Battle Of The Bulge Essay

The Battle Of The Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was one of the Bloodiest battles of World War II with around 175,000 total
casualties and played a key role in ending the War. The Battle started as a German surprise attack on
Allied Forces along an 80–mile front in the Ardennes Forest of southern Belgium. The Germans
initially had a great deal of success in their attack but through a series of Allied counter attacks the
Allied Forces were able to cripple the German Forces. The Field Artillery played a crucial role in
this Allied victory in that they were able to effectively thin out the German Tanks which allowed
Allied Ground forces to push back the German Forces. The strategic setting, the battle itself, and the
overall significance of the battle clearly displays the Field Artilleries importance in both the battle
and the war.
The strategic setting of the Battle of the Bulge showed the American forces were comprised of four
and two–thirds divisions with an effective strength of about 83,000 men. The heavy weapons then
available numbered 242 medium tanks, 182 tank destroyers, and 394 pieces of corps and divisional
artillery. These troops and weapons were deploying on a roundabout front of around 80 miles.
Another 20 infantry divisions, nine armored divisions including 4,100 additional artillery pieces
reinforced the Americans after the battle began. The Germans began their offensive with over
200,000 men, 340 tanks, and 1,600 artillery pieces. These forces grew by another 12 infantry
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Battle Of The Bulge Battle Analysis
World War II was a very important event in American History. During these times, America had
gone to war against Germany, Italy and Japan. The three nations called themselves the Axis
Powers. The Allied Forces, America, Great Britain and France, were up against Hitler and the Axis
Powers. There were two attacks that made a difference during the war, the Battle of the Bulge and
the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Battle of the Bulge and the attack on Pearl Harbor were a huge
turning point in World War II and would affect the future of American History. In December 16th
1944 to January 16th 1945, The Battle of the Bulge took place in Ardennes, Belgium, Luxembourg,
and Germany. The leaders in this battle were Adolf Hitler of the Axis Powers. On the Allied Forces
side leading the Americans was General George Smith Patton Jr. Hitler's role in the war was to make
...show more content...
General Patton's role was to rescue American troops from the Nazis, and defeat Hitler's plans to
surprise attack the allies in the west. Their roles were very different from each other, for the fact
that Hitler wanted to gain power and allies, whereas America was trying to protect its people from
Hitler's power and the corruption of the Nations. Even though Hitler's Generals and Commanders
had advised against the attack, Hitler still wanted it to progress forward. The Allies missed several
early warning signs of an offensive, A bad phone connection helped lead to catastrophe for one U.S.
Division, German troops used stolen U.S. Army uniforms to wreak havoc behind Allied lines, U.S.
troops mounted a famous defense of the town of Bastogne, It marked the first time the U.S. Army
desegregated during WWII, Weather patterns played a major role in the battle's outcome, and Fuel
shortages helped doom the German offensive (Evan Andrews).

The Battle of the Bulge
After the U.S. began to push out the Germans and enlarge the pathway to Bastogne at the end of
December 1944, the U.S. troops and some British soldiers started a counterattack, to eliminate the
bulge in the American line. This success was largely due to General Patton's third army, that
attacked from the North and the South. On January 8, 1945, the German forces began to pull out
of the Bulge. As the Americans advanced, they continued to erase all German gains. By the end of
January, 1945, all territory that was captured by the Germans was back under Allied control
("Battle of the Bulge"). The Battle of the bulge was one of the most difficult battles of the war for
the United States. Along with having the most American casualties of any other battle, many of the
soldiers suffered great emotional and physical trauma from the cold, and lack of medical supplies,
and the horrors that many of them witnessed on the battlefield (Farmer). One battalion, the 551st
Parachute Infantry Battalion, is a notable example of the physical and emotional trauma of the
Battle of the Bulge. At the start of the battle the battalion had 793 men. By the end, only 110 were
left alive. The 551st was the worst casualties of any unit during the Battle of the Bulge (Orfalea).
Nearing the end of the battle, the allied troops fought harder than ever, partly to ensure that all of
the bloodshed and death was not in vain. On January 8, 1945, Hitler agreed to withdraw some
troops, and Patton had broke

Battle Of The Bulge Essay
During World War II there were many battles that took place. One particular known battle was the
"Battle of the Bulge" also known as the battle of Ardennes, from December 16th, 1944 to January
16th, 1945. It was the Last major German offense on the Western Front during WWII, and it was a
futile attempt to push the Allies back from German home territory. This name was given by Winston
Churchill, a description of the resistance he mistakenly supposed was being offered to the Germans'
breakthrough in that are before the Anglo–French collapse. The word Bulge denotes to the wedge
that the Germans drove into Allied lines. This informative research of the Battle of the Bulge,
focuses on the Field Artillery branch, its immense efforts in the battle,...show more content...
It has been featured in movies, TV shows and even video games. To the west and south of St. Vith
the crossroads town of Bastogne became the main effort of the Allied forces (historynet). When
Eisenhower ordered the 7th Armored to St. Vith, he also ordered the 10th Armored Division to
Bastogne. It joined the 9th Armored, several artillery battalions, and infantrymen defending
Bastogne and the small towns around it. (historynet) On the 22nd, four German soldiers arrived with
an ultimatum: surrender or heavy artillery will begin firing upon the town. Brigadier General
Anthony McAuliffe sent them back to their commander with a one–word reply: "Nuts." The artillery
had already moved farther west, however, so the barrage was not forthcoming, though the Luftwaffe
bombed the village by night.(historynet) Within Days the Unites States Army started a counter
offensive, hoping to encircle and entrap the German Army. The Nazi army quickly saw the counter
offense coming and made a strategic withdraw. This battle significantly slowed the Allied forces
from marching on Berlin. Adolf Hitler and his military forces would never fully recover from the
battle. Losing valuable supplies, resources, and troops. This would mark the beginning of the end for
the Fascist Leader and his followers. Without the strength and determination, combined with
resilience really turned the tide of the war. Also, Field Artillery once again shown the world why
they are called the Kings of

The Battle of the Bulge Essay
The post D–Day Allied assault that swept through France was halted by Hitler's unexpected
counter–attack through the Ardennes, resulting in a confrontation named the Battle of the Bulge.
The Allied battle front in the autumn of 1944 made an end to the war by Christmas look likely.
They had liberated most of France in a matter of months, and were now marching towards the Ruhr
River, which was the gateway to the heartland of Germany. However, the Allies had moved so far
so fast that their supply lines had not caught up with them. The closest dock was where they had
landed on D–Day, and the need for a closer port became more persistent everyday. During the
Overlord campaign, which was the landing in France,...show more content...
He complied, however, and sent the Canadian First Army. The British XII division was then sent in
as reinforcements. The German defenders were comprised mainly of the 15th Army who had
escaped advancing enemy by ferrying over the Schelde. By the end of the battle, Montgomery had
lost thirteen thousand men. Antwerp, the prize of the assault, was still heavily defended by mines,
and it took months to actually open the vitally important port (Goalrick 27).
Farther south, General Hodges' First Army Group was preparing to breach the West Wall and take
Aachen, a very important and historical city to the Germans. His attack began on October 2nd, and
was a very difficult battle. Two German Panzer divisions were sent to garrison the city. Hodges
broke through though on October 21st, marking Aachen as the first major German city to fall into
Allied hands (Goalrick 28).
On the German side, Hitler was running out of options. Russia has destroyed twenty–five German
divisions, the worst defeat ever inflicted on them. On the western front, the Allies had captured
Rome and were attacking 155 miles north. The D–Day invaders had destroyed another two German
armies while they pushed through France. He was being surrounded on all sides and needed to
make a drastic move. He reasoned that since Allies had come so far so fast, they would have to halt
eventually to allow their supplies to catch up with them. During

Research Paper On The Battle Of The Bulge
SSG Springer, SSG Sullivan, SSG Victor, SSG Almanzar, SSG Stierlen
SLC 13B40 Class 001–018
The Battle of the Bulge, known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the largest battle fought on the
Western Front in Europe during World War II and the largest battle ever fought by the U.S. Army.
The battle was Hitler's last major battle in World War II; an attempt to push the Allied front line west
from northern France to northwestern Belgium. Hitler attempted to split the Allies in two in their
drives toward Germany and destroy the ability to supply themselves (Weintraub, 2007). The
Germans lost so many troops and equipment that they could not launch another attack on the Allied
forces. The Battle of the Bulge is most significant in that it ruined the German army. Essentially, the
Battle of the Bulge brought about the end of World War II (Weintraub, 2007). During the Battle of
the Bulge, the American Artillery units had been equipped with new American weapons. All the
divisions' Artillery was motorized after the discovery of a defect found on the French Artillery Gun
that the Americans used during World War I. The U.S. Army managed to replace all its World War I
artillery pieces with the new, modernized howitzers and convert from horse–drawn to motorized
artillery. The American artillery units were equipped with M105mm, M155mm and M155mm
self–propelled Howitzers and with proximity fuzes, the most notable advances

Battle Of The Bulge Research Paper
Artillery shells flying, with loud, thunderous booms signifying their arrival.
Bodies flailing, ripped apart by machine guns. German Panzers destroying everything in their path.
A blood soaked forest; the Ardennes. The Battle of the Bulge began on December 16, 1944. It was
a hard fought allied victory that pitted American, British, Australian, and South African forces
against the battle hardened Panzer and SS German divisions. In the heat of the battle, the American
101st division was surrounded by German forces at Bastogne. When asked to surrender, General
Anthony McAuliffe only replied with one word; "Nuts!". The 106th division was almost
annihilated. This was a gallant allied victory, showing the force of the American soldiers. However,
it came with great cost. Influenced by the beginning of the war and how the war turned against the
Nazi's, the Battle of the Bulge was a bloody battle, in which German defeat lead to their surrender
soon after, proving to be an extremely significant event in WWII.
1944; things were looking grim for the Germans. Since D–Day, the German
Army's advance had been halted on both...show more content...
According to SecondWorldWarHistory.com, "The Ardennes Offensive would costGermany some
88,000 of her soldiers while American paid the hefty toll of losing 77,000 of her own sons."
("Battle"). With casualties ranging in the 300,000's, and fatalities reaching over 150,000, this became
the bloodiest battle on the Western front. Soon after this battle, the Germans were pushed back,
leading to an armistice and full unconditional surrender. Before the German surrender, because of
their fruitless attacks, Adolf Hitler committed suicide. Historians believe the loss at the Ardennes is
what put Hitler over the edge, along with mental and physical

Due to technological advancements in modern military and Artillery, the 16 December 1944 Battle
of the Bulge statistically will never be recreated again. This battle stands to be a pivotal point in
World War II, when Adolf Hitler relentlessly proved steel rain to break the front lines inNazi
Germany...
There are not too many battles ever recorded that best shows the awesome power of Artillery better
that the Battle of the Bulge. There are many factors that helped create the rare circumstances that
statistically will never be recreated. The advancements of Artillery from World War Ito World War II
had a significant impact on making this battle possible. The center hub of the Allies advancements
can be found at Fort...show more content...
Russians consider it the greatest battle of their Great Patriotic War, and most historians consider it
the greatest battle of the entire conflict. The Battle of Stalingrad was one of the bloodiest battles in
history, with combined military and civilian casualties of nearly 2 million. June 6, 1944, D–Day
commences when Allied troops and vehicles begin fighting on the beaches of Normandy, Omaha
and Utah to name a few. By day's end, approximately 150,000 Allied troops had successfully
stormed Normandy's beaches. Within the week on 11 June 1944, over 326,000 troops, more than
50,000 vehicles and some 100,000 tons of equipment successfully landed on Normandy beach
("D–Day"). According to some estimates, more than 4,000 Allied troops lost their lives in the
D–Day invasion with 2,000 of those being from the heavy resistance at Omaha beach, with
thousands more wounded or missing ("World War II: An Overview"). By the end of June, the very
important port of Cherbourg was taken allowing a total of 850,000 Soldiers and 150,000 vehicles in
Normandy, which was pivotal in their march across France.

Ardennes Offensive: The Battle Of The Bulge
Ardennes offensive, also known as the Battle of the Bulge, because the Germans created a
"bulge" around the Ardennes forest, pushing through the defensive line. After a day of fighting,
the Germans broke through the American front. They surrounded most of an infantry division,
they seized key crossroads, and they advanced their spearheads towards the Meuse River, this is
how the battle got its name. It was codenamed Operation Autumn Mist. This attack was the largest
battle fought on the Western Front. During WWII, between December 1944 and January 1945,
the Battle of the Bulge occurred, it was an attempt by Hitler to split the allied forces; the
significance of this battle was: it would be Hitler's last major offensive, it lead to considerable
losses of German troops, and it drew attention to the mental effects of war. Battle of the Bulge was
Hitler's last major offensive of WWII. Hitler saw the battle as a "juggernaut" to defeat the allied
forces. He thought he was strong enough to beat the allies, but he wasn't. This was so they could
cut off the main supply base for the Allied armies on the Western Front. During this battle, the
Germans lost a lot of troops. The Germans could not stop the Western Allies, German commanders
braced themselves. Hitler lost over 500,000 troops in the West. He now had a shortage of troops.
Germans stole U.S. Army uniforms, weapons, and jeeps,...show more content...
This mental effect was Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, also called "battle fatigue" or "shell
shock", brought flashbacks caused by terrifying events. PTSD had a big effect on soldiers lives
after the war had ended, this was a common symptom of WWII. Most of the soldiers were not
treated because people didn't know much about it. Most soldiers who get PTSD usually commit
suicide. Once soldiers got back from war, they were never the same. Sometimes this disorder can ruin
relationships with friends, and most importantly, loved

The Battle of the Bulge was the largest battle on the Western Front of World War Two. At the
largest point of the battle it involved over 1.1 million men. The battle was started when the
Germans launched Operation Watch on the Rhine. The main objective of this operation was to
capture the American held harbor of Antwerp which is Belgium. Ever since the invasion of
Normandy the allies had had problems bringing supplies up to the front. Every time the Germans
left a city with a harbor in it they sabotaged it so that the allies were unable to use it. Because of
this the only place that allies were able to take supplies to shore in bulk was in Normandy. This
meant that they had to drive supplies all the way from Normandy into Belgium. The truck drivers
were using more fuel than they delivered and it took days to reach the front they had to find a
better way. When the allies captured the harbor at Antwerp they were able to deliver supplies by
ship in a place that was close to the front. This ended the supply trouble, and so the Germans
decided the best way to stop the allied advance was to retake Antwerp and thus stop the supplies
from coming to the front. It was a risky operation, but if it was successful it could turn the tide of
the war. The plan was for the operation to occur on December 16, 1944. The Germans would attack
all along the front line, from Luxembourg to Belgium. It was needless to say a massive offensive,
and would be the last of the war. Hitler planned this

Battle of the Bulge
Nearing the end of World War II and after the successful D–Day invasion by Allied Forces, Adolf
Hitler would personally plan a counteroffensive he believed would turn the tied of the war in his
favor and prevent his unconditional surrender. Historically known as the Battle of the Bulge, the
Ardennes Counteroffensive, from 16 December 1944 to 25 January 1945, would showcase the
power of a full–scale German offensive while highlighting the ingenuity and heart of the United
States Army as they encountered a seemingly undefeatable foe.
Historical Context The summer prior to the commencement of the Battle of the Bulge was disastrous
for Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich. In August of 1944, American, British and Canadian...show more
content...
"All factors seemed to point to the Ardennes as the place for the Germans to launch their last great
offensive" (Schreckengost 50). Hitler secretly began moving manpower and equipment to Ardennes
in order to strengthen the formations in the region. To further the secrecy, Hitler's offensive was
deceptively coined Wacht am Rheine (Watch on the Rheine) to ensure the Allied powers did not
suspect an offensive.
Strategic and Operational Overview The Battle of the Bulge is considered the United State Army's
greatest victory as American soldiers withstood the full force of the German War Machine. Allied
Forces faced freezing temperatures, fog, threats of espionage and battle tested German units. This
victory was not without shortcomings, most notably in intelligence and subpar battlefield
performances. Hitler's Watch on the Rheine offensive depended on his three armies, the Fifth Panzer
Army in the north, the Sixth Panzer Army in the center and the 7th Army in the south. The German
War Machine included 400,000 troops, 1,400 tanks, 2,600 artillery pieces and 1,000 aircraft in
comparison to the thin American line consisting of four American Infantry Divisions and one
Armored Division totally 83,000 men and 400 tanks (Farrell 37). Despite an overwhelming
Wehrmacht (German Army) and their extensive knowledge of terrain and an elaborate plan to
infiltrate Allied lines through the use of espionage,

German Losses: The Battle Of The Bulge
German losses were greater than their army could take. The Germans also lost a significant
number of weapons, specifically tanks. German industries would not be able to replenish these
materials before the end of the war. American losses were serious, but not nearly as devastating to
their army. The battle is significant during World War II because it is Hitler's last major offensive in
the war. While the battle was intended to split Allied lines and force negotiated peace, American
forces could contain the battle and inflict heavier losses on the German forces. The Germans lost so
many experienced troops and equipment that there was no way their army could launch another
attack on Allied forces. The Battle of the Bulge is most significant

Analysis: The Battle Of The Bulge
The event is known as "The Battle of the Bulge" the battle that basically ended the war for
Germany. This was the largest war on the western front; the war was over for the Germans when
they failed to take over the allied stronghold of Bastogne, Belguim. Germany basically collapsed
under the pressure of the attacks brought on by the allied forces. On the other hand, the Japanese
soldiers were given orders to fight to the death. In 1945, Japan became very vulnerable to American
airstrikes, huge fire bombings of Japanese cities with unanswered. After the Japanese government
failed to response to an Allied ultimatum to surrender or face ultimate destruction Truman had to
make a decision on what to do. Truman decides to use the massive new

World War II was the most widespread and deadliest war in history. It was sparked by Adolf Hitler's
invasion of Poland in 1939, and it involved more than thirty countries. It resulted in more than fifty
million military and civilian deaths, and there was an estimated eighty–five million dead after the
war. The war dragged on for six gruesome years until the Allies,Germany and Japan, were defeated
in 1945 ("World War II" par. 1). The Battle of the Bulge was the largest battle in World War II for
the Americans ("Battle of the Bulge" Par. 13). On 16 December, 1944, the German army launched a
counter offensive attack that was intended to cut through the Allied forces in a manner that would
turn the tide of the war in Hitler's favor (par. 1)....show more content...
The Battle of the Bulge was fought over the winter months of 1944–1945, and was a last attempt by
Hitler to split the Allied forces, and take away their ability to support themselves (Trueman par.1).
Early in the morning of 16 December, 1944, more than 200,000 German troops and 1,000 tanks
were launched to try to break the coalition between the Allies: Britain, France, and America
("Battle of the Bulge." par. 2) (Trueman par. 2). The attack was strictly known as the Ardennes
Offensive, but because of the bulge that was created by the Germans initial attack to the Allies
front line, it became known as the Battle of the Bulge (Trueman par. 2). The Germans based their
attack on armored tanks, that required gasoline, which was something the Germans did not have
much of (par. 3). At first, the German's faced success in the battle because they surprised the Allies
with the attack. The reason for this was because before the battle, English speaking Germans would
take dead American soldiers uniforms and go spread misinformation, cut telephone lines, and
switch road signs to confuse the Americans. The weather was also in Hitler's favor; it was foggy
and the clouds were low so the Allied forces could not use their air force

Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge is remembered as Adolf Hitler's final effort to escape
total defeat during World War II (WWII). His initial efforts were successful, however the Allied
force commanders proved superior through there demonstrated adaptive and decisive decision
making. These actions helped to overcome the military force and military intelligence failures during
the battle. If these failures had been avoided, the Germans would have been defeated much quicker,
effectively preventing the casualty numbers and damage inflicted on the Allied forces during the
Western Front of WWII. Background History 16 December 1944 was the beginning of Germany's
Operation Mist "Ardennes Offensive" (Battle of the Bulge),...show more content...
Battles were fought in St. Vith, Elsenborn Ridge, Houffalize, and Bastogne. Their goal was to
split the superior Allied forces in half, additionally advancing to and taking control of the Port of
Antwerp. While initially successful, the Germans were unable to advance as far as anticipated,
resulting in a defensive retreating posture through the end of the war. (History.com Staff, 2009)
Germany invaded France in 1940 and easily dominated the country, controlling the area from the
beginning of the war. The Germans attacked through the Ardennes region, following the invasion
Adolf Hitler placed Commander Erwin Rommel in charge of securing the Atlantic wall, 2,400
miles of fortified coastline. The United Stated entered World War II in 1941, following the
Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor. The Allied forces took control of France following the success of
Operation Overlord June 6th 1941. United States, Canada, and Great Britain invaded Normandy
Beach on June 6th 1944, by June 11th the beaches were fully secured. Following the momentum the
Allies moved west capturing the port of Cherbourg by the end of June. This proved to be a pivotal
acquisition for the Allied force, allowing for easier movement of forces, equipment, and supplies.
This monumental success was a major turning point and a beginning to the end for the Germans on
the western front. Germany was reluctant to send nearby divisions for a

World War II: The Battle Of The Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge (also known as the Ardennes offensive) was part of World War II. The
battle plan was originally drafted by Adolf Hitler as operation Wacht Am Rhine. It came in the final
moments of the Third Reich. Hitler was "Staking everything on one card" in his offensive to turn the
tides in the West. It was one of many different plans under construction at the time, including a plan
drafted by Field Marshals Rundstedt and Model to encircle 10–15 Allied Divisions. When Hitler
held a conference on his plan, everyone was surprised to discover the ambitious objective: Antwerp
[See map]. To put this into perspective, the German army had an approximated ВЅ to в…“ the
required fuel to make the trip. This battle would be important because...show more content...
It was also a vital road junction for German tank forces, and also important for the 6th Army
reaching the Our river. Failing to capture this junction would result in German forces having to
detour, and such time waste would not bode well for Dietrich. Thus the best German armor was
assigned to capture Elsenborn. The US had held a line slightly forward of the ridge, but could
withdraw if necessary. After a few days, a withdrawal was agreed upon by the commanders.
However, this would not be easy. 99th Division troops reported deep German penetration near the
twin villages, and were likely to come bursting out of the forest at any moment. The 99th had
thrown its reserves, thus the 2nd Armored would be responsible to defend this corridor south. It
would defend the Wirtzfeld road, and secure the twin villages until the 99th and the 2nd could retreat
to Elsenborn. The Germans were unable to shatter the eastern line of the 2nd and 99th Divisions.
However, the German strength at the twin villages had increased, with the inclusion of Tiger tanks.
The first German assault was turned back by bazooka teams. A second assault was turned back by
artillery and machine–gun fire. The twin villages

The battle of the bulge was Hitler's last chance to win the war or at least make the allies go for a
treaty. He did this because his forces were being pushed back into Germany and soon they would
run out of supplies and other resources for war. Hitler thought of this bold plan when he recalled
how a German hero Frederick the great was facing defeat, Frederick went on a offensive attack at
his foe who had superior numbers but the bold moved worked and Hitler thought he could do the
same thing.
The Battle of the bulge took place on December sixteenth 1944. More than a million men participated
in this battle including some 600,000 Germans, 500,000 Americans, and 55,000 British which made it
...show more content...
It was the place were they had great success against the French people in the beginning of the war.
The Germans also selected it because it was easy to hide troops in the hills which they did at the
first major offensive. Hitler code–named this attack as the "watch am Rein" The Americans the area
were in a thin line because they wanted to give support to the flank were the attack was expected so
they thought.
During the War Eisenhower and his staff felt this spot was the least likely to be attacked. The
thought the Germans would not try any thing through the narrow passageway. The Germans wanted
the opposite of what the Americans wanted to do. As stated above the Allied troops were 'resting'
and reforming; they consisted of General Simpson's 9th Army and General Hodges 1st US Army in
the north and General Patton's 3rd Army to the south. The Ardennes was held by General Middleton
who had the 8th US Army Corps, 106th and 26th Infantry Divisions and 4th and 9th Armored
Divisions.
The object of the German offensive was to push through the Belgian Ardennes, cross the Mousse,
retake Antwerp and its harbor facilities, thrust to the north and reach the sea which they almost
succeed in doing. This would cut off the Allied troops in Holland and Belgium, making it impossible
for them to withdraw. The success of the operation depended on three important

Battle of the Bulge Essay
British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill declared the Allied Victory at the Ardennes
campaign, of which he dubbed the Battle of the Bulge, "undoubtedly the greatest American battle
of the war and will, I believe, be regarded as an ever famous American Victory". Arguably so, as
great a victory as it was for the Americans, it would go on to become an even greater victory for the
Allies against Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitler.
The summer of 1944 had been a catastrophic one for Hitler and Germany. Loses at Normandy had
greatly depleted equipment, manpower, and had lost ground to the invading Allied Forces (Keegan,
440). On September 16, Hitler made a "momentous decision" to make a counteroffensive out of the
Ardennes to capture the Belgian...show more content...
They formed a perimeter around Bastogne and held it out against the Germans. Unable to penetrate
in, the Germans surrounded the city and cut off all roads leading in, creating the "Bulge". The 101st
was without a supply line and were surrounded by German Artillery, but they still kept the German
infantry from gaining access to Bastogne, creating an effective road block (Keegan, 445).
The Sixth Panzer Army in the North had managed to gain ground, as well as the First Panzer
Division and Fifth Panzer Army in the south. The Germans would overrun the American Outposts,
but found that as they got closer, the fighting got tougher and tougher. This caused delays, and their
tanks would begin to run low on fuel (Oxford, par 27). German commanders had hoped to capture
US Fuel Sites in Stavelot to replenish their vehicles onward to Antwerp.
The soldiers of the 101st were engaged in fights throughout the hills, villages, and woods of
Bastogne. The cold winter began to take its toll, and the unprepared soldiers, with no weather
clothing or footwear, stuffed newspapers into their overcoats to keep warm (Oxford, par 28). Colds,
frostbite, trench foot, and pneumonia started to inflict themselves on the men, where for day's
intense combat centered in Bastogne. Still, along

Battle Of The Bulge Research Paper
This is undoubtedly the greatest American battle of the war....". This quote from the Prime Minister
of Great Britain, Winston Churchill, is about none other than the Battle of the Bulge. The Battle of
the Bulge was the largest battle fought on the Western Front in Europe during World War II, and it
sealed the fate of the Axis Powers. The battle was a final attempt made by the Germans to split the
the American and British armies in France and the Low Countries. The Germans also wanted to
retake the port of Antwerp to prevent the Allies from using the port facilities. The Battle of the
Bulge lasted a month, beginning on December 16, 1944, and ending on January 16, 1945. This
battle is also known as the Ardennes Offensive because the 80–mile front ran through the Ardennes
Forest. The war was fought between the Germans, on the Axis...show more content...
On January 8, German troops withdrew from the tip of the "bulge". The losses caused by this
battle were critical. The last of the German reserves were gone, the Luftwaffe was weaker than
ever, the German army in the west was being forced to retreat back, and the Eastern Front was
open to be taken by the Soviets. With most of its military power gone, Germany had just about
nothing left to defend itself, and its final defeat loomed just a couple months away. The Battle of
the Bulge was a very important event in World War II, because it was viewed as Hitler's last major
offensive in the war. Americans suffered around 75,000 casualties and the British lost about 1,400
soldiers. But, the damage done to the Axis powers was even worse. 120,000 German soldiers were
killed in the battle, and another 100,000 were taken prisoner. The German army was pretty much
wiped out and it was nearly impossible for them to launch another attack on the Allies, which
brought about the end of World War

When Eisenhower summons 10th Armored Division to Bastogne, Patton exercises disciplined
initiative in setting the stage for victory at the Battle of the Bulge. Before Patton is summoned to
Verdun, he set the conditions for his forces to break away from the battle in the Saar River Valley
and move toward Bastogne.
Patton initially protests the order to send the 10th Armored Division to Bastogne. Losing an entire
division would weaken his effort to Invade Germany in the Saar. However, Patton finally agrees, and
sends COL William L. Roberts, Commander of the 10th Armored Division, to reinforce Bastogne.
Within one hour he begins moving an entire division north.
Based off his intuition, Patton anticipates seriousness of the German attack in the Ardennes
Forrest. He calls his staff in and advises them to prepare for a 90 degree turn to the north in
preparation for a counter attack in Bastogne. Patton begins planning himself. His plan focuses on a
relentless advance and attack. Patton believes in a proactive attack. He wants to choose the time
and place for the attack, as opposed to letting the enemy determine the battle. He and his staff
prepare a plan to send three divisions from 3rd Army toward Bastogne.
On 18 December, Patton meets with General Omar Bradley, Commander of 12th Army, to discuss
the developing situation in the Ardennes Forrest. Bradley shows Patton a map of the bulge. Patton's
intuition is reinforced. He foresees the Germans plan to head west to the Meuse River

Battle Of The Bulge Essay

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