Copy No. As Prahms leviathan straightened out on the main road, it was struck by three shells from one of the 90mm anti-aircraft guns. According to Winston Churchill, the attack from the south under Patton was steady but slow and involved heavy losses, and Montgomery was trying to avoid this situation. Kampfgruppe Hansen was still struggling against bad road conditions and stiff American resistance on the southern route. It was formed from January 1944 onwards from various units of elite training and demonstration troops (Lehr = "teach") stationed in Germany, to provide additional armored strength for resisting the anticipated Allied invasion of . Kampfgruppe Walther. [19] Improved weather conditions from around 24 December permitted air attacks on German forces and supply lines, which sealed the failure of the offensive. Annoyed but unhurt, Prahm forced his massive tank forward. He gave some priority to Montgomery's northern forces. Following this, 60 grenadiers advanced forward but were stopped by concentrated American defensive fire. The Panthers began to move forward, albeit cautiously. The parachute drop was a complete failure. Hosted by Christoph Awender. German paratrooperstake cover from American fire as they attempt to aid a wounded man. The assault, despite initial success by its tanks in penetrating the American line, was defeated and all the tanks destroyed. The weakened Seventh Army had, at Eisenhower's orders, sent troops, equipment, and supplies north to reinforce the American armies in the Ardennes, and the offensive left it in dire straits. Bastogne had previously been the site of the VIII Corps headquarters. This captured M8 Greyhound armored car was knocked out during the pivotal fighting for St. Vith, Belgium. Many thanks to my friend James for getting it. [67] Peiper's forces were rerouted through Lanzerath. Untested troops of the 99th Infantry Division prevented the best equipped armored units of the German army from advancing and forced them to reroute their troops to unfavorable alternative routes that considerably slowed their advance. Reply. The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II. "[58], On 16 December 1944 at 05:30, the Germans began the assault with a massive, 90-minute artillery barrage using 1,600 artillery pieces[59] across a 130-kilometer (80mi) front on the Allied troops facing the 6th Panzer Army. The National WWII Museum Digital Collections. The National WWII Museum Digital Collections. Although advancing only in a narrow corridor, 2nd Panzer Division was still making rapid headway, leading to jubilation in Berlin. [197] It sets out the various indications of an impending offensive that were received, then offers conclusions about the wisdom conferred by hindsight; the dangers of becoming wedded to a fixed view of the enemy's likely intentions; over-reliance on "Source" (i.e. David Eggenberger cites the official name as Ardennes-Alsace campaign, and describes this battle as the "Second Battle of the Ardennes". [86] Peiper ordered Knittel to retake Stavelot. It was thought that Hitlers elite SS units would be the ones to carry the Germans to victory and force the western allies to the negotiating table. This fuel shortage intensified after the Soviets overran those fields in the course of their August 1944 Jassy-Kishinev Offensive. The Germans shot this iconic image near the crossroads between Poteau and Recht, site of Kampfgruppe Hansen's ambush of 14th Cavalry Group early the morning of Dec. 18, 1944. . [45], The Wehrmacht's code name for the offensive was Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein ('Operation Watch on the Rhine'), after the German patriotic hymn Die Wacht am Rhein, a name that deceptively implied the Germans would be adopting a defensive posture along the Western Front. American losses over the same period were similarly heavy, totaling 733 tanks and tank destroyers (exclusive of other types and losses suffered by British XXX Corps). [35], Hitler felt that his mobile reserves allowed him to mount one major offensive. by Timo 22 Aug 2004, 13:49. The unit was upgraded to division status on 10 February 1945. During the Battle of the Bulge, numerous photos were taken at this location. They took 36 hours to advance from the Eifel region to Stavelot, while the same advance required nine hours in 1940. The German offensive drew to a close on 25 January. The defenders, led by the 7th Armored Division, included the remaining regiment of the 106th U.S. Infantry Division, with elements of the 9th Armored Division and 28th U.S. Infantry Division. When Alexander took command on February 20, 1943, one of his first tasks was to assess II Corps combat readiness after its setbacks during its early engagements around Kasserine Pass. It also stresses the role played by poor Allied security: "The Germans have this time prevented us from knowing enough about them; but we have not prevented them knowing far too much about us".[198]. [187] E. J. N. Rose, head Air Adviser in Hut 3, read the paper at the time and described it in 1998 as "an extremely good report" that "showed the failure of intelligence at SHAEF and at the Air Ministry". German losses were much higher. [175] It had been brought forward from 20 January to 12 January because meteorological reports warned of a thaw later in the month, and the tanks needed hard ground for the offensive (and the advance of the Red Army was assisted by two Panzer Armies (5th and 6th) being redeployed for the Ardennes attack). The American defenses had stiffened considerably. This included SS-Gruppenfhrer (Major General) Kurt Meyer, commander of the 12th SS Panzer (Armor) Division, captured by Belgian partisans on 6 September 1944. [78] Instead, intent on driving west, Peiper turned south to detour around Hnningen, choosing a route designated Rollbahn D as he had been given latitude to choose the best route west.[59]. Over the next few weeks, well be posting more photos that captured key moments during the Ardennes Offensive and the subsequent Allied counter-offensive. 2 is held by the UK National Archives as file HW 13/45. The Germans lacked the overwhelming strength that had been deployed in the north, but still possessed a marked numerical and material superiority over the very thinly spread 28th and 106th divisions. The German casualty reports for the involved armies count 63,222 losses from 10 December 1944 to 31 January 1945. Their intention was to control the twin villages of Rocherath-Krinkelt which would clear a path to the high ground of Elsenborn Ridge. While having the effect of keeping the Allied aircraft grounded, the weather also proved troublesome for the Germans because poor road conditions hampered their advance. For the OP "After the Battle" publishing's "Battle of the Bulge: Then and Now" covers this group in a series of photos covering pages 203-227. Unknown to the other officers present, before he left Patton had ordered his staff to prepare three contingency plans for a northward turn in at least corps strength. Location: Australia. Peiper turned north and halted his forces in the woods between La Gleize and Stoumont. Many historians have written about the famous Buffalo Soldiers of the all-Black 92nd Infantry Division, who fought with distinction during World War II. [38] Even General George Patton was alarmed and, on 17 December, described the situation to General Dwight Eisenhower as "Krauts speaking perfect English raising hell, cutting wires, turning road signs around, spooking whole divisions, and shoving a bulge into our defenses. Due to the use of landline communications within Germany, motorized runners carrying orders, and draconian threats from Hitler, the timing and mass of the attack was not detected by Ultra codebreakers and achieved complete surprise. [110] On 20 December, Eisenhower removed the First and Ninth U.S. [159], However, American historian Stephen Ambrose, writing in 1997, maintained that "Putting Monty in command of the northern flank had no effect on the battle". On our team, the captain is General Ike. 1/6 "Ernst Kalt and Berthold Nasse" LAH Panzergrenadiers, Kampfgruppe Hansen, Poteau December 1944 Poteau is a small village in the Belgian Ardennes. Hansen, Max, born 31-07-1908 in Niebull, as the son of a rail freight forwarder, and a total of six Hansen brothers served on the war front during the war, plus three sisters. Hitler rejected this. ** a ff/ Die Computer-Software-Facfc . Sixth Panzer Army left the Ardennes and ceded its sector to the Fifth Panzer Army on 22 January, while St. Vith was recaptured by the Americans on 23 January, and the last German units participating in the offensive did not return to their start line until February. Gen. Anthony McAuliffe, acting commander of the 101st, was told of the German demand to surrender, in frustration he responded, "Nuts!" [72][73] After a brief battle the lightly armed Americans surrendered. After turning to other pressing issues, his staff reminded him that they should reply to the German demand. By 1939, the LSSAH was a full infantry regiment . They thus developed alternative, less ambitious plans that did not aim to cross the Meuse River (in German and Dutch: Maas); Model's being Unternehmen Herbstnebel ('Operation Autumn Mist') and von Rundstedt's Fall Martin ('Plan Martin'). [111], By 21 December the Germans had surrounded Bastogne, which was defended by the 101st Airborne Division, the all African American 969th Artillery Battalion, and Combat Command B of the 10th Armored Division. At the Arcadia Conference, held in Washington, DC, from December 24, 1941 to January 14, 1942, the Western Allies agreed to a Germany First policy to govern global strategy, but the question where to engage Germany, and when, remained unsettled. by Timo 22 Aug 2004, 13:49, Post In fact, their horse-drawn artillery and rocket units became a significant obstacle to the armored units. By the time Eisenhower asked him how long it would take, the movement was already underway. While the majority of the Kampfgruppe became embroiled in a bitter battle north of Caen, one At 16:50 on 26 December, the lead element, Company D, 37th Tank Battalion of the 4th Armored Division, reached Bastogne, ending the siege. [119] Total casualties included at least 9,000 wounded. Hitler had even written on the plan in his own handwriting 'not to be altered'". Kampfgruppe Oppeln was created from the regiment on D-Day. The Germans suffered heavy losses at an airfield named Y-29, losing 40 of their own planes while damaging only four American planes. They destroyed a number of American armored units and vehicles, and took several dozen prisoners who were subsequently murdered. What crewmen survived poured out of the burning tank and ran for cover. In the south, Brandenberger's Seventh Army pushed towards Luxembourg in its efforts to secure the flank from Allied attacks. From there, after handing over its remaining tanks and artillery to the Frundsberg Division, the division was to be transported by rail to Germany for a . )[6] T.N. 504-528-1944, Jenny Craig Institute for the Study of War and Democracy, Operation FLAX, April 1943: Severing the German, General William H. Simpsons Ninth US Army and the Crossing of the Rhine, Black Volunteer Infantry Platoons in World War II, Kasserine Pass: German Offensive, American Victory, The Top 5 Veteran Research Questions: Where to Go and What to Know, Gallantry against Great Odds: LTC George Marshall and Operation RESERVIST. by Timo 22 Aug 2004, 17:45, Return to Heer, Waffen-SS & Fallschirmjger. The two field marshals combined their plans to present a joint "small solution" to Hitler. By December 19, the surprise of the German assault had worn off. Although he realized nothing significant could be accomplished in the Eastern Front, he still believed an offensive against the Western Allies, whom he considered militarily inferior to the Red Army, would have some chances of success. The Battle of the Bulge (16 December 1944 - 25 January 1945) was a major German offensive campaign launched through the densely forested Ardennes region of Wallonia in Belgium, France and Luxembourg on the Western Front toward the end of World War II in Europe. [51] The major crackdown in the Wehrmacht after the 20 July plot to assassinate Hitler resulted in much tighter security and fewer leaks. In fact, because of the Germans' efforts, the Allies were led to believe that a new defensive army was being formed around Dsseldorf in the northern Rhineland, possibly to defend against British attack. By December 24, 1944, the commander of the Sixth Panzer Army's strongest battlegroup, SS Obersturmbannfhrer (Lieutenant Colonel) Jochen Peiper, was facing the ultimate military nightmare. Thus Peiper was without reinforcements, ammo or fuel and forced to retreat, escaping by sneaking through the American encirclement, leaving all equipment behind. by Timo 22 Aug 2004, 13:33, Post The disputes between Montgomery and Bradley were well known, and Hitler hoped he could exploit this disunity. SS-Oberfhrer Mohnke ordered Schnellgruppe Knittel, which had been designated to follow Hansen, to instead move forward to support Peiper. On December 18, 1944 , very early in the morning , the " 14th Cavalry Group " U.S. fell into an ambush of "Kampfgruppe Hansen "on the road between Post and R. These 30 newly rebuilt divisions used some of the last reserves of the German Army. [85], At dawn on 19 December, Peiper surprised the American defenders of Stoumont by sending infantry from the 2nd SS Panzergrenadier Regiment in an attack and a company of Fallschirmjger to infiltrate their lines. [140] Command of the U.S. First Army reverted to the U.S. 12th Army Group on 17 January 1945,[141] and command of the U.S. Ninth Army reverted to the U.S. 12th Army Group on 4 April 1945. Involved units are tanks from 7./SS-Pz.Rgt. No longer were American units fleeing the field of battle in front of their enemy. These bodies lie some 100m from the main site of the shooting and are believed casualities of the initial battle for the cross roads. by Lasse 22 Aug 2004, 13:11, Post Armee conquered the Crimea and captured . There will be only cheerful faces at this table." As they did, the Panthers continued their advance on the flanks of town while at the same time the German paratroopers and Panzergrenadiers pushed through the center of the town clearing house after house. On the same day as Hitler's withdrawal order of 7 January, Montgomery held his press conference at Zonhoven. Yet despite the lack of losses, the American Shermans began to withdraw due to the heavy German tank fire. Eisenhower and his principal commanders realized by 17 December that the fighting in the Ardennes was a major offensive and not a local counterattack, and they ordered vast reinforcements to the area. The terrain around Stoumont was perfect for Peipers tanks to move about. Allied air forces also helped the defenders of Bastogne, dropping much-needed suppliesmedicine, food, blankets, and ammunition. [citation needed], On the Eastern Front, the Soviets' Operation Bagration during the summer had destroyed much of Germany's Army Group Center (Heeresgruppe Mitte). [122] One of these fierce actions around Bastogne occurred on 2 January, the Tiger IIs of German Heavy Tank Battalion 506 supported an attack by the 12th SS Hitlerjugend division against U.S. positions of the 6th Armored Division near Wardin and knocked out 15 Sherman tanks.[123]. While the Allies recovered from their losses within days, the operation left the Luftwaffe ineffective for the remainder of the war.[118]. "[161] General Omar Bradley blamed Montgomery's "stagnating conservatism" for his failure to counter-attack when ordered to do so by Eisenhower. He later moved to Spain and South America.[38]. German units assembling in the area were even issued charcoal instead of wood for cooking fires to cut down on smoke and reduce chances of Allied observers deducing a troop buildup was underway. The Allies were slowly pushing towards Germany, but no decisive breakthrough was achieved. By this time, the town of Bastogne and its network of 11 hard-topped roads leading through the widely forested mountainous terrain with deep river valleys and boggy mud of the Ardennes region was under severe threat. Most of the units committed to the offensive reached their jump off points undetected. General Omar Bradley was briefly detained when he correctly identified Springfield as the capital of Illinois because the American MP who questioned him mistakenly believed the capital was Chicago. [164][incomplete short citation] Allied estimates on German casualties range from 81,000 to 103,900. ----security company with 120 men. The amount lost in arms and equipment, of course, was very substantial. In Germany such orders were typically transmitted using telephone and teleprinter, and a special radio silence order was imposed on all matters concerning the upcoming offensive. Considerable fighting went on for another 3 weeks, with Third Army and First Army linking up on 16 January with the capture of Houffalize. The other Kampgruppen tried to free the supply route which had also been cut by the Americans (by taking Stavelot) but this also failed. From 24 May 1941-22 June 1941, the 11. While operations continued in the autumn, notably the Lorraine Campaign, the Battle of Aachen and fighting in the Hrtgen Forest, the strategic situation in the west had changed little. Morelock states that Monty was preoccupied with being allowed to lead a "single thrust offensive" to Berlin as the overall commander of Allied ground forces, and that he accordingly treated the Ardennes counteroffensive "as a sideshow, to be finished with the least possible effort and expenditure of resources. Fighting along the Western Front did not stop with the German offensive in the Ardennes. 29.03.1943 Vapaudenristin Ritarikunta (Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty), 1st Class with Star and Swords . The panzer columns swung past on either side, cutting off Bastogne on 20 December but failing to secure the vital crossroads. Training time, equipment and supplies were inadequate during the preparations. Two separate westbound German columns that were to have bypassed the town to the south and north, the 2nd Panzer Division and Panzer-Lehr-Division of XLVII Panzer Corps, as well as the Corps' infantry (26th Volksgrenadier Division), coming due west had been engaged and much slowed and frustrated in outlying battles at defensive positions up to 16 kilometers (10mi) from the town proper, but these defensive positions were gradually being forced back onto and into the hasty defenses built within the municipality. The cream of what was left of Hitler's armies and whoever else could be conscripted attacked through a narrow corridor in the forests of Belgium trying to strike out and capture the . Known as the Battle of the Bulge, the fighting raged for over a month and consumed most of the Third Reichs remaining reserves of fuel and oil. Accounts of the killing vary, but at least 84 of the POWs were murdered. "[151][152], Montgomery later said, "Distorted or not, I think now that I should never have held that press conference. [133], Eisenhower based his decision on various military and political realities. In the initial days of the offensive, Kampfgruppe Peiper rolled through the Ardennes like a slow-moving train. Eisenhower wanted Montgomery to go on the counter offensive on 1 January, with the aim of meeting up with Patton's advancing Third Army and cutting off German troops at the tip of the salient, trapping them in a pocket. Peiper Obersturmbannfhrer Kdr Kampfgruppe Peiper / SS-Panzer Regiment 1 "LSSAH".
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