Battle of the Bulge
On the 16th of December 1944, the German army launched a massive offensive through the Ardennes forest. This attack aimed to split Allied forces and capture the port of Antwerp. The plan relied on surprise and bad weather to ground American aircraft. Hitler believed he could force a separate peace treaty with the Western Allies. He hoped to buy time for new weapons like jet fighters and super-heavy tanks. The Germans had fewer than 30 divisions available for this counterattack. They lacked fuel and manpower compared to their enemies. Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt and Walter Model led the operation. Both generals doubted the chances of success from the start. They knew the goals were too ambitious given Germany's scarce resources. Hitler ignored their warnings and insisted on the original plan. The Wehrmacht code name was Operation Watch on the Rhine. It implied a defensive posture but was actually an offensive gamble. Intelligence from Bletchley Park suggested preparations for an attack. Yet Allied commanders dismissed these signals as false alarms. The U.S. First Army held the sector with thin lines. Inexperienced troops replaced veterans who needed rest. The terrain favored defenders with its dense woods and narrow roads. Poor traffic control would later cause massive delays for German vehicles. Fuel shortages plagued every unit moving westward. Horse-drawn transport became necessary to conserve gasoline. The offensive began at 5:30 AM with a 90-minute artillery barrage. Over 1,600 guns fired across the front line. Heavy snowstorms added to the confusion on both sides.
Elsenborn Ridge blocked the advance of the elite Sixth Panzer Army. SS-Obersturmbannführer Joachim Peiper led Kampfgruppe Peiper toward this critical high ground. His force included 4,800 men and 600 vehicles. The Tiger II heavy tank consumed two US gallons of fuel per mile. This consumption rate made reaching Antwerp impossible with available supplies. The 99th Infantry Division stopped the best equipped armored units of the German army. They forced rerouting through unfavorable alternative routes that slowed progress significantly. A single 18-man Intelligence and Reconnaissance Platoon held up about 500 German paratroopers until sunset. This delay created a bottleneck in the German advance. Peiper did not begin his main push until nearly 16:00 on the first day. He was over 16 hours behind schedule when he reached Bockholtz Station. The intention was to control Rocherath-Krinkelt twin villages. Occupation of this terrain would allow control of roads to the south and west. It also ensured supply lines for Peiper's armored task force. The U.S. 2nd Infantry Division joined the fight against the northern attack. Their stiff resistance prevented Germans from reaching vast arrays of supplies near Liège. Casualties were high on both sides. The division lost about 20% of its effective strength including 465 killed. German losses were much higher with more than 4,000 deaths recorded. Historian John S.D. Eisenhower called the action decisive for the entire campaign. The defense at Elsenborn Ridge remained unbroken despite intense pressure.
At 12:30 PM on the 17th of December 1944, SS troopers opened fire on American prisoners near Baugnez crossroads. About 84 men were murdered after surrendering during a brief battle. They had been disarmed and sent to stand in a field under light guard. The main body under SS-Werner Pötschke arrived fifteen minutes later. As firing began most prisoners panicked and were shot where they stood. A few survived to spread news of the killings through Allied lines. Another smaller massacre occurred in Wereth Belgium on the same day. Eleven black American soldiers were tortured before being executed by men of the 1st SS Panzer Division. Some injuries included bayonet wounds to the head and broken legs. Their fingers were cut off before death. Perpetrators were never punished for this crime. In 2001 a group began working on a tribute to remember these eleven soldiers. On New Year's Day 1945 American soldiers executed approximately sixty German prisoners near Chenogne village. This act followed orders received earlier that no prisoners should be taken. These events marked dark chapters within the broader conflict. Trials held after the war addressed some incidents but not all crimes committed.
By the 21st of December 1944 Germans surrounded the town of Bastogne. It was defended by the 101st Airborne Division and elements of the 10th Armored Division. Conditions inside the perimeter became extremely difficult. Medical supplies and personnel had been captured early in the fighting. Food was scarce and artillery ammunition restricted to ten rounds per gun daily. The weather cleared on the 22nd of December allowing supply drops over four of the next five days. Despite determined attacks the perimeter held against overwhelming odds. General Anthony McAuliffe received a demand for surrender from German commander Lüttwitz. He responded with frustration using the word Nuts. His staff typed up the reply which became famous among troops. The line served as a morale booster during the siege. Twenty years later General McAuliffe praised the men of the 10th Armored Tiger Division. He stated they deserved credit for protecting the town before paratroopers arrived. Combat Command B entered Bastogne on the 18th of December one day before the main force. Their defensive fighting allowed others to follow safely. On the 26th of December the lead element of Patton's Third Army reached Bastogne ending the siege. Company D of the 37th Tank Battalion broke through at 16:50 that evening.
Patton turned his Third Army northward within 48 hours despite disbelief from other officers. By the 24th of December the German advance stalled short of the Meuse River. Units of British XXX Corps held bridges at Dinant Givet and Namur. Allied air forces launched devastating bombing raids on German supply points in their rear. P-47 Thunderbolts attacked troops moving along roads. Supplies including medicine food blankets and ammunition were dropped to defenders. A team of volunteer surgeons flew in by military glider to operate in a tool room. The weather improved allowing air attacks on German forces and supply lines. Improved conditions started around the 24th of December permitting these operations. On the 26th of December the spearhead of General Patton's 4th Armored Division broke through. It was supplemented by the 26th Yankee Infantry Division opening a corridor to Bastogne. The trapped units of 2nd Panzer Division made two break-out attempts with only partial success. Major quantities of equipment fell into Allied hands during these efforts. Further pressure out of Marche led German command to conclude no further offensive action toward the Meuse was possible. The front line effectively restored its position prior to attack after another month of fighting.
German forces committed over 410,000 men to the offensive. Just over 1,400 tanks and armored fighting vehicles supported them. Between 63,000 and 104,000 of these men were killed missing wounded or captured. The battle severely depleted Germany's armored forces which remained largely unreplaced throughout the war. Luftwaffe personnel and aircraft sustained heavy losses as well. Many experienced German units were effectively out of men and equipment. Survivors retreated to the Siegfried Line after defeat. Allied forces eventually came to more than 700,000 men total. From these there were from 77,000 to more than 83,000 casualties including at least 8,600 killed. The Bulge was the largest and bloodiest single battle fought by the United States in World War II. It marked the last major offensive attempted by Axis powers on the Western Front. After this defeat Nazi forces could only retreat for the remainder of the war. Fuel shortages and weather changes forced the German withdrawal back to defensive lines. Hitler rejected recommendations to halt operations even when Manteuffel advised it. Disagreement and confusion at Allied command prevented strong responses initially. By late Christmas Eve the advance stopped completely. The farthest west penetration reached Foy-Notre-Dame south east of Dinant. This village was stopped by U.S. 2nd Armored Division on the 24th of December 1944.
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Common questions
When did the Battle of the Bulge begin and what was its code name?
The German army launched the offensive on the 16th of December 1944 under the code name Operation Watch on the Rhine. This massive attack targeted the Ardennes forest to split Allied forces and capture the port of Antwerp.
Who commanded the German forces during the Battle of the Bulge in 1944?
Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt and Walter Model led the operation despite doubting its chances of success from the start. Hitler ignored their warnings and insisted on the original plan which relied on surprise and bad weather to ground American aircraft.
What happened at Baugnez crossroads on the 17th of December 1944?
SS troopers opened fire on American prisoners near Baugnez crossroads at 12:30 PM on the 17th of December 1944 and murdered about 84 men after they surrendered. Another smaller massacre occurred in Wereth Belgium on the same day where eleven black American soldiers were tortured before being executed by men of the 1st SS Panzer Division.
How did General Anthony McAuliffe respond to the surrender demand for Bastogne on the 21st of December 1944?
General Anthony McAuliffe received a demand for surrender from German commander Lüttwitz and responded with frustration using the word Nuts. His staff typed up the reply which became famous among troops and served as a morale booster during the siege.
When was the siege of Bastogne ended by Patton's Third Army?
The lead element of Patton's Third Army reached Bastogne ending the siege on the 26th of December 1945. Company D of the 37th Tank Battalion broke through at 16:50 that evening to relieve the trapped units.