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Battle of the Bulge
Date: December 16th, 1944
Location: Ardennes Forest
Countries: Canada, U.K., U.S. vs. Germany
Situation
• Hitler had convinced himself that the
alliance between the allies in W. Europe
was not strong
• Felt a major attack and defeat by Germany
would break up the alliance
• Therefore, he ordered a massive attack
against what were primarily American
forces.
How it Got its Name
• Known as the
Ardennes Offensive
• The initial attack by
the Germans
created a bulge in
the Allied front line,
making it more
known as the Battle
of the Bulge.
Was it a Good Idea?
• On paper, it was a seemingly absurd plan:
– Germany had been in retreat since D-Day
– Military was depleted of supplies and was
facing the awesome might of the Allies.
The Beginning
• Began with a two hour bombardment of the Allies lines
that was followed by a huge armored offensive
• The Germans experienced great success to start because
– The Allies were surprised by the attack
– Before the attack, English speaking German soldiers dressed in
American uniforms went behind the lines of the Allies and spread
misinformation, changed road signs, cut telephone lines.
– Weather in Hitler’s favor:
• Low cloud and fog meant that the superior air force of the Allies could
not be used
• Ground was hard enough for military vehicles to cross and this suited
the armored attack Hitler envisioned
Town of Bastogne while German
soldiers had it surrounded
•
To the U.S.A. Commander of the encircled town of Bastogne.
•
•
The fortune of war is changing. This time the U.S.A.
•
forces in and near Bastogne have been encircled by strong
•
German armored units. More German armored units have crossed
• the river Ourthe near Ortheuville, have taken Marche and
•
reached St. Hubert by passing through Hompre-Sibret-Tillet.
•
Libramont is in German hands.
•
There is only one possibility to save the encircled
•
U.S.A troops from total annihilation: that is the honorable
• surrender of the encircled town. In order to think it over
• a term of two hours will be granted beginning with the
• presentation of this note.
•
If this proposal should be rejected one German
• Artillery Corps and six heavy A. A. Battalions are ready
• to annihilate the U.S.A. troops in and near Bastogne. The
•
order for firing will be given immediately after this two
•
hours’ term.
•
All the serious civilian losses caused by this
•
artillery fire would not correspond with the wellknown
• American humanity.
•
•
The German Commander.
U.S. General Anthony McAuliffe
became known as the Battlin'
Bastard of Bastogne during the
Battle of the Bulge, when he and
paratroops from his 101st Airborne
battalion were trapped in the
Belgian town of Bastogne by
German troops. They held off the
Germans for six days in December
of 1944 until General George S.
Patton brought in troops to defeat
the besiegers.
• To the German
Commander,
•
•
NUTS!
•
•
The American
Commander
•
A portrait of Lieutenant
General George Patton,
one of the most aggressive
and able generals of World
War II. Primarily a tank
commander, he is noted for
his successes during the
invasion of Sicily and the
Battle of the Bulge.
The Long Battle
• December 22nd, the weather started to clear, Allies’ air
power began counter-attack against the Germans.
• The Germans had advanced 60 miles in two days but from
December 18th on, they were in a position of stalemate.
• The fighting was ferocious.
• Weather was cold and rainy. Soldiers on the ground faced
very difficult conditions. (Trench foot VERY common)
• By mid-January 1945, Germany lacked fuel, Germans
had to make their way back to Germany on foot.
U.S. soldiers taking defensive positions in the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge
A German tank passes columns of American prisoners during the Battle of the
Bulge. From captured German film. December 17, 1944.
Outcome
• The Battle of the Bulge was the largest battle fought by
the Americans in World War Two.
– 600,000 American troops were involved in the battle
– American casualties - 81,000 men
– German casualties - 100,000 men
• Could the Germans have won the battle?
– Almost Certainly NOT - one huge problem – NO FUEL
– Any form of armored attack needed a constant supply of fuel –
and Allied bombing of fuel plants in Germany meant that such
supplies did not exist.
– German Generals even believed this offensive was too
ambitious
The Malmedy massacre
• December 17, 1944
– “With difficulty, he called a ceasefire and the
Americans came out of with their hands in the air.
The Germans herded them into small groups,
taking their rings, watches, cigarettes and especially
their gloves.” (Great Battles of Word War II: Battle
of the Bulge)
– “There were around 120-130 men, standing in rows
60 feet from the road. Machine guns on both tanks
opened fire, massacring the prisoners. The firing
lasted 15 minutes, after which SS soldiers walked
among the bodies, shooting anyone that moved in
the head.”
The bodies of 81 American soldiers killed by Waffen SS troops, Dec. 17, 1944, during
the Battle of the Bulge near the Belgian town of Malmedy. (Photo credit: U.S. Army)
Dead German soldiers lay on a snowy battlefield after the Battle of the Bulge.
The soldiers attempted to storm the 101st Airborne command post, but were
mowed down by machine gun fire.
Wereth Massacre
• Dec. 17, 1944
• Belgium
• 333rd Field
Artillery Bn.
• 11 AfricanAmerican soldiers
• Murdered by SS
soldiers
Chenogne Massacre
• January 1, 1945
• 11th Armored Division U.S.
Outcome: By Mid-January, German
troops were withdrawing from the
Ardennes Forest
Significance: Last HUGE German
offensive, showed the Germans were
truly defeated.
Human Cost of the Battle
• An official report by the United States
Department of the Army lists some
108,347 casualties including 19,246 KIA,
62,489 WIA and 26,612 POW and MIA
• The German High Command's official
figure for the campaign was 84,834
casualties, and other estimates range
between 60,000 and 100,000