228 ENDGAME AND AFTERMATH 1944–1955
5th Panzer
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StoumontTrois-PontsBüllingenMonschauHottonMarche-en-FamenneVielsalmSt. VithPrümWiltzClervauxDasburgBitburgTriersEchternachMartelangeArdennesGouvyPronsfeldSûreElsenborn
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Dec 16–26, 1944Dec 16–18,
1944Panzer Lehr
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Bastogne
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G R E A T E ROurtheMonschauGerman advance
Dec 17–20, 1944Front lines Dec 20, 1944GERMAN ADVANCE DECEMBER 17–20, 1944
The Germans pushed west for the next four days, and
attempted to deploy paratroopers behind American
lines. They had planned to take control of Antwerp
by December 20, but were held up by American
resistance, notably at St. Vith in the central sector
and Bastogne in the south, both key road junctions.2
DEC 15, 1944 JAN 1, 1945 JAN 15 FEB 1 FEB 151
2
3
4
5TIMELINEWESTWARD PUSH
The Battle of the Bulge was fought out in the Ardennes
region on the borders of Germany, Luxembourg, and
Belgium. The German attack began on December 16,
1944, but their push westward was halted by the Allies,
who eliminated the German gains in early 1945.KEYEARLY ADVANCES
The most rapid German advance was in the
central sector of the bulge, where Clervaux
fell in three days.Dec 17, 1944 German
plans to land 1,300
paratroopers behind
Allied lines fail.Dec 20, 1944 Bastogne
is encircled. Brigadier-
General Anthony
McAuliffe famously replies
“Nuts!” to a German
demand to surrender.Dec 17, 1944 More than 80
surrendered US servicemen are
killed by the Waffen-SS.Dec 23, 1944 US
forces finally evacuate
St. Vith, having held up
the German advance
for four days.Dec 24, 1944 The German
advance stalls when troops
have to retreat from La Gleize.△ German advance halted
Captured German soldiers put their hands above their heads as they surrender to
a US soldier, January 1945. Poor weather conditions coupled with Allied resistance
at key junctions prevented the Germans reaching their goal.THE FURTHEST POINT DECEMBER 21–24, 1944
The Germans reached the peak of their advance when
they took Celles on December 24. Still 62 miles
(100 km) short of Antwerp, the attacking units had
failed to cross the Meuse River, held back by the Allied
defensive force. The German vanguard was left
occupying a narrow neck of land increasingly under
threat from Allied pressure to the north and south.3
German advance Dec 21–24, 1944US counterattacks from Dec 24, 1944German gains by Dec 16, 1944German gains by Dec 24, 1944German territory by Feb 7, 1945Allied gains by Jan 2, 1945Allied gains by Feb 7, 1945Major battlesGerman
paratroop
drop zoneGerman armiesBLITZKRIEG DECEMBER 16, 1944
German artillery barraged an 80-mile (130-km) front
from Monschau to Echternach. Between the two lay
the Ardennes, lightly defended by Allied forces. The
6th Panzer and 7th Armies attacked in the north and
south, but were met with strong resistance. In the
center, the 5th Panzer Army fared better, punching
a hole in the stretched Allied defenses.1
German advance
Dec 16, 1944To Antwerp▲US_228-229_Battle_of_the_bulge.indd 228 20/03/19 3:55 PM