By Brendan Emch and David Yip Thesis The Ardennes Offensives disastrous result facilitated the fall of Germany to the Allied forces due to the German armys devastating losses rendering them unable to halt the Allied advance ID: 552715
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Slide1
The Ardennes Offensive
By: Brendan Emch and David YipSlide2
Thesis
The Ardennes Offensive's disastrous result facilitated the fall of Germany to the Allied forces, due to the German army's devastating losses, rendering them unable to halt the Allied advance,
effectively saving hundreds of thousands of lives, as Germany lost time in fulfilling Hitler's 'Final Solution.'Slide3
Background of the Ardennes Offensive
In 1944, Germany needed to capture Antwerp and cut off the Allied troops, which were massing in the Netherlands and northern Belgium.
The Allies hoped to penetrate the German defense and enter German
territory to decisively win the war.
The Battle of the Ardennes was the German's last attempt to break through the Allied lines on the Western Front.
Hitler wanted to launch a surprise counterattack in
the
Ardennes forest
. He hoped that the offensive could lead to a negotiation of peace between the Axis and Allies, not unconditional surrender.
The operation was kept in the highest secrecy, even from high-ranking officers
.
Those with knowledge did not like Hitler’s desperate plan and tried to dissuade him otherwise.
Hitler created new Panzer divisions to support the offensive under the command of Generals Dietrich and Manteuffel, each attacking a separate point of the Allied frontSlide4
The Ardennes Offensive
The
offensive officially
began on December 16, 1944
30
German
Divisions under the command of Generals Dietrich and Manteuffel attacked the weak point in the Allied front, along with a small force from the Luftwaffe and paratroopersThe attack went through the Ardennes Forest, in quiet Belgian and Allied territory, with Allied communication and telephone lines already knocked out by German artilleryThe region experienced poor weather conditions leading up to the offensive, which Hitler wanted to use to his advantage, so the Allies would be unable to use their aircraftSlide5
The Ardennes Offensive cont.
The Germans penetrated the lines
with little resistance, as the U.S. General Hodges was not expecting any offensive from the weary Germans
Crucial bridges were seized by the Germans in their immediate advance
German paratroopers landed within Allied lines, and disguised as American troops, created massive confusion in the Allied lines
German troops took advantage of the confusion, as word of the attack was delayed in reaching Allied headquarters
The bulk of the Allied
forces were pushed back to the Meuse
River
Despite heavy losses, the Allied forces made their stand at the crucial crossroads of
Bastogne, creating a bastion of defense in the German advanceSlide6
The Ardennes Offensive cont.
Supreme
Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower, upon receiving the news,
ordered
extra divisions to reinforce the American forces at the
river, near Foy-Notre Dame.
The Allied Air Force knocked out German supply lines as the Germans massed for the attack on the Meuse River under the command of General Manteuffel
.After German General
Dietrich’s advance in the north was defeated, Eisenhower
suspended the Allied offensive and
turned General
Patton’s third army around for the
counterattack on the Meuse, using pincer tactics.
Germans were unable
to match the power play, due to a lack of supplies and
reinforcements,
leading to their retreat on January 8th,
1945.Slide7
Map of the Ardennes Offensive
The offensive penetrated deep into Belgium and Allied Lines to Foy-Notre Dame.
The Allied counterattack pushed back and forced the Germans to withdraw.
The Rhine was left undermanned by the German losses in the offensive.Slide8
Timeline
September 1939:
Germany declares war on Poland and is responded to by Britain and France, beginning World War II
May 1940:
Germany captures Normandy and France
June 1944:
Allies take back Normandy in northern France and move into Belgium
December 16, 1944: German divisions surprise the Allied lines in the Ardennes ForestDecember 19, 1944:
Eisenhower orders U.S. General Patton’s Third Army to turn back for a counterattack on the Meuse River
December 24, 1944:
Germans advance to within four miles of the Meuse River at Foy-Notre Dame, their farthest point
December 26, 1944:
U.S. General Patton's army
reaches the Meuse and provides
reinforcements to the Allied
defense. The Allied Air Force destroys crucial German supply lines.
January 1, 1945:
The Luftwaffe attempts one last raid on Allied airfield, but ends up getting destroyed itself
January 3, 1945:
The U.S. begins their
counteroffensive, neutralizing German General Manteuffel’s central push in the offensive
January 8-16, 1945:
Germans forced to withdraw, with lack of supplies to sustain attack, ending
the battle
May 7, 1945:
Germany officially surrenders to the AlliesSlide9
The Impact of the Ardennes Offensive
German Army lost 100,000 men of the 500,000 attack force. Nearly all reserves were committed to the offensive.
German aircraft and tanks almost entirely destroyed.
Americans and Allied forces got quick reinforcements to replace their own casualties.
The Germans were unable to defend the Rhine, due to the devastation of the failed attack.
The German defeat exhausted its army and morale, facilitating the Allies' final push to defeat the last gasp German efforts to salvage the war, before their surrender on May 8th, 1945.Slide10
Review QuestionsSlide11
Question #1:
Question:
What is the Ardennes Offensive also known as?
Answer:
The Battle of the BulgeSlide12
Question #2:
Question:
What was the size of the attacking German force?
Answer:
30
German Divisions attacked the weak point in the Allied front, along with a small force from the
Luftwaffe and paratroopersSlide13
Question #3:
Question:
How
did the Germans penetrate the Allied lines?
Answer:
The Allies
had stationed insufficient forces near the Ardennes forest, and were unprepared when the German military suddenly attacked.Slide14
Question
#4:
Question:
What happened that caused mass confusion and lack of communication in the Allied lines?
Answer:
The
Germans had brought in soldiers dressed in American uniform and tried to stir up confusion with them. Additionally, German artillery knocked out telephone lines.Slide15
Question
#5:
Question:
How far did the Germans penetrate into Allied lines?
Answer:
The Allies were pushed back towards the Meuse River, where the Germans got as far as Foy-Notre DameSlide16
Question
#6:
Question:
Why were the Germans forced to retreat and abandon their offensive?
Answer:
The Allied
counterattack led by General Patton
pushed the Germans back with reinforcement divisions. With no extra supplies and reinforcements to sustain the offensive, the Germans were forced to retreat.Slide17
Question
#7:
Question:
What were the German losses of the offensive?
Answer:
The German army lost 100,000 men and nearly all remaining tanks and the Luftwaffe air force.Slide18
Question
#8:
Question:
What was the immediate impact of the Ardennes Offensive?
Answer:
The German losses meant they were unable to hold their positions in the Rhine, as they used many of their reserves stationed in the region.Slide19
Question
#9:
Question:
What was the long-lasting impact of the Ardennes Offensive?
Answer:
The German military was severely hindered by both their casualties and the loss of morale, expediting the Allies' push towards the end of the war. This gave the Nazis less time to perform Hitler's
‘Final
Solution.’Slide20
BONUS Question:
Question:
Who were the two main German generals who led the offensive? (Note: Correct Pronunciation is Required)
Answer:
Josef A. "Sepp"
Dietrich and Hasso-Eccard von ManteuffelSlide21
Works Cited
Axelrod, Alan. "Battle of the Bulge." Encyclopedia of World War II, Vol. 1. New York:
Facts On File, 2013. Modern World History Online
. Web. 12 Mar. 2015.
"Battle of the Ardennes (Bulge), 1944-1945." Map. World at War: Understanding
Conflict and Society
. ABC-CLIO, 2015. Web. 12 Mar. 2015.
"Battle of the Bulge." Britannica School. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2015. Web.
22 Mar. 2015.
Biesinger
, Joseph A. "Battle of the Bulge." Germany. New York: Facts On File, 2006.
Modern World History Online
. Web. 12 Mar. 2015.