Battle of the bulge

The Malmedy Massacre, part 2

*It is not known why the massacre happened — there is no record of an order by an SS officer. The shooting of POWs was common on the Eastern front, but rare on the Western front. American forces recaptured the site where the killings took place in mid-January and recovered the bodies of the murdered soldiers. After the war, the SS soldiers met justice in the controversial Malmedy Massacre Trial. Forty-two former SS officers were sentenced to death, although no death penalty was ever carried out. Most served sentences varying from 10 years to life imprisonment.

On December 17, 1944

140 Americans were taken prisoner at Malmedy, just south of Antwerp. 86 Americans were executed by machine gun. Those that survived, spread the story, which some believed, gave a new will to fight harder to free the Americans and win the battle.

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Adolf Hitler, along with his wife Eva Hitler, committed suicide in their hidden bunker on April 30, 1945, to avoid the humiliation of a public death in front of many spectators.

how many casualities were there?

Approximately 80,000 Americans and 100,000 Germans

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By the end of January 1945, American units had retaken all ground they had lost, and the defeat of Germany was clearly only a matter of time. In the east the Red Army had opened a winter offensive that was to carry, eventually, to and beyond Berlin.

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Casualties from fighting and exposure were mounting as the German front began to weaken and fall back. German supplies were beginning to dwindle and with no way to restock, entire mobile divisions were simply abandoned when fuel and ammunition ran out.

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Hitler ordered a massive attack against what were primarily American forces. The attack is strictly known as the Ardennes Offensive but because the initial attack by the Germans created a bulge in the Allied front line, it has become more commonly known as the Battle of the Bulge.

On December 22, 1944

Hitler sent a message to American Major General Anthony Mcauliffe demanding surrender. He responded "Aw Nuts" The messenger who delivered the reply told German leaders it meant they could all go to hell. On December 23, the Americans began their first counterattack on the Ardennes "bulge".

Why I choose the battle of the bulge?

My grandfather fought in WWII, and was part of the Battle of the Bulge. I wanted to learn more about the Battle, and I thought it would be an interesting topic.

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On January 7, 1945, Hitler agreed with his staff to pull back most of his forces from the Ardennes, thus ending all offensive operations. On January 8, German troops withdrew from the tip of the "bulge." Their losses were critical. The last of the German reserves were gone, the Luftwaffe had been broken, and the German army in the west was being pushed back. Most importantly, the Eastern Front was now ripe for the taking by the Soviets. With the majority of its air power and men lost, Germany had few forces left to defend the Third Reich. Germany's final defeat loomed just a few months away.

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The Battle of the Bulge was the largest land battle of WWII which the US participated. This battle was the last great German offensive of the war; more than a million men fought in the battle

The Malmedy Massacre

The Malmedy Massacre. On Dec. 17, 1944, halfway between the town Of Malmedy and Ligneuville in Belgium, an American battalion was captured by An SS force. About 150 POWS were disarmed and sent to stand in the field. About 80 men were killed by gunfire, and their bodies were left where they Fell. Many prisoners escaped into nearby woods. News spread quickly among Allied Soldiers, and an order went out that all SS officers and paratroppers should Be shot on sight. The Malmedy Massacre is regarded as the worst atrocity Committed against American troops during the course of the war in Europe.

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The battle officially came to an end in late January, after Ardennes was reclaimed for Allied forces. Americans ended the fierce battle with 81,000 casualties while the Germans suffered over 100,000. What Hitler thought would be a turning point in the war for Germany, turned out to be a horrible defeat.

When did the battle of the bulge begin and end

The battle started on December 16th, 1944 and ended on January 28, 1945.

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german tanks were called pannzer

When General Patton

heard the story of Mcauliffe's short defiance of Hitler, he said anyone with that eloquent deserved to be saved. Patton and his Sherman divisions took off quickly across Europe stealing gas from German supply depots along the way, so they could not refuel their tanks, jeeps, etc.

What countries were involved?

the 4 main countires that were involed were US, England, Soviet Union and France

Where did the name Bulge come from

the US, along with its allies, created a bulge (a line of soldiers and tanks that creates a half circle) to stop the germans from crossing into Belgium -- the Germans plan was to break through the bulge, however they only penetrated it which did not even extend to the Meuse River, the German's first objective; we stopped them from breaking through