![]() Initially successful, the Germans took advantage of heavy cloud cover, preventing Allied air forces from attacking the ground forces. The four American divisions stationed there were either exhausted from previous operations and recuperating, or inexperienced and in training. A thickly forested region with few roads, the Allies did not anticipate an attack in the area. In the morning of December 16, 1944, more than 200,000 German troops and 1,000 tanks attacked along a 75-mile stretch of the front in the Ardennes, covering parts of Belgium, France, and Luxembourg. In addition to stopping Allied transport across the English Channel, the offensive was intended to split the Allied line in half. The Germans planned the campaign in the utmost secrecy, with the goal of recapturing the harbor city of Antwerp, Belgium which was critical to the Allied supply chain in western Europe. ![]() As the last major German offensive in the west, it was the final attempt to beat back the advancing Allied armies, which since June 6, 1944, had moved rapidly across France and Belgium. Seventy years ago today, the German Army launched the Ardennes Counteroffensive, better known as the Battle of the Bulge. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |