1. BATTLE OF THE BULGE
Unternehmen Wacht Am Rein
The final offensive

2. THESIS
THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE WAS THE LAST COUNTER OFFENSIVE
MADE BY GERMANY, AND THE BLOODIEST ATTACK ON THE
WESTERN FRONT.

3. With strategic timing, the German forces started their offensive during
overcast weather so that Allied air forces could not mobilize against the
German troops.
While this prevented an attack from above, bad road conditions halted
the Germans’ forward advancement.

4. December 16, 1944 at 0530 hours, the German forces began a massive
artillery assault that lasted 90 minutes, using 1,600 pieces of artillery
equipment, spanning across 80 miles. American forces dismissed this as
the expected counterattack of an earlier assault from the U.S forces.
This is how the battle got its name – the German formation of forces
created a bulge in their lines.

5. For both sides, the attacks and counterattacks following the initial Western
advancement were laden with casualties, but ultimately more of a loss to the
German side.
Although numerically the U.S had
more casualties, the victory goes to
the Allies.
American Casualties: 108,347
German Casualties: 84,834

6. CONCLUSION
With the Germans’ final offensive blocked and countered, the Axis force
is put on the defensive. The German army has lost considerable
resources and men, leaving an opening for the Allied
forces. The
consequenti-
al battle
resulted in
the
destruction of
the Luftwaffe,
pushing axis
forces back
East.
Battle of the Bulge ends January 7, 1945