Battle of the Bulge - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Battle of the Bulge

By:

Timothy Gerlach

,

Jake Carey

,

Sara DiazSlide2

Events leading up to the Battle

Germany repeatedly losing battles

Loss of Morale among German soldiers

Loss of territory gained over the war

Allied victory at Paris, Naples, Rome and Casablanca

British and American alliance becoming strained

Russians pressing the eastern front Slide3

Germany Key Element

Fuel

German lacked sufficient fuel reserves to reach Antwerp.

The plan was to successfully capture allied fuel depots.Slide4

German Failures

Needed four factors to work in their favor:

Catching Allies off-guard; poor weather; dealing of “early, devastating, demoralizing blows against” Allies; capturing Allied fuel supplies intact.

Failed to achieve complete and early knockout

Also failed other efforts at sabotageSlide5

German Forces

Field Marshal Walter Model

Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt

General Sepp Dietrich

General Hasso von Manteuffel

500,000 men

500 Tanks/ armored vehiclesSlide6

Allied Forces

General Dwight D. Eisenhower

General Omar Bradley

Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery

830,000 Men

424 Tanks/armored vehicles

394 gunsSlide7

Battle timeline

Battle started, December 16 1944

Second German advance, January 1 1945

Battle ended, January 25 1945 Slide8

Summary of Battle #1

In late 1944 Hitler sent a quarter of a million men (30 Divisions) into the Ardennes

By Christmas a 50 mile

Bulge

had been forced into Allied controlled lands

Biggest capture of soldiers since the Bataan death march, some 4,000 a daySlide9

Summary of Battle #2

Eisenhower sent half a million men to defend the front

As winter rolled in men began to fight in subzero temperatures; visibility was limited to 10-20 feet

In order to supply men, Eisenhower lowered recruitment standards and cut short training time Slide10

Summary of Battle #3

The 101st Airborne Division was cut off and surrounded at Bastogne

Germany demands the surrender of Bastogne. The leader of the 101st, Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe, replies with the soon to be famous “Nuts!”

Lieutenant General George Patton breaks the siege of Bastogne Slide11

Summary of Battle #4

A second advance was attempted by the Luftwaffe on January 1

The U.S. 7th army halted the advance

As of January 25 German advances had stopped

Allied forces regain the front Slide12

Casualties

Allied

20,876 deaths

42,893 wounded

23,554 captured and or missing

German

15,625 deaths

41,600 wounded

27,852 captured and or missingSlide13

Significance

Not only did the Battle of the Bulge symbolize Hitler’s last major offensive in the war, but it also represents the end of German and Nazi reign.

Veterans of this war are forever scarred by the unruly sights in Ardennes. they witnessed their comrades get executed and freeze to death. Slide14

Works Cited

Battle of the Bulge: Germany’s Last Major Offensive of World War II (About)

http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/worldwarii/p/bulge.htm

American Experiences: TV’s most-watched series. (PBS)

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/introduction/bulge-introduction/

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/timeline/bulge/

Trueman, Chris. "The Battle of the Bulge." History Learning Site. Accessed September 10, 2014.

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/battle_of_the_bulge.htm.

"Battle of the Bulge." Holocaust Encyclopedia. June 20, 2014. Accessed September 10, 2014.

http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10006178

.

Battle of the Bulge: Rare and Classic Photos From Hitler’s Last Gamble

http://life.time.com/history/battle-of-the-bulge-rare-photos-from-hitlers-last-gamble-1944-1945/#14

Results and Significance of Battle of the Bulge

http://worldhistory2battleofthebulge.weebly.com/results-and-significance.html