Interactive Timeline. After a day of hard fighting, the Germans broke through the American front, surrounding most of an infantry division, seizing key crossroads, and advancing their spearheads toward Three members, of an American patrol, Sgt. The attack surprised Allied forces. It also used up huge amounts of Germany's war-making resources. James Storey, of Newman, Ga., Pvt. Never again would Hitler be able to launch an offensive in the west on such a scale. The Battle of the Bulge (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945) was a major German offensive campaign launched through the densely forested Ardennes region of Wallonia in Belgium, France and Luxembourg on the Western Front toward the end of World War II in Europe. The day after Christmas, units of Patton’s rapidly approaching Third Army finally arrived, broke through the German lines, and rescued the troops.”. However, the Allied Army had other plans. Another Nazi strategy was to attempt to infiltrate the Allied troops. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, the supreme Allied commander, and Lt. Gen. George S. Patton Jr. led the American defense to restore the front. George Silk/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images. Eisenhower, in his 1969 book, The Bitter Woods. 54 Battle Of The Bulge Photos That Capture The Nazis’ Brutal Last Ditch Counteroffensive US forces suffered 75,000 casualties including … It took place in the thick, wooded area of the Ardennes Forest region stretching from southern Belgium, Luxembourg, and into Germany. "Three times I was ordered to prove my identity," Gen. Omar Bradley recalled, according to the Washington Post. Gen. Anthony McAuliffe: ‘Nuts!’” the Bloodiest Battle states. Winston Churchill called World War II's Battle of the Bulge "the greatest American battle of the war." But this was not 1940. Marshall. Indeed, in terms of participation and losses, the Battle of the Bulge is arguably the greatest battle in American military history. In the small, pivotal Belgian town of Bastogne, the Germans surrounded thousands of Allied troops. Subscribe for fascinating stories connecting the past to the present. This volume, one of the series UNITED STATES ARMY IN WORLD WAR II, is the eighth to be published in the subseries, THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. Stories spread of the massacre of Soldiers and civilians at Malmedy and Stavelot, of paratroopers dropping behind the lines, and of English-speaking German soldiers, disguised as Americans, capturing critical bridges, cutting communications lines, and spreading rumors. Lasting six brutal weeks, from December 16, 1944, to January 25, 1945, the assault, also called the Battle of the Ardennes, took place during frigid weather conditions, with some 30 German divisions attacking battle-fatigued American troops across 85 miles of the densely wooded Ardennes Forest. The battle that ensued is known historically as the Battle of the Bulge. They had survived the cold, the snow and the battle. The Battle of the Bulge, Hitler’s desperate gamble to split the Allied forces attacking Germany from the west during the winter of 1945, is a classic in military history. “For those who had lived through 1940, the picture was all too familiar. Veteran Vernon Brantley, a private first class in the 289th Regiment, told the Fort Jackson Leader in 2009 that his unit had just arrived in Germany from France when they were told to load up and return to Luxembourg. The Battle of the Bulge, named for the bulge in American lines created by the German attack, is also known as the Ardennes Offensive. Battle of the Bulge Venture into the Ardennes and imagine the lush forests you encounter blanketed in snow, the way the American GIs found them in that harrowing winter of 1944 – 1945. But the story of the Battle of the Bulge is above all the story of American Soldiers. The German troops’ failure to divide Britain, France and America with the Ardennes offensive paved the way to victory for the allies. “Did you ever see land when a tornado’s come through? Within days, Patton's Third Army had relieved Bastogne, and to the north, the 2nd U.S. Armored Division stopped enemy tanks short of the Meuse River on Christmas. Even before he was captured on the first day of the Battle of the Bulge, Schuchert had a variety of harrowing experiences when his division was deployed to … In late 1944, during the wake of the Allied forces' successful D-Day invasion of Normandy, France, it seemed as if the Second World War was all but over. Noun 1. For it was here that American and German combat soldiers met in the decisive struggle that broke the back of the Nazi war machine.”, https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge. An official U.S. delegation was in Europe on December 16 to mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of one of the dramatic and climatic battles of World War II: the Battle of the Bulge—an offensive that lasted more than a month. “We got word that the Germans had dropped a lot of paratroopers behind our lines, and that they were dressed like American Soldiers and spoke English,” he said. Courtesy of the U.S. Army Center of Military History, FOUR VETERANS – FOUR STORIES – FOUR PERSPECTIVES, "None of these men knew each other in 1944, but they shared a bond that was clear to see. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! It wasn’t until Christmas Day that the weather conditions finally cleared, allowing Allied air forces to strike. ", - Megan Moloney, Department of Veterans Affairs, The Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge by Hugh M. Cole, Bastogne: The First Eight Days by Col. S.L.A. Hitler’s proposed plan (dubbed “Operation ...read more, Dunkirk is a small town on the coast of France that was the scene of a massive military campaign during World War II. It became the worst battle in terms of casualties for the United States. During the Battle of the Bulge, 20,876 Allied soldiers were killed, while another 42,893 were wounded, and 23,554 captured/missing. After brief deliberation American officers found them guilty, and ordered the usual penalty for spies: death by firing squad.”. Battle Of The Bulge summary: The Battle of the Bulge (December 16, 1944–January 16, 1945), also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the largest battle fought on the Western Front in Europe during World War II; it is also the largest battle ever fought by the United States Army. (Right) Three members, of an American patrol, Sgt. “The Nazis were carefully groomed for their dangerous mission,” LIFE magazine reported in 1945. Belgian townspeople put away their Allied flags and brought out their swastikas,” the center writes. British veterans waited nervously to see how the Americans would react to a full-scale German offensive, and British generals quietly acted to safeguard the Meuse River's crossings. The battle was a surprise offensive by the Germans and is also known as the Von Rundstedt Offensive or the Ardennes Offensive. Battle of the Bulge German Counteroffensive (Battle of the Bulge). The most positive feature of Hans Wijers' books on the Battle of the Bulge is that they shine a light on neglected or little known aspects of the campaign in part through the … Hitler hoped that the German counter-attack would surround the British and American armies and stall the Allied offensive against Germany. During the Battle of Dunkirk from May 26 to June 4, 1940, some 338,000 British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and other Allied troops were evacuated from Dunkirk to ...read more, The Battle of Midway was an epic clash between the U.S. Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy that played out six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. To stop infiltrators, the U.S. troops would ask suspected Germans to answer American trivia questions. Did you ever see trees and stuff, twisted and broken off? It took place from December 16th, 1944 to January 25th, 1945. Defeat in the Battle of the Bulge was the last nail in Germany's coffin. “The Ardennes campaign of 1944-45 was only one in a series of difficult engagements in the battle for Europe,” wrote John S.D. The battle began at 5.30 am on December 16with an artillery barrage by the Sixth Panzer Army lasting for about 90 minutes During the Battle of the Bulge, the Nazis had intended on surrounding the Allies, crushing them, and chasing them out of Europe. (Left) American engineers emerge from the woods and move out of defensive positions after fighting in the vicinity of Bastogne, Belgium. It covers one of the great closing battles of the was and Hitler's final attempt of winning what was already a lost war. Battle of the Bulge Guide and Founder of The National Museum of Military History in Luxembourg Born in Diekirch, Luxembourg, Roland Gaul has collected Battle of the Bulge artifacts since childhood. The Battle of the Bulge is an historically correct re-creation of the famous World War II campaign of the same name. Steven Spielberg engraved the 6-week ordeal on the popular imagination with Band of … "The tanks and air forces could finally maneuver, and get assistance to all of us who were previously blocked off. They achieved complete surprise and pushed westwards through the middle of the American line, creating the 'bulge' that gave the battle its name. The courage and fortitude of the American Soldier was tested against great adversity. Battle of the Bulge begins On December 16, 1944, the Germans launch the last major offensive of the war, Operation Autumn Mist, also known as the Ardennes Offensive and the Battle of the Bulge, … Nevertheless, the quality of his response ultimately meant the victory of freedom over tyranny. Even American civilians, who had thought final victory was near were sobered by the Nazi onslaught.”. Dennis Lavanoha, of Harrisville, N.Y., cross a snow-covered Luxembourg field on a scouting mission in Lellig, Luxembourg, Dec. 30, 1944. Eisenhower, in response, sent in more units, including the famed 101st Airborne Division. The Germans tried to stem the Allied invasion with a surprise mid-winter attack along a quiet sector on the front. It contains some very well filmed scenes as well as a suitably stirring music score. “But I didn’t really know cold until the Battle of the Bulge.”. For those who had lived through 1940, the picture was all too familiar. General Anthony McAuliffe replies to the demand with one simple word "Nuts!". “Police in Paris enforced an all-night curfew. by Hugh M. Cole . Written by Anthony Hughes
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