely obsolete electro-mechanical typewriter which can be used to communicate typed messages from point to point through a simple electrical communications channel, often just a pair of wires. ... In telecommunications, radio silence is a status maintained where all fixed or mobile radio stations in an area stop transmitting. ... Wehrmacht troops of the Heer (military land forces) marching at a military parade in honour of the 50th birthday of Adolf Hitler, on April 20th, 1939. ... Claus von Stauffenberg The July 20 Plot was a failed coup dÃ©tat and attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler. ...

Thus Allied High Command considered the Ardennes a quiet sector, relying on assessments from their intelligence services that the Germans were unable to launch any major offensive operations this late in the war. What little intelligence they had led the Allies to believe precisely what the Germans wanted them to believe—that preparations were being carried out only for defensive, not offensive operations. In fact, due to the Germans' efforts, the Allies were led to believe that a new defensive army was being formed around Dusseldorf in the northern Rhine, possibly to defend against British attack. This was done by increasing the number of flak batteries in the area and the artificial multiplication of radio transmissions in the area. The Allies at this point thought the information was of no importance. All of this meant that the attack, when it came, completely surprised the Allied forces. Düsseldorf in Germany The Düsseldorf Coat of Arms Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. ...

Because the Ardennes were considered a quiet sector, economy-of-force considerations led it to be used as a training ground for new units and a rest area for units that had seen hard fighting. The US units deployed in the Ardennes thus were a mixture of inexperienced troops (such as the rookie U.S. 99th and 106th Divisions), and battle-hardened troops sent to that sector to recuperate (the U.S. 2nd Division). The Rookie: Norman Rockwells cover for The Saturday Evening Post Rookie is a term for a person who is in their first year of play of their sport and has little or no experience. ... The 99th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War II. World War II Activated: 15 November 1942. ... The 106th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War II well known to be the hardest hit division of the Battle of the Bulge. ... Patch of the United States Army 2nd Infantry Division. ...

Two major special operations were planned for the offensive. By October it was decided that Otto Skorzeny, the German commando who had rescued the former Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, was to lead a task force of English-speaking German soldiers in Operation Greif. These soldiers were to be dressed in American and British uniforms and wear dog tags taken from corpses and POWs. Their job was to go behind American lines and change signposts, misdirect traffic, generally cause disruption and to seize bridges across the Meuse River between Liège and Namur. By late November another ambitious special operation was added: Colonel Friedrich August von der Heydte was to lead a Fallschirmjäger (paratrooper) Kampfgruppe in Operation Stösser, a nighttime paratroop drop behind the Allied lines aimed at capturing a vital road junction near Malmedy. German Panther tanks de-train in the Eifel area in preparation for the upcoming Ardennes Offensive -- US National Archives This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... German Panther tanks de-train in the Eifel area in preparation for the upcoming Ardennes Offensive -- US National Archives This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... The Panther ( ) was a tank of Germany in World War II that served from mid-1943 to end of the war in Europe in 1945. ... Special forces or special operations forces is a term used to describe relatively small military units raised and trained for reconnaissance, unconventional warfare and special operations. ... Otto Skorzeny Otto Skorzeny (Vienna, June 12, 1908 - Madrid, July 5, 1975) was an ObersturmbannfÃ¼hrer in the German Waffen-SS during World War II. He is best-known as the commando leader who rescued Benito Mussolini from imprisonment after his overthrow. ... Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (July 29, 1883 â€“ April 28, 1945) was the prime minister and dictator of Italy from 1922 until 1943, when he was overthrown from power. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Operation Greif was a special operation commanded by the notorious Waffen-SS commando Otto Skorzeny during the Battle of the Bulge. ... A uniform is a set of standard clothing worn by members of an organisation whilst participating in that organisations activity. ... Dog tags of a U.S. Army soldier who served in World War II For the tag worn by dogs, see dog tag. ... Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ... Meuse near Grave The Meuse (Dutch Maas) is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea. ... LiÃ¨ge (Dutch: Luik, German: LÃ¼ttich; before 1946, the citys name was written LiÃ©ge, with the acute accent) is a major city located in the Belgian province of LiÃ¨ge, of which it is the capital. ... Namur, the Meuse, the Walloon parliament and the citadel. ... Colonel (IPA: or ) is a military rank of a commissioned officer, with the corresponding ranks existing in nearly every country in the world. ... Oberstleutnant von der Heydt, 1943 Friedrich August Freiherr von der Heydte was a German Luftwaffe officer who served with the FallschirmjÃ¤ger during World War II, reaching the rank of Oberstleutnant. ... FallschirmjÃ¤ger photo taken from The Hague, Bezuidenhout during the invasion of the Low Countries, morning of May 10, 1940 , often rendered Fallschirmjager in English, is the German word for paratrooper. ... The Kampfgruppe was a common combat formation used by the German Wehrmacht during the Second World War. ... Malmedy Cathedral, built in 1777 Malmedy is a municipality located in the Belgian province of LiÃ¨ge. ...

German intelligence had set December 20 as the expected date for the start of the upcoming Soviet offensive, aimed at crushing what was left of German resistance on the Eastern Front and thereby opening the way to Berlin. It was hoped that Stalin would delay the start of the operation once the German assault in the Ardennes had begun and wait for the outcome before continuing. December 20 is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Berlin is the capital city and one of the sixteen states of the Federal Republic of Germany. ... Iosif (usually anglicized as Joseph) Vissarionovich Stalin (Russian: Иосиф Виссарионович Сталин), original name Ioseb Jughashvili (Georgian: იოსებ ჯუღაშვი&#4314...

In the final stage of preparations Hitler and his staff left their Wolf's Lair headquarters in East Prussia, in which they had co-ordinated much of the fighting on the Eastern Front. After a brief visit to Berlin, on December 11, they came to the Eagle's Nest, Hitler's headquarters in southern Germany, the site from which he had overseen the successful 1940 campaign against France and the low countries. One of larger bunkers in Wolfsschanze complex. ... East Prussia (German: Ostpreu en; Polish: Prusy Wschodnie; Russian: Восточная Пруссия — Vostochnaya Prussiya) was a province of Kingdom of Prussia, situated on the territory of former Ducal Prussia. ... December 11 is the 345th day (346th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The name Eagles Nest has been used to describe many things. ...

Initial German assault

The German assault began on December 16, 1944, at 0530 hrs with a massive artillery barrage on the Allied troops facing the 6th SS Panzer Army. By 0800 all three German armies attacked through the Ardennes. In the northern sector Dietrich's 6th SS Panzer Army assaulted Losheim Gap and the Elsenborn Ridge in an effort to break through to Liège. In the centre von Manteuffel's 5th Panzer Army attacked towards Bastogne and St. Vith, both road junctions of great strategic importance. In the south, Brandenberger's 7th Army pushed towards Luxembourg in their efforts to secure the flank from Allied attacks. Download high resolution version (1500x854, 257 KB)German 6th Army progress during the Battle of the Bulge Source: Scanned from map insert in US Army in World War II - The Ardennes: The Battle of the Bulge License: US Government document. ... Download high resolution version (1500x854, 257 KB)German 6th Army progress during the Battle of the Bulge Source: Scanned from map insert in US Army in World War II - The Ardennes: The Battle of the Bulge License: US Government document. ... SS-ObergruppenfÃ¼hrer Sepp Dietrich Josef Sepp Dietrich also known as Ujac (May 28, 1892â€“April 21/22, 1966) was a German Waffen-SS general, an SS-OberstgruppenfÃ¼hrer, and one of the closest men to Hitler. ... Download high resolution version (1500x914, 548 KB)German 5th Army progress during the Battle of the Bulge Source: Scanned from map insert in US Army in World War II - The Ardennes: The Battle of the Bulge License: US Government document. ... Download high resolution version (1500x914, 548 KB)German 5th Army progress during the Battle of the Bulge Source: Scanned from map insert in US Army in World War II - The Ardennes: The Battle of the Bulge License: US Government document. ... Hasso-Eccard Freiherr von Manteuffel (January 14, 1897 â€” September 24, 1978) was a German soldier and politician of the 20th century. ... Download high resolution version (1000x687, 246 KB)German 7th Army progress during the Battle of the Bulge Source: Scanned from map insert in US Army in World War II - The Ardennes: The Battle of the Bulge License: US Government document. ... Download high resolution version (1000x687, 246 KB)German 7th Army progress during the Battle of the Bulge Source: Scanned from map insert in US Army in World War II - The Ardennes: The Battle of the Bulge License: US Government document. ... General Erich Brandenberger Erich Brandenberger (1892-1955). ... December 16 is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ... Historically, artillery (from French artillerie) refers to any engine used for the discharge of projectiles during war. ... Sixth SS Panzer Army The German Sixth SS Panzer Army, 6. ... The Losheim Gap was the opening in the US defences, which was the result of a strong thrust of German forces, in the opening phase of the Battle of the Bulge. ... LiÃ¨ge (Dutch: Luik, German: LÃ¼ttich; before 1946, the citys name was written LiÃ©ge, with the acute accent) is a major city located in the Belgian province of LiÃ¨ge, of which it is the capital. ... 5. ... The coat of arms of the Bastogne municipality. ... Sankt Vith (French: Saint-Vith) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. ... The German Seventh Army (German: ) was a World War II field army. ...

Attacks by the 6th SS Panzer Army infantry units in the north fared badly due to unexpectedly fierce resistance by the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division and U.S. 99th Infantry Division, which was attached to the 2nd, at the Elsenborn Ridge, stalling their advance; this forced Dietrich to unleash his panzer forces early. Starting on December 16, however, snowstorms engulfed parts of the Ardennes area. While having the desired effect of keeping the Allied aircraft grounded, the weather also proved troublesome for the Germans as poor road conditions hampered their advance. Poor traffic control led to massive traffic jams and fuel shortages in forward units. Sixth SS Panzer Army The German Sixth SS Panzer Army, 6. ... Patch of the United States Army 2nd Infantry Division. ... The 99th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War II. World War II Activated: 15 November 1942. ... December 16 is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

The Germans fared better in the center (the 20 mile wide Schnee Eifel sector) as they attacked positions held by the U.S. 28th Infantry Division and the U.S. 106th Infantry Division. The remarkable feature here was that the German attackers lacked any such overwhelming strength as had been deployed in the north; but it succeeded in surrounding two regiments (422nd and 423rd) of the 106th Division in a pincer movement and forced their surrender. That was a tribute to the way that Manteuffel’s new tactics had been applied. The official U.S. Army history states: At least seven thousand [men] were lost here and the figure probably is closer to eight or nine thousand. The amount lost in arms and equipment, of course, was very substantial. The Schnee Eifel battle, therefore, represents the most serious reverse suffered by American arms during the operations of 1944-45 in the European theater. The 28th Infantry Division [Mechanized] is a unit of the United States Army formed in 1917 in World War I. It continues its service today as part of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. ... The 106th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War II well known to be the hardest hit division of the Battle of the Bulge. ...

Further south on Manteuffel’s front the main thrust was delivered by all attacking divisions crossing the River Our, then increasing the pressure on the key road centers of St. Vith and Bastogne. Panzer columns took the outlying villages. The struggle for these villages, and transport confusion on the German side, slowed the attack to allow the 101st Airborne Division (along with units from the U.S. 9th & 10th Armored Divisions) to reach Bastogne by truck on the morning of 19 December 1944. The fierce defense of Bastogne, in which American engineers particularly distinguished themselves, made it impossible for the Germans to rush the town, and the panzer columns swung past on either side, thus Bastogne was cut off on 20 December. The coat of arms of the Bastogne municipality. ... The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)â€”nicknamed the â€œScreaming Eaglesâ€â€”is an airborne division of the United States Army primarily trained for air assault operations. ...

In the extreme south, Brandenberger’s three infantry divisions were checked after an advance of four miles by divisions of the U.S. 8th Corps; that front was then firmly held. Only the German 5th Parachute Division of Brandenberger’s command was able to thrust forward 12 miles on the inner flank to partially fulfill its assigned role.

Eisenhower and his principal commanders realized by 17 December that the fighting in the Ardennes was a major offensive and not a local counter-attack, and ordered vast reinforcements to the area. Within a week 250,000 troops had been sent. In addition, the 82nd Airborne Division was also thrown into the battle north of the bulge, near Liège. Dwight David Ike Eisenhower (October 14, 1890–March 28, 1969), American soldier and politician, was the 34th President of the United States (1953–1961) and supreme commander of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II, with the rank of General of the Army. ... The 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army was formed originally as the 82nd Infantry Division on August 25, 1917, at Camp Gordon, Georgia. ...

Operation Stösser

Originally planned for the early hours of 16 December, Operation Stösser was delayed for a day because of bad weather and fuel shortages. The new drop time was set for 0300 hrs on December 17; their drop zone was 11 km north of Malmedy and their target was the "Baraque Michel" crossroads. Von der Heydte and his men were to take it and hold it for approximately twenty-four hours until being relieved by the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend, thereby hampering the Allied flow of reinforcements and supplies into the area. Kampfgruppe von der Heydte This work is copyrighted. ... Kampfgruppe von der Heydte This work is copyrighted. ... Oberstleutnant von der Heydt, 1943 Friedrich August Freiherr von der Heydte was a German Luftwaffe officer who served with the FallschirmjÃ¤ger during World War II, reaching the rank of Oberstleutnant. ... December 16 is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Malmedy Cathedral, built in 1777 Malmedy is a municipality located in the Belgian province of LiÃ¨ge. ... The 12. ...

Just after midnight 16 December/17 December 112 Ju 52 transport planes with around 1,300 Fallschirmjäger (German paratroopers) on board took off amid a powerful snowstorm, with strong winds and extensive low cloud cover. As a result, many planes went off-course, and men were dropped as far as a dozen kilometres away from the intended drop zone, with only a fraction of the force landing near it. Strong winds also took off-target those paratroopers whose planes were relatively close to the intended drop zone and made their landings far rougher. December 16 is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... The Junkers Ju 52 nicknamed Tante Ju (Auntie Ju) and Iron Annie was a civilian airliner and military transport aircraft and bomber manufactured between 1932 and 1945 by Junkers. ... FallschirmjÃ¤ger photo taken from The Hague, Bezuidenhout during the invasion of the Low Countries, morning of May 10, 1940 , often rendered Fallschirmjager in English, is the German word for paratrooper. ... Cumulus of fair weather A cloud is a visible mass of condensed water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere above Earths (or another planetary bodys) surface. ...

By noon a group of around 300 managed to assemble, but this force was too small and too weak to counter the Allies. Colonel von der Heydte abandoned plans to take the crossroads and instead ordered his men to harass the Allied troops in the vicinity with guerrilla-like actions. Because of the extensive dispersal of the jump, with Fallschirmjäger being reported all over the Ardennes, the Allies believed a major divisional-sized jump had taken place, resulting in much confusion and causing them to allocate men to secure their rear instead of sending them off to the front to face the main German thrust. Look up guerrilla in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Operation Greif

Skorzeny successfully infiltrated a small part of his battalion of disguised, English-speaking Germans behind the Allied lines. Although they failed to take the vital bridges over the Meuse, the battalion's presence produced confusion out of all proportion to their military activities, and rumours spread like wildfire. Even General Patton was alarmed and, on December 17, described the situation to General Eisenhower as "Krauts... speaking perfect English... raising hell, cutting wires, turning road signs around, spooking whole divisions, and shoving a bulge into our defenses". Image File history File links Wikisource-logo. ... The original Wikisource logo. ... Otto Skorzeny File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Otto Skorzeny File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Operation Greif was a special operation commanded by the notorious Waffen-SS commando Otto Skorzeny during the Battle of the Bulge. ... Otto Skorzeny Otto Skorzeny (Vienna, June 12, 1908 - Madrid, July 5, 1975) was an ObersturmbannfÃ¼hrer in the German Waffen-SS during World War II. He is best-known as the commando leader who rescued Benito Mussolini from imprisonment after his overthrow. ... General George Smith Patton Jr. ... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... The German word Kraut is a generic term that is often used in compound nouns for cabbage, cabbage products and many herbs: Weißkraut = green cabbage Blaukraut or Rotkraut = red cabbage Sauerkraut The word is almost never used alone, but the plural form, Kräuter, translates to the English herbs...

Checkpoints were soon set up all over the Allied rear, greatly slowing the movement of soldiers and equipment. Military policemen drilled servicemen on things which every American was expected to know, such as the identity of Mickey Mouse's girlfriend, baseball scores, or the capital of Illinois. This latter question resulted in the brief detention of General Omar Bradley himself; although he gave the correct answer—Springfield—the GI who questioned him apparently believed that the capital was Chicago. Mickey Mouse is an Academy Award-winning comic animal cartoon character who has become a symbol for The Walt Disney Company. ... Official language(s) English Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Area Ranked 25th - Total 0 sq mi (149,998 kmÂ²) - Width 210 miles (340 km) - Length 390 miles (629 km) - % water 4. ... Omar Nelson Bradley (February 12, 1893 â€“ April 8, 1981) was one of the main U.S. Army field commanders in North Africa and Europe during World War II and a General of the Army of the United States Army. ... Location of Springfield within Illinois Coordinates: Country United States State Illinois County Sangamon Founded 1819 Mayor Timothy Davlin Area - City 156. ... Nickname: The Windy City, The Second City, Chi Town, The City of Big Shoulders The 312 Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in Chicagoland and Illinois Coordinates: Country United States State Illinois County Cook Incorporated March 4, 1837 Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area...

The tightened security nonetheless made things harder for the German infiltrators, and some of them were captured. Even during interrogation they continued their goal of spreading disinformation; when asked about their mission, some of them claimed they had been told to go to Paris to either kill or capture General Eisenhower. Security around the general was greatly increased, and he was confined to his headquarters. Because these prisoners had been captured in American uniform they were later executed by firing squad; this was the standard practice of every army at the time, although it was left ambivalent under the Geneva Convention, which merely stated that soldiers had to wear uniforms that distinguished them as combatants. In addition, Skorzeny was an expert at international law and knew that such an operation would be well within its boundaries as long as they were wearing their German uniforms when firing. Skorzeny and his men were fully aware of their likely fate, and most wore their German uniforms underneath their Allied ones in case of capture. Skorzeny himself avoided capture, survived the war and may have been involved with the Nazi ODESSA ratline escape network. Disinformation, in the context of espionage, military intelligence, and propaganda, is the spreading of deliberately false information to mislead an enemy as to ones position or course of action. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France RÃ©gion ÃŽle-de-France DÃ©partement Paris (75) Subdivisions 20 arrondissements Mayor Bertrand DelanoÃ« (PS) (since 2001) City Statistics Land... The Executions of the Third of May by Francisco Goya Execution by firing squad is a method of capital punishment, particularly common in times of war. ... The Geneva Conventions consist of treaties formulated in Geneva, Switzerland that set the standards for international law for humanitarian concerns. ... Location Map of Ukraine with Odessa highlighted. ... Ratlines were systems of escape routes for Nazis and other fascists fleeing Europe at the end of World War II. These escape routes mainly led toward safe havens in South America, particularly North America, Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil and Chile. ...

Malmedy massacre

In the north the main armoured spearhead of the 6th SS Panzer Army, Kampfgruppe Peiper, consisting of 4,800 men and 600 vehicles under the command of Waffen-SS Colonel Jochen Peiper, pushed west into Belgium. At 0700 hrs December 17 they seized a U.S. fuel depot at Büllingen, where they paused to refuel before continuing westward. At 1230 hrs, near the hamlet of Baugnez, on the height halfway between the town of Malmedy and Ligneuville, they encountered elements of the American 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion. After a brief battle the Americans surrendered. They were disarmed and, with some other Americans captured earlier (approximately 150 people), sent to stand in a field near the crossroads. Here they were all shot. It is not known what caused the shooting and there is no record of an SS officer giving an execution order; such shootings of prisoners of war (POWs), however, were more common by both sides on the Eastern Front. News of the killings raced through Allied lines. Afterwards, it became common for soldiers to take no SS or Fallschirmjäger soldiers prisoner. Captured SS soldiers who were part of Kampfgruppe Peiper were tried in the Malmedy massacre trial following the war. Download high resolution version (1024x705, 252 KB)Malmédy massacre - approximately 70 members of Battery B killed after captured . ... Download high resolution version (1024x705, 252 KB)Malmédy massacre - approximately 70 members of Battery B killed after captured . ... United States soldiers discover the aftermath of the Malmedy Massacre. ... Waffen-SS recruitment poster; Volunteer to the Waffen-SS The Waffen-SS was the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel. ... Jochen Peiper Joachim Peiper (1915 - 1976);more often known as Jochen Peiper from the common German nickname for Joachim; born on January 30, 1915 was a senior Waffen-SS officer, and commander in the Panzer campaigns of 1939-1945. ... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... BÃ¼llingen is a municipality located in the Belgian province of LiÃ¨ge. ... Malmedy Cathedral, built in 1777 Malmedy is a municipality located in the Belgian province of LiÃ¨ge. ... Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ... The Eastern Front of World War II was the theatre of war covering the conflict in central and eastern Europe from June 22, 1941 to May 9, 1945. ... FallschirmjÃ¤ger photo taken from The Hague, Bezuidenhout during the invasion of the Low Countries, morning of May 10, 1940 , often rendered Fallschirmjager in English, is the German word for paratrooper. ... The Malmedy massacre The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ...

The fighting went on and, by the evening, the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler Division spearhead had pushed north to engage the U.S. 99th Infantry Division and Kampfgruppe Peiper arrived in front of Stavelot. He was already behind the timetable as it took 36 hours to advance from Eifel to Stavelot; it had taken just 9 hours in 1940. As the Americans fell back they blew up bridges and fuel dumps, denying the Germans critically needed fuel and further slowing their progress. Stavelot is a municipality located in the Belgian province of LiÃ¨ge. ... The Eifel is a hilly region in Germany. ... Stavelot is a municipality located in the Belgian province of LiÃ¨ge. ...

The Wereth 11

Another, much smaller, massacre was committed in Wereth, Belgium, approximately a thousand yards north-east of Saint Vith by men of the 1st SS Division, belonging to Kampfgruppe Hansen. Due to the lack of any verifiable evidence to identify the murderers, the murders went mostly unavenged and unpublicized. The Wereth 11 were 11 African-American soldiers who were brutally murdered in Wereth, Belgium on December 17th, 1944. ... Sankt Vith (French: Saint-Vith) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Li ge. ...

The assault of Kampfgruppe Peiper

Peiper entered Stavelot on December 18 but encountered fierce resistance by the American defenders. Unable to defeat the American force in the area, he left a smaller support force in town and headed for the bridge at Trois-Ponts with the bulk of his forces, but by the time he reached it, the retreating US engineers had already destroyed it. Peiper pulled off and headed for the village of La Gleize and from then on to Stoumont. There, as Peiper approached, the American engineers blew up the bridge and the American troops were entrenched and ready to fight a bitter battle. Joachim Peiper This work is copyrighted. ... Joachim Peiper This work is copyrighted. ... Joachim Peiper as an SS major. ... In the Gregorian Calendar, December 18 is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years), at which point there will be 13 days remaining to the end of the year. ... Trois-Ponts is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. ... Stoumont is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. ...

His troops were cut off from the main German force and supplies when the Americans recaptured the poorly defended Stavelot on December 19. As their situation in Stoumont was becoming hopeless, Peiper decided to pull back to La Gleize where he set up his defences waiting for the German relief force. As no relief force was able to penetrate the Allied line, on December 23 Peiper decided to break through back to the German lines. The men of the Kampfgruppe were forced to abandon their vehicles and heavy equipment, although most of the unit was able to escape. December 19 is the 353rd day of the year (354th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... December 23 is the 357th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (358th in leap years). ...

St. Vith

In the centre, the town of St. Vith, a vital road junction, presented the main challenge for both von Manteuffel's and Dietrich's forces. The defenders, led by the U.S. 7th Armored Division, and also including one regiment of the U.S. 106th Infantry Division, and additional elements of the U.S. 9th Armored Division and U.S. 28th Infantry Division, all under the command of General Bruce C. Clarke, successfully resisted the German attacks, thereby significantly slowing the German advance. Under orders, St. Vith was given up on December 21; U.S. troops fell back to entrenched positions in the area, presenting an imposing obstacle to a successful German advance. By December 23, as the Germans shattered their flanks, the defenders' position became untenable and U.S. troops were ordered to retreat west of the Salm River. As the German plan called for the capture of St. Vith by 1800 hrs December 17, the prolonged action in and around it presented a major blow to their timetable. Image File history File links Wikisource-logo. ... The original Wikisource logo. ... Shoulder sleeve patch of the United States Army 7th Armored Division. ... The 106th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War II well known to be the hardest hit division of the Battle of the Bulge. ... Shoulder sleeve patch of the United States Army 9th Armored Division. ... The 28th Infantry Division [Mechanized] is a unit of the United States Army formed in 1917 in World War I. It continues its service today as part of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. ... December 21 is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... December 23 is the 357th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (358th in leap years). ... Salm is a river in eastern Belgium (provinces of LiÃ¨ge and Luxembourg), tributary to the river AmblÃ¨ve. ... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

Bastogne

On December 19, the senior Allied commanders met in a bunker in Verdun. Eisenhower, realizing that the Allies could destroy German forces much more easily when they were out in the open and on the offensive than if they were on the defensive, told the generals, "The present situation is to be regarded as one of opportunity for us and not of disaster. There will be only cheerful faces at this table". Patton, realizing what Eisenhower implied, responded, "Hell, let's have the guts to let the bastards go all the way to Paris. Then, we'll really cut'em off and chew'em up". Eisenhower asked Patton how long it would take to turn his Third Army (then located in south-central France) north to counter-attack. He said he could do it in 48 hours, to the disbelief of the other generals present. Before he had gone to the meeting, in fact, Patton had ordered his staff to prepare to turn north; by the time Eisenhower asked him how long it would take the movement was already underway (Citizen Soldiers, p 208). On 20 December, Eisenhower removed the 1st and 9th American Armies from Bradley's 12th Army Group and placed them under Montgomery's 21st Army Group command. Download high resolution version (557x900, 184 KB)Wacht am Rhein -- the German offensive, 16-25 December 1944 Source: US ARMY License: US Government document. ... Download high resolution version (557x900, 184 KB)Wacht am Rhein -- the German offensive, 16-25 December 1944 Source: US ARMY License: US Government document. ... Combatants United States Germany Commanders Anthony McAuliffe Hasso von Manteuffel Strength 101st Airborne Division, Elements of 10th Armored Division (estimated) Nine German divisions (mostly Panzer) Wikisource has original text related to this article: THE ARDENNES: BATTLE OF THE BULGE. CHAPTER XIX: THE BATTLE OF BASTOGNE The Battle of Bastogne was... December 19 is the 353rd day of the year (354th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Bunkers in Albania A bunker is a defensive military fortification. ... Verdun, (German: Wirten) sometimes also called Verdun-sur-Meuse, is a city and commune in northeast France, in the Meuse département, of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... December 20 is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of the U.S. First Army. ... Shoulder sleeve insignia of the U.S. Ninth Army. ... (Redirected from 12th Army Group) The 12th Army Group was the largest and most powerful American formation ever to take to the field. ... Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC (17 November 1887 â€“ 24 March 1976) was a British Army officer, often referred to as Monty. He successfully commanded Allied forces at the Battle of El Alamein, a major turning point in World War II, and... The British 21st Army Group was an important Allied force in the European Theatre of World War II. // Normandy Commanded by General (later Field Marshal) Sir Bernard Montgomery, it initially controlled all ground forces in Operation Overlord. ...

By December 21 the German forces had surrounded Bastogne, which was defended by the 101st Airborne Division and Combat Command B of the 10th Armored Division. Conditions inside the perimeter were tough—most of the medical supplies and medical personnel had been captured. Food was scarce, and ammunition was so low that artillery crews were forbidden to fire on advancing Germans unless there was a large, heavy concentration of them. Despite determined German attacks, however, the perimeter held. The German Commander sent this request to the American commander in Bastogne. December 21 is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The coat of arms of the Bastogne municipality. ... The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)â€”nicknamed the â€œScreaming Eaglesâ€â€”is an airborne division of the United States Army primarily trained for air assault operations. ...

"To the USA Commander of the encircled town of Bastogne: The fortune of war is changing. This time strong German armored units have encircled the USA forces in and near Bastogne ... There is only one possibility to save the encircled USA troops from total annihilation; that is the honorable surrender of the encircled town ... If this proposal is rejected, one German Artillery Corps and six heavy AA Battalions are ready to annihilate USA troops ... all the serious civilian losses caused by this artillery fire would not correspond with the well-known American humanity..." -The German Commander

When General Anthony McAuliffe was awakened by a German invitation to surrender, he gave a reply of annoyance that has been variously reported and was probably unprintable. There is no disagreement, however, as to what he wrote on the paper delivered to the Germans: "NUTS!" That reply had to be explained, both to the Germans and to non-American Allies.^[6] General Anthony C. McAuliffe (July 2, 1898 - August 11, 1975) was the United States Army general who commanded the force during the Battle of Bastogne, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. He was famous for his single-word reply to a German surrender ultimatum. ...

Rather than launching one simultaneous attack all around the perimeter the German forces concentrated their assaults on several individual locations attacked in sequence. Although this compelled the defenders to constantly shift reinforcements in order to repel each attack, it tended to dissipate the Germans' numerical advantage.

The Meuse

To protect the crossings on the Meuse at Givet, Dinant and Namur, on the 19 December Montgomery ordered those few units available to hold the bridges. This led to a hastily assembled force including rear echelon troops, military police and Air Corps personnel. The British 29th Armoured Brigade, which had turned in its tanks for re-equipping, was told to take back their tanks and head to the area. XXX Corps in Holland began their move to the area. December 19 is the 353rd day of the year (354th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The 29th Armoured Brigade was a Second World War British Army brigade. ...

Allied counter-offensive

On 23 December the weather conditions started improving, allowing the Allied air forces to attack. They launched devastating bombing raids on the German supply points in their rear, and P-47s started attacking the German troops on the roads. The Allied air forces also helped the defenders of Bastogne, dropping much-needed supplies—medicine, food, blankets and ammunition. A team of volunteer surgeons flew in by glider and began operating in a tool room. Download high resolution version (1000x901, 169 KB)German progress during the Battle of the Bulge Source: Scanned from map insert in US Army in World War II - The Ardennes: The Battle of the Bulge License: US Government document. ... Download high resolution version (1000x901, 169 KB)German progress during the Battle of the Bulge Source: Scanned from map insert in US Army in World War II - The Ardennes: The Battle of the Bulge License: US Government document. ... December 23 is the 357th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (358th in leap years). ... The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, or Jug as it was known, was one of the main US Army Air Force (USAAF) fighters of World War II. The P-47 was a big, rugged, overbuilt aircraft that was effective in air combat but proved particularly useful as a fighter-bomber. ... This article is about the field and science of medical practice and health care. ... A bed covered by a blanket A painting by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec of two people under a blanket A blanket is a type of bedding, generally a large, rectangular piece of cloth, intended to keep the user warm, especially while they sleep. ... Boxes of ammunition clog a warehouse in Baghdad Ammunition is a generic military term meaning (the assembly of) a projectile and its propellant. ... A cardiothoracic surgeon performs a mitral valve replacement at the Fitzsimons Army Medical Center. ... Gliders or Sailplanes are heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight. ...

By December 24 the German advance was effectively stalled short of the Meuse River. Units of the British XXX Corps were holding the bridges at Dinant, Givet, and Namur and US units were about to take over. The Germans had outrun their supply lines and shortages of fuel and ammunition were becoming critical. Up to this point the German losses had been light, notably in armour, which was almost untouched with the exception of Peiper's losses. On the evening of the 24th, General Hasso von Manteuffel recommended to Hitler's Military Adjutant a halt to all offensive operations and a withdrawal back to the West Wall. Hitler rejected this. December 24 is the 358th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (359th in leap years). ... Meuse near Grave The Meuse (Dutch Maas) is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea. ... Hasso-Eccard Freiherr von Manteuffel (January 14, 1897 â€” September 24, 1978) was a German soldier and politician of the 20th century. ...

Patton's Third Army was now battling to relieve Bastogne. At 1650 on December 26, the lead element of the 37th Tank Battalion of the Fourth Armored Division reached Bastogne, ending the siege. December 26 is the 360th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, 361st in leap years. ... An M1A1 Abrahms Main Battle Tank. ...

Germans strike back

On 1 January, in an attempt to keep the offensive going, the Germans launched two new operations. At 0915 the Luftwaffe launched Operation Bodenplatte, a major campaign against Allied airfields in the Low Countries. Hundreds of planes attacked Allied airfields, destroying or severely damaging some 465 aircraft. However, the Luftwaffe lost 277 planes, 62 to Allied fighters and 172 mostly because of an unexpectedly high number of Allied flak guns, set up to protect against German V-1 flying bomb attacks, but also due to friendly fire from the German flak guns that were uninformed of the pending large-scale German air operation. While the Allies recovered from their losses in just days, the operation left the Luftwaffe "weaker than ever and incapable of mounting any major attack again". (A World At Arms, p 769, Gerhard Weinberg). January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Operation Bodenplatte, launched on 1st January 1945, was an attempt to cripple Allied air forces in the Low Countries of Europe. ... The Low Countries, the historical region of de Nederlanden, are the countries (see Country) on low-lying land around the delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse (Maas) rivers. ... An Airbus A380, currently the worlds largest airliner An aircraft is any vehicle or craft capable of atmospheric flight. ... FLAK was a punk rock side project of members of the band Machinae Supremacy in 2001. ... The Vergeltungswaffe 1 Fi 103 / FZG-76 (V-1), known as the Flying bomb, Buzz bomb or Doodlebug, was the first modern guided missile used in wartime and the first cruise missile. ... Friendly fire (fratricide or non-hostile fire) is a term originally adopted by the United States military in reference to an attack on friendly forces by other friendly forces,[1] which may be deliberate (e. ...

On the same day, German Army Group G launched a major offensive against the thinly stretched, 110 km line of the Seventh U.S. Army. Operation Nordwind, the last major German offensive of the war on the Western Front, soon had the weakened Seventh U.S. Army, which had, at Eisenhower's orders, sent troops, equipment, and supplies north to reinforce the American armies in the Ardennes, in dire straits. By 15 January, the Seventh U.S. Army VI Corps was fighting for its very life on three sides in Alsace. With casualties mounting, and running short on replacements, tanks, ammunition, and supplies, Seventh U.S. Army was forced to withdraw to defensive positions on the south bank of the Moder River on 21 January. The German offensive finally drew to a close on 25 January. In the bitter, desperate fighting of Operation Nordwind, VI Corps, which had borne the brunt of the fighting suffered a total of 14,716 casualties. The total for the Seventh U.S. Army is unclear, but the total casualties included at least 9,000 wounded and 17,000 sick and injured.(Smith and Clark, "Riviera To The Rhine," p. 527.) Operation Nordwind (North Wind) was an attack conducted by the German Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS during January 1945 in Alsace and Lorraine. ... January 15 is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Location Administration Capital Strasbourg Regional President Adrien Zeller (UMP) (since 1996) DÃ©partements Bas-Rhin Haut-Rhin Arrondissements 13 Cantons 75 Communes 903 Statistics Land area1 8,280 kmÂ² Population (Ranked 14th) - January 1, 2005 est. ... January 21 is the 21st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... January 25 is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Allies prevail

While the German offensive had ground to a halt, they still controlled a dangerous salient in the Allied line. Patton's Third Army in the south, centred around Bastogne, would attack north, Montgomery's forces in the north would strike south, and the two forces planned to meet at Houffalize. Patton can refer to: Names George S. Patton, a US general. ... Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC (17 November 1887 â€“ 24 March 1976) was a British Army officer, often referred to as Monty. He successfully commanded Allied forces at the Battle of El Alamein, a major turning point in World War II, and... Houffalize is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Luxembourg. ...

The temperature during January 1945 was unseasonably low. Trucks had to be run every half hour or the oil in them would freeze, and weapons would freeze. The offensive went forward regardless.

Eisenhower wanted Montgomery to go on the offensive on January 1, with the aim of meeting up with Patton's advancing Third Army and cutting off most of the attacking Germans, trapping them in a pocket. However, refusing to risk underprepared infantry in a snowstorm for a strategically unimportant area, Montgomery did not launch the attack until 3 January, by which time substantial numbers of German troops had already managed to successfully disengage, albeit with the loss of their heavy equipment. Download high resolution version (554x900, 177 KB)Erasing the Bulge -- The Allied counterattack, 26 December - 25 January Source: US ARMY License: US Government document. ... Download high resolution version (554x900, 177 KB)Erasing the Bulge -- The Allied counterattack, 26 December - 25 January Source: US ARMY License: US Government document. ... December 26 is the 360th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, 361st in leap years. ... January 25 is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... January 3 is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

At the start of the offensive, the two Armies were separated by about 40 km. American progress in the south was also restricted to about a kilometre a day. The majority of the German force executed a successful fighting withdrawal and escaped the battle area, although the fuel situation had become so dire that most of the German armour had to be abandoned. On 7 January 1945, Hitler agreed to withdraw forces from the Ardennes, including the SS Panzer Divisions, thus ending all offensive operations. January 7 is the seventh day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1945 (MCMVL) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ...

Controversy in the Allied high command

On the same day as Hitler's withdrawal order, 7 January, Montgomery held a press conference at Zonhoven in which he gave credit for the victory to the "courage and good fighting quality" of the American troops, characterizing a typical American as a "very brave fighting man who has that tenacity in battle which makes a great soldier". He went on to talk about the necessity of Allied teamwork, and praised Eisenhower, stating that "Teamwork wins battles and battle victories win wars. On our team the captain is General Ike." January 7 is the seventh day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The conference caused some controversy when his comments were interpreted as self-promoting, particularly his claiming that when the situation "began to deteriorate", Eisenhower had placed him in command in the north. Patton and Eisenhower both felt this was a misrepresentation of the relative share of the fighting played by the British and Americans in the Ardennes. In the context of Patton and Montgomery's well-known antipathy, Montgomery's failure to mention the contribution of any American general beside Eisenhower was seen as insulting. Focusing exclusively on his own generalship, Montgomery continued to say that he thought the counter-offensive had gone very well but did not explain the reason for his delayed attack on January 3. He later attributed this to needing more time for preparation on the northern front. According to Churchill, the attack from the south under Patton was steady but slow and involved heavy losses, and Montgomery claimed to be trying to avoid this situation. January 3 is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Montgomery subsequently recognised his error and later wrote: "I think now that I should never have held that press conference. So great were the feelings against me on the part of the American generals that whatever I said was bound to be wrong. I should therefore have said nothing." Eisenhower commented in his own memoirs: "I doubt if Montgomery ever came to realise how resentful some American commanders were. They believed he had belittled them - and they were not slow to voice reciprocal scorn and contempt".

Bradley and Patton both threatened to resign unless Montgomery's command was changed. Subsequently Bradley started to court the press, and it was stated that he would rarely leave headquarters "without at least fifteen newspapermen"; it has been suggested that he and Patton began to leak information detrimental to Montgomery. Eisenhower, encouraged by his British deputy, Tedder, was minded to sack Montgomery. However, intervention by Montgomery's and Eisenhower's Chiefs of Staff, Major-General Freddie de Guingand, and Lieutenant-General Walter Bedell Smith allowed Eisenhower to re-consider and Montgomery to apologise. Arthur William Tedder, 1st Baron Tedder (July 11, 1890â€“June 3, 1967) was a significant British Marshal of the Royal Air Force. ... Major General Freddie De Guingand, 1900-1979, served with Montgomery from Alemain to the surrender of the Wermacht in the West. ... Walter Bedell Smith as U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union. ...

Strategic situation after the Bulge

Although the German advance was halted, the overall situation remained dangerous. On 6 January Winston Churchill once again asked Stalin for support. On 12 January, the Red Army launched the Vistula-Oder Offensive in Poland and East Prussia. Soviet sources claim this was done ahead of schedule, while most Western sources doubt it, and instead claim the Soviet offensive was delayed because of the situation in the West, with Stalin waiting until both sides had militarily exhausted themselves. January 6 is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is becoming very long. ... January 12 is the 12th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The short forms Red Army and RKKA refer to the Workers and Peasants Red Army, (in Russian: Ð Ð°Ð±Ð¾Ñ‡Ðµ-ÐšÑ€ÐµÑÑ‚ÑŒÑÐ½ÑÐºÐ°Ñ ÐšÑ€Ð°ÑÐ½Ð°Ñ ÐÑ€Ð¼Ð¸Ñ - Raboche-Krestyanskaya Krasnaya Armiya), the armed forces first organized by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War in 1918. ... Combatants Wehrmacht i. ... East Prussia (German: Ostpreu en; Polish: Prusy Wschodnie; Russian: Восточная Пруссия — Vostochnaya Prussiya) was a province of Kingdom of Prussia, situated on the territory of former Ducal Prussia. ...

The Battle of the Bulge officially ended when the two American forces met up on 15 January 1945. January 15 is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1945 (MCMVL) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ...

Aftermath

Casualty estimates from the battle vary widely. The official US account lists 80,987 American casualties, while other estimates range from 70,000 to 104,000. British losses totaled 1,400. The German High Command's official figure for the campaign was 84,834 casualties, and other estimates range between 60,000 and 100,000. Image File history File linksMetadata Mardasson_Memorial_Bastogne. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Mardasson_Memorial_Bastogne. ... A casualty is a person who is the victim of an accident, injury, or trauma. ...

The Allies pressed their advantage following the battle. By the beginning of February 1945, the lines were roughly where they had been in December 1944. In early February, the Allies launched an attack all along the Western front: in the north under Montgomery toward Aachen; in the center, under Courtney Hodges; and in the south, under Patton. Montgomery's behaviour during the months of December and January, including the press conference on January 7 where he downplayed the contribution of the American generals, further soured his relationship with his American counterparts through to the end of the war. Aachen, Dutch Aken, French Aix-la-Chapelle, Spanish AquisgrÃ¡n, Latin Aquisgranum, Ripuarian Oche) is a spa city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, on the border with Belgium and the Netherlands, 65 km to the west of Cologne, and the westernmost city in Germany. ... Courtney Hicks Hodges (January 5, 1887 â€“ January 16, 1966) was an American military officer, most prominent for his role in World War II, in which he commanded the U.S. First Army in Northwest Europe. ... January 7 is the seventh day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The German losses in the battle were critical in several respects: the last of the German reserves were now gone; the Luftwaffe had been broken; and the German army in the West was being pushed back. Most importantly, the Eastern Front was now ripe for the taking. In the East, the German army was unable to halt the Soviet juggernaut. German forces were sent reeling on two fronts and never recovered.

The Americans were short of available in-theater reinforcements. The American Military History says:

The battle in popular culture

The Battle of the Bulge has been the setting of several movies, novels, and other media. Film is a term that encompasses motion pictures as individual projects, as well as the field in general. ... A novel (from French nouvelle Italian novella, new) is an extended, generally fictional narrative in prose. ...

Films

Battleground was an Oscar winning 1949 film depicting the 101st Airborne's defence of Bastogne, told from the common soldier's point of view, depicting the troops as weary but determined survivors. Battleground is a 1949 war film which tells the story of a squad of the 101st Airborne Division trying to cope during the Battle of the Bulge at Bastogne, Belgium. ... The references in this article would be clearer with a different and/or consistent style of citation, footnoting or external linking. ...

Battle of the Bulge was released in 1965, starring Robert Shaw and Henry Fonda. While filmed against sweeping vistas and with famous stars in the lead roles, the movie is notorious for countless major inaccuracies. Battle of the Bulge is a war film released in 1965. ... Robert Shaw as Quint in Jaws. ... Henry Fonda in the classic 1957 film 12 Angry Men. ...

The movie Silent Night takes place during the campaign and is based on a true story about a German woman named Elisabeth Vincken who was able to broker a truce between American and German soldiers who sought shelter in her cabin on Christmas Eve.

The 1970 film 'Patton' starring George C Scott deals with the BotB in its latter half.

The 1992 film A Midnight Clear, featuring Ethan Hawke and Gary Sinise, is set on the eve of the Battle of the Bulge and depicts the beginning of the German offensive. A Midnight Clear is a 1992 film directed by Keith Gordon and stars an ensemble cast. ... Ethan Hawke at press conference for Before Sunrise at the 1995 Berlinale. ... Gary Alan Sinise (born March 17, 1955) is an Emmy winning American actor and film director. ...

The 1994 PBS documentary "Battle of the Bulge", produced by Thomas F. Lennon, wrtten by Lennon and Mark Zwonitzer, was told from the perspective of American soldiers who survived. It received many awards, including the duPont-Columbia Journalism award. Thomas Lennon Thomas Lennon Thomas F. Lennon is a documentary filmmaker much of whose work has focused on issues of ethnicity and race. ...

The 2002 film Hart's War, featuring Colin Farrell, Terrence Howard, and Bruce Willis also depicts the beginning of the battle. Based on the novel by John Katzenbach Harts War is a 2002 film about a fictional World War II prisoner of war camp starring Bruce Willis and Colin Farrell. ... Colin James Farrell (born May 31, 1976) is an Irish actor known for appearing in a series of high-profile Hollywood films, as well as for his controversial off-screen lifestyle. ... Terrence Dashon Howard (born March 11, 1969) is an Academy Award-nominated American film and stage actor. ... Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955 as Walter Bruce Willis in Idar-Oberstein, West Germany) is an American actor and singer. ...

The 2005 film "Saints and Soldiers" depicts the Massacre at Malmedy with its opening scene. Saints and Soldiers is a war film released by Excel Entertainment in August, 2004. ...

Stephen Ambrose's Band of Brothers is a factual account which follows the fortunes of Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne. It was later made into a BBC/HBO television series, also called Band of Brothers, that includes the Company's experiences in the Battle of the Bulge, particularly near Bastogne. Episode 6 of the television series, titled "Bastogne", depicts the fighting around Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. Episode 7 of the series, titled "Breaking Point" covers the end of the Battle of Bastogne, including an assault on Foy, a Belgian village about 5 km outside of Bastogne. Stephen Ambrose, at the 2001 premiere of Band of Brothers Stephen Edward Ambrose, Ph. ... Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitlers Eagles Nest is a factual account by historian Stephen Ambrose of the exploits of Easy Company of the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army during their training and the latter days of World... Easy Company is a famous company in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, in the 101st Airborne Division that served in World War II on the frontlines in the European Theater. ... During World War II, the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (506th PIR) was a regiment of the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army. ... The British Broadcasting Corporation, invariably known as the BBC (and also informally known as the Beeb or Auntie) is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world, employing 26,000 staff in the UK alone and with a budget of Â£4 billion. ... HBO (Home Box Office) is a premium cable television network with headquarters in New York City. ... Band of Brothers is an acclaimed 10-part television miniseries about World War II, co-produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. ...

Games

The computer game Battlefield 1942 allows players to reenact the battle, as does the United Offensive expansion pack for Call of Duty, but the games are generally considered focused too heavily on Bastogne to be considered a full reenactment. "Decisive Battles: The Ardennes Offensive" and Close Combat IV: Battle of the Bulge (1999 by SSI) are seen by many as the most accurate implementations of the full battle, though the latter focuses on platoon-sized battles translated onto a much larger strategic map and bear little resemblance to the actual battle. The WWII first person shooter Medal of Honor: European Assault and Medal of Honor: Spearhead also feature the battle. Hearts of Iron 2 offers a very well designed stratigic situation of that battle. A computer game is a game composed of a computer-controlled virtual universe that players interact with in order to achieve a defined goal or set of goals. ... Battlefield 1942 is an expansive first-person shooter (FPS), set in World War II, developed by Digital Illusions CE and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows (2002) and Apple Macintosh (2004). ... Call of Duty: United Offensive is an expansion pack for the popular first-person shooter computer game, Call of Duty. ... CoD redirects here. ... Close Combat is the name of a series of tactical RTS computer games by Atomic Games. ... Hearts of Iron 2 is a grand strategy computer war game for the PC based upon its predecessor, Hearts of Iron. ...

The award-winning WWII-themed board game Memoir '44 also contains a scenario that reenacts the battle. A number of other board games deal with this battle in various degrees of complexity, but in greater detail than Memoir '44. There are also two Historical Modules for Advanced Squad Leader depicting the fighting by Kampfgruppe Peiper during the battle. Other games have included Battle of the Bulge Bitter Woods by The Avalon Hill Company, as well as Tigers in the Mist and Ardennes '44 by GMT Games. Memoir 44 is a light strategy board game, created by Richard Borg, for two to six players. ... Advanced Squad Leader 2nd Edition Rulebook Advanced Squad Leader (ASL) is a tactical level board wargame that simulates small unit actions of approximately company or battalion size in World War II. It is not simply a game, but rather a detailed game system for two or more players (with solitaire...

Notes

^ Contrary to popular belief, it was not the last major German offensive on the Western Front during World War II; to the south Operation Nordwind began on 1 January.
^ This offensive has several other names, including the Von Rundstedt Offensive (in reality von Rundstedt had little to do with it) and, officially to the U.S. Army, the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign. Several historical works (notably David Eggenberger's Encyclopedia of Battles) describe this battle as the Second Battle of the [Ardennes.
^ U.S. Military History of Battle of the Ardennes. Retrieved on 2006-10-14.
^ Operation Overlord planned for an advance to the line of the Seine by D+90 and an advance to the German frontier sometime after D+120.
^ perhaps comparing it with the fragility of relations between Axis nations.
^ Nuts can mean a number of things in American English slang, including 'crazy' and testicles (similar to the British English bollocks). In this case, however, it signified rejection, and was explained to the Germans as meaning 'go to hell'.

During World War II, the Western Front was the theater of fighting west of Germany, encompassing France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxemberg, and Denmark. ... Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Nazi Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Harry Truman Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead... Operation Nordwind (North Wind) was an attack conducted by the German Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS during January 1945 in Alsace and Lorraine. ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 14 is the 287th day of the year (288th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... English language spread in the United States. ... Human male anatomy The testicles, known medically as testes (singular testis), are the male generative glands in animals. ... Diagram showing the geographical locations of selected languages and dialects of the British Isles. ...

Contents

Battle Outline

Background

Drafting the offensive

Planning

Initial German assault

Operation Stösser

Operation Greif

Malmedy massacre

The Wereth 11

The assault of Kampfgruppe Peiper

St. Vith

Bastogne

The Meuse

Allied counter-offensive

Germans strike back

Allies prevail

Controversy in the Allied high command

Strategic situation after the Bulge

Aftermath

The battle in popular culture

Films

Games

Notes

External links

References

Contents

Battle Outline GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Background

Drafting the offensive

Planning

Initial German assault

Operation Stösser

Operation Greif

Malmedy massacre

The Wereth 11

The assault of Kampfgruppe Peiper

St. Vith

Bastogne

The Meuse

Allied counter-offensive

Germans strike back

Allies prevail

Controversy in the Allied high command

Strategic situation after the Bulge

Aftermath

The battle in popular culture

Films

Games

Notes

External links

References

Battle Outline