Battle of the Bulge
What were the two weather conditions that gave Hitler an advantage
-Low clouds and fog so that the Allies could not use their good airforce -Hard ground suitable for the movement of trucks and Hitlers envisioned armored attack
What were the two reasons the Germans experienced great success to start
1. The Allies were surprised 2. The Germans sent undercover soldiers to spread misinformation and change road signs or cut telephone lines
German Casualties
100,000 men
How many American troops in it?
600,000
American casualties
81,000 men
How did the Germans begin the battle?
A two hour bombardment of the Allied lines followed by a huge armored offensive
Why was there a lack of fuel?
Allied bombing of fuel plants
Where?
Ardennes Forest
Fighters
Canadians, British, US VS Germany
What was the weather like in the long battle?
Cold and rainy; difficult for soldiers on foot
When?
December 16, 1944
What was the significance of this battle?
It was the last huge German offensive which showed that the Germans were truly defeated
Could Germany have won?
NO
What is a good idea?
No because Germany had been in retreat since D-Day and their military was depleted of supplies while facing the might of the allies at the same time
Purpose
Primarily American forces were attacked because Hitler thought that the alliances in Western Europe were weak and they could easily be broken apart by an attack and defeat by the Germans
What is the battle also known as
The Ardennes offensive
What happened mid January 1945
The Germans lacked fuel and had to walk back to Germany on foot
Why?
The lack of fuel for
Why was it called "Battle of the Bulge"
There German attacks created a bulge in the allied front lines
What was wrong with the Germans from December 18 so on
They were in a position of stalemate after advancing 60 miles
What happened on December 22?
Weather cleared up so the allied forces attacked with their airforce to counterattack the Germans
