Battle of the Bulge

Andy Rawson

• Publisher: Pen & Sword Military
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781844151851
• eBook ISBN: 9781783460212
• Subtopic: European History

Dramatic photographs of Nazi Germany's shocking Ardennes Offensive that nearly turned the tide of World War II—from the author of In Pursuit of Hitler.
Hitler's desperate last throw during the depths of winter 1944/45 came perilously close to being a major disaster for the Allies. Their offensive through the Ardennes fell on the Americans and caught them totally by surprise. Unaccustomed to setbacks, the situation was for a time extremely serious and in some areas panic set in and events went out of control. It was only after the most bitter fighting and massive reinforcement that the rot was stopped. In this book the drama of those worrying weeks is captured in superb photographs.

Chapter One

Assault

Despite warning signs, Allied Intelligence failed to uncover the size or location of Hitler’s offensive. Neither General Dwight Eisenhower, SHAEF’s commander nor General Omar Bradley, Twelfth Army Group’s leader believed that the Germans possessed the amount of material or men to launch such an offensive. Here it is smiles all round as the two generals discuss their own projected offensive with General Louis Craig of the 9th Infantry Division. 111-SC-199344

Already exhausted by the fierce battles for ‘Bloody’ Aachen and the Hurtgen Forest, the crews of these M10‘Hellcat’ tank destroyers were expecting a respite as the weather across the Ardennes closed in. 111-SC-197366

Overstretched and undermanned. Four infantry divisions, two severely weakened by the fighting in the Hurtgen Forest, the remaining two in action for the first time, faced the entire weight of three Armies. These men occupy a shallow front line position while a Sherman tank covers the forest trail in the background. Positions like this will have been overrun all along First Army’s front during the first twenty-four hours of the attack. 111-SC-198177

With Christmas approaching a private of the 2nd Infantry Division rests on a box full of shells as he addresses Christmas cards emblazoned with the ‘Indian head’ insignia. Two weeks later the shells would be used to help defend the St Vith sector from 5th Panzer Army’s attack. 111-SC-197242

Mist and snow during the first few days of the offensive would prevent the Allies from using their overwhelming air power to smash the German armoured columns. These men fight the elements on Krinkelter Ridge a few days before the battle opened. 111-SC-197337

Infantry silently patrol the snow covered Krinkelter Woods in search of German positions on First Army’s front. Four days later the brunt of the German offensive would break through General Courtney Hodges’ thinly stretched front. 111-SC-197350

Forty-eight hours before the blow struck, General George S. Patton meets General Alexander McC Patch at Seventh Army’s headquarters. While Patton’s Third Army would have to rush to the aid of Hodges’ First Army around Bastogne, Seventh Army would face First Army’s subsidiary attack in northern Alsace, code named Operation NORDWIND. 111-SC-197450

Just hours before Hitler unleashed his armoured divisions, the 129th Ordnance Battalion was pictured bringing a captured Panzer VI King Tiger back to their headquarters. Little did the crew know that two Panzer Armies armed with monsters such as these were gathering opposite First Army’s front. 111-SC-197752

Men of the 2nd Infantry Division hug the sides of a shallow ditch as German shells rain down on their positions. First Army’s weak line had little chance of holding back a determined armoured thrust. 111-SC-197304

There are anxious faces as these GIs shelter in the cellar of a ruined house from the German bombardment. The attack was heralded by a short hurricane bombardment designed to shatter the front line troops and cut communications to the rear. By the time First Army headquarters knew it was under attack the infantry divisions spearheading Fifth and Sixth Panzer Armies’ attacks would have swept the roads clear for the armour. 111-SC-197920

In the north Dietrich’s Sixth Panzer Army had orders to drive to the Meuse and cross on both sides of Liege while infantry divisions covered the fl...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Chapter One - Assault
• Chapter Two - Breakthrough
• Chapter Three - St Vith and Bastogne
• Chapter Four - Hightide
• Chapter Five - Reinforcements Shore up the Line
• Chapter Six - The Counter-Offensive Begins
• Chapter Seven - Reducing the Bulge
• Part Eight - Aftermath