Osprey Campaign 5 : Ardennes 1944 : Hitler's Last Gamble in the West

The 'Battle of the Bulge' was the last major German offensive in the West. Three armies attacked through the Ardennes, the weakest point in the American lines - and almost broke through. Hitler gambled everything in the hope that the residual might of the German army would not only force a breakthrough but would also split the Allied coalition in two. Although the Wehrmacht never even came close to achieving the former of these goals, the danger posed by their attack did cause high-level political and strategic battles that shook, and nearly shattered the Allied high command. In spite of its ultimate German failure, the Battle of the Bulge did have an important effect on the War and its aftermath: it slowed the Allies down, resulting in more territory being ceded to the Russian sphere of influence at the end of the War. James Arnold describes the planning of the attack and the course of events, including the defence of Bastogne and the heroic delaying actions fought by GIs supposed to be in a 'quiet' sector of the front. He shows the effects of the German advantage of surprise, in spite of the fact that Allied intelligence had picked up clues that an offensive was to be mounted, and also shows the deficiency of GIs in the quality of their equipment and men: their anti-tank weapons were totally inadequate and their own divisions in the Ardennes were either understrength or green. Nevertheless, in spite of these disadvantages Hitler's offensive was stopped putting to rest Germany's last hopes of victory.

Contents

• Background to Crisis - The Plan is Born
• The Opposing Forces
• Assault
• Breakthrough
• Race to Bastogne
• The Defence of St Vith
• The Defence of Bastogne
• To the Meuse
• Conclusion
• The Battlefield Today
• Chronology
• A Guide to Further Reading
• Wargaming Ardennes 1944