Hitler's Last GaspThe German attack in the Ardennes planned by Hitler to smash west to the coast and force the Allies to agree to a negotiated peace began in the predawn hours of 16 December 1944. It caught the American forces - overextended by their rapid advance across France, and overconfident - completely by surprise. The authors thoroughly examine the reasons for this and assess the blame. But they also describe vividly how in spite of being surprised the American divisions fought back for the most part with courage and tenacity, holding the German advance way behind the schedule Hitler had insisted his panzer and infantry divisions must follow. And Dupuy, Bongard, and Anderson chronicle with dramatic detail the ultimate defeat of the German offensive, beginning in the waning days of December and climaxing in the middle of January in a grinding battle that took a terrible toll on both sides. Hitler's Last Gamble is based on the most comprehensive collection of documents and secondary sources in existence. The authors dispose of many myths about the Bulge that have become accepted through retelling. Some of these are the supposed poor performance of German panzer commander Sepp Dietrich; myths about German tank strength; the reasons for Eisenhower's decision to place the First Army under Montgomery; and Montgomery's alleged ineptitude. The book also provides detailed backgrounds on all senior American and German commanders, objective treatment and analysis of the actions and decisions of both sides, and many descriptions of dramatic small-unit actions. |
Contents
Before the Storm | 1 |
German Dispositions and Plans 6 | 2 |
West Front 15 December 1944 7 | 2 |
Copyright | |
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10th Armored 12th SS 16 December 1st Battalion 1st SS Panzer 2d Armored Division 2d Panzer 3d Battalion 4th Infantry Division 5th Parachute Division 7th Armored Division advance Airborne Division Allied American antitank Ardennes Armored Infantry Army Group assault guns Bastogne battle Bradley Brigade British Bulge Casualties Colonel Combat Command Company counterattack defensive Divi Division's east Eisenhower elements fighting fire front Führer Begleit Führer Begleit Brigade German German tanks Grenadier headquarters heavy Hitler Houffalize howitzers Infantry Division Infantry Regiment January Kampfgruppe kilometers Lieutenant Manhay Meuse Monty move offensive officers Panzer Lehr Panzergrenadier Panzergrenadier Regiment Parachute Infantry Patton Peiper platoon positions reconnaissance reserve River road sector sion Sixth Panzer Army SS Panzer Corps SS Panzer Division strength Tank Battalion tank destroyers Third Army troops U.S. Army units Vielsalm VIII Corps Vith Volksgrenadier Westwall Wiltz withdrawal