Transcript What was the Battle of The Bulge?

By Reilly Stone
What was the Battle of The
Bulge?
The Battle of the Bulge was a German offensive campaign launched
through the densely forested Ardennes region of Wallonia in Belgium,
France, and Luxemburg on the Western front toward the end of World War
II in Europe against the allied forces.
When was It?
The Battle of the Bulge
took place in the winter of, the 16th
of December 1944 to the 25th of
January 1945.
Why It Started
● Hitler believed that the allied forces were not very strong and could
be defeated.
● He also thought that through subordinate operations he could split
the allied forces, which would lead to the signing of a peace treaty
in his favor
● After a treaty in the western front, Hitler thought, he could focus
more on the Eastern front which was starting to overwhelm the
German forces.
Forces Involved
Allies
Axis
United States
United
Kingdom
France
Canada
Belgium
Germany
Commanding Generals
Dwight D. Eisenhower (U.S.)
Adolf Hitler (Germany)
(Germany)
Omar N. Bradley (U.S.)
Walter Model (Germany)
Bernard Montgomery (U.K.)
Gerd Von Rundstedt
Troop Count
United States: Close to 600,000 soldiers.
Britain: Close to 55,000 soldiers.
Germany: Nearly 500,000 soldiers.
Weapons Used
Americans
Germans
Karabiner
M1 Garand
98
MP
Thompson M1A1
40
Colt m1911
Weather Conditions
The Winter in which the Battle of
the Bulge took place was some of
the coldest weather ever recorded
in the Ardennes region. Extreme
snowfall, and low temperatures
proved fatal for service men on both
sides.
Famous Skirmishes in the
Battle
Malmedy Massacre
After a Brief battle near the town of Malmedy, 150
U.S. soldiers surrendered to the German forces.
They were then sent to stand in a field. After S.S.
troopers arrived to the scene, the S.S. started firing
at the American prisoners. Many were killed (84) in
the field but some managed to escape.
Operation Stösser
The first, and only, night time German paratroop
drop of WW2 was a complete failure. Initially
planned to have 800 troops, only 300 were used.
After abandoning initial plans, the troopers
attacked the rear of American lines. But, without
much success. Only 100 troops made it back to
German lines.
Famous Skirmishes in the Battle
Battle For St. Vith
The battle for St. Vith was fought over a vital road
junction in the center of the town. The allied forces
fought very bravely but were ultimately unable to
hold their ground. Although the Allied forces
retreated by command of General Montgomery,
they delayed the German forces greatly (More than
five days).
The Siege of Bastogne
The Siege of the Belgian city of Bastogne was a
siege of the American forces by the Germans. The
goal of the German offensive was the harbour at
Antwerp. The siege lasted from December 20–27,
after which the besieged American forces were
relieved by elements of General George Patton's
Third Army.
Casualties
United States: 81,000 Casualties.
Britain: 1,400 Casualties.
Germany: Nearly 100,000 Casualties.
Heroes
Seargent Day G. Turner
Carey, Junior
After being attacked by enemy, mortars, artillery,
and rocket fire, Turner took his 9 man squad into
the cover of a nearby house. Barely getting in
because of tank fire, Turner and his men fought
off soldier after soldier with, hand-to-hand
combat, bayonets, oil, and rifles. Finally, after
only 3 of his men were still able to fight, the
enemy surrendered.
Charles F.
Carey, a technical sergeant, was part of an antitank platoon when his battalion was attacked by
many enemy soldiers. After losing his guns, he
acted on his own initiative, getting back his
captured men. Unexpectedly, the enemies
raided his squad’s base. He got his men out, but
he was killed by a sniper the same day trying to
reach an outpost.
Importance of the Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was the last
large scale battle fought in World War
II. From that point on the Allies
advance was going to head straight
for the Nazi capital of Berlin. What
turned into a Nazi plan to split the
Allied forces, majorly backfired. And
the Allies reigned victorious. Many
great men and women lost their lives
in the Battle of the Bulge, and for that
we owe them our Gratitude.
Thank You!