The Bulge

Dec 16, 1944-Jan 28, 1945

Strategic Context
After five years of war, the Allies gain a decisive advantage in June 1944 over Nazi Germany in World War II. Anglo-
American forces land in northwestern France to open the Western Front, liberating Paris in August and capturing the
first German city (Aachen) in November. On the Eastern Front, Soviet forces invade Belorussia, virtually destroying a
German army group by August, and invade the Baltics and Balkans soon after. By August 1944, even Adolf Hitler

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recognizes that Germany cannot win a military victory. Instead, he seeks to win a decisive battlefield victory only to win
a political victory by forcing one of his Allied enemies to make a separate peace with Germany. Hitler resolves to use
his last mobile reserve in the West to break through the thinly-held American line in the Ardennes and capture Antwerp,
splitting British-Canadian 21. Army Group in the north from American 12. Army Group in the south. This seemingly
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impossible feat is to be accomplished largely by his elite, fanatical Schutzstaffel (SS) divisions of 6. Panzer Army,
assembled in great secrecy behind the line. Just as Dwight Eisenhower, commander of all Allied forces in the West,
plans the final push into Germany, Hitler strikes.

Stakes
+ A German victory would halt any Allied attack
into Germany as they expend all resources
saving Army Group 21 from potential
destruction.
+ An American victory would ruin Germany’s
last reserve, leaving its borders weakened
against future Anglo-American and Soviet
attacks.

By Jonathan Webb, 2015

 The Bulge, 1944-1945
Strength
American Army & allies German Army

Dwight Eisenhower (SHAEF) Adolf Hitler (C-in-C)

Omar Bradley (12. Army Group)
Bernard Montgomery (21. Army Group)
Courtney Hodges (1. Army)
George Patton (3. Army)
Gerd von Rundtsedt (OKW)
Walter Model (Army Group B)
Josef Dietrich (6. Panzer Army)
Hasso von Manteuffel (5. Panzer Army)
Erich Brandenburger (7. Army)

Initial Eventual Initial Eventual

6 divisions 37 divisions 18 divisions 28 divisions
140,000 men 546,000 men 297,000 men 468,000 men
300 tanks 3,030 tanks 340 tanks 650 tanks
680 guns 3,520 guns 2,980 guns 4,110 guns
6,000 aircraft 2,400 aircraft

Well Well By Jonathan Webb, 2015

Western Europe c. Dec 15, 1944
While the Ardennes battlefield is known for its dense forest, the terrain is extremely varied, and features a patchwork of forest, open area, ridges, plateaus, valleys, even bogs. The
battlefield comprises three recognizable regions. In the north, the Low Ardennes is characterized by
Herve low, rolling
Vesdre River hills. Relatively speaking, it contains the most open terrain
Erft
although most of it is in the northwest corner of the battlefield such as the Herve and Condorz Plateaus, and the flat, open fields west of the Meuse River.
Plateau In the east, Elsenborn
River
Ridge features clear, rolling hills and dominates the area. The rest of the Low Ardennes features dense forest, especially in the Hohes Venn marshy plateau near Elsenborn Ridge
and the Schnee Eiffel (Snow Mountains) between the Our and Prum Rivers. The valley of the Ambleve River and the Losheim Gap provide the only major lanes through
these features. South of the Low Ardennes, extending from the Ourthe River, German Army
southwest along the Lesse River is the Famenne Meuse Depression. This small region is a
largely treeless low-lying plateau, and opens River
up to a wide crossing site across the Hohes
Low Ardennes River Roer (Hitler/Model)
Meuse River. In the south, the High Ardennes is characterized by dense forest and Venn
other difficult terrain, especially in the Foret d’Ardennes. The most significant lane
through the High Ardennes is through the marshy Hautes Fagnes. The battlefield also Elsenborn Ridge
contains a number of major rivers, many of which feature difficult approaches. Ambleve River
Overall, the battlefield is characterized by difficult natural terrain with any advance
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crossing sites, crossing roughly between Liege and Huy in the north, and
between Namur and Givet in the south. HuyThe German final objective is the Spa Elsenborn Ridge
capture of Antwerp (off map), just over 100km (65 miles) northwest of River
Ambleve
Liege. In the context of such a German offensive Condroz
west, the key terrain Malmedy
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Jan 5-11.
12-16.The
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Montgomery
initiative
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and receives
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permanently advance
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2nd 5. Panzer Army

(Manteuffel)
6th 26th
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Symbol guide 80th
5th
American Army & allies 4th
3. Army
(Eisenhower/Bradley/Montgomery) (Patton)
 The Bulge, 1944-1945
Casualties & Aftermath
American Army & allies: German Army:

63,600 74,500
or or
12% 17%

With the loss of Germany’s last strategic mobile reserve, Hitler could do little to stem
Soviet East Prussian and Vistula-Oder offensives on the Eastern Front. Pushed
ahead of schedule to January 12, 1945 to take advantage of German forces’ heavy
commitment in the Ardennes, these offensives carried Soviet armies to within
striking distance of Berlin. In the West, Anglo-American forces invaded Germany
proper March 22, 1945. By May 8, Germany had capitulated following the capture of
its capital and the suicide of Hitler, ending World War II in Europe.
By Jonathan Webb, 2015
 The Art of Battle:
Animated Battle Maps
http://www.theartofbattle.com
By Jonathan Webb, 2015