battle of the bulge 2018 copy - catoosaps.socs.net · •american gi’s taken prisoner by ss. •...
TRANSCRIPT
December 16 to January 25 1944
Largest land battle for U.S. in Europe.
Hitler’s Last Stand
I’m going to make a comeback!
Ardennes Forest - Belgium
German objectives: • Punch hole in Alllied lines• Get to port of Antwerp
(get gas by ship)• Split alliance between U.S.
and Britain
Outcome: Allied lines “bulge”. . .but don’t break.
Over a million men fight
500,000 Americans
55,000 British.
600,000 Germans
Dec. 1944 •Allies advancing.
•Germans retreating.
•“Over by Christmas”
NOT YET
Germans time the push with. . . A WINTER STORM
Why? Allied air power grounded.
• American GI’s taken prisoner by SS.
• 80 found shot in field.
Malmedy
S.S. Colonel Joachim Peiper’s orders
• Bastogne key hub of 7 highways.
• Surrounded by Germans.
• American 101st holds town.
• Germans give ultimatum: “Surrender or Die.”
“Go to Hell!”
General Anthony McAuliffe
Germans Surround U.S. Demand Surrender. U.S. replies . . .
NUTS!translator
100,000 Germans killed, wounded or captured.
Hitler squanders tanks men and supplies needed to hold off the Russians.
Casualties :1400 British with 200 killed.
81,000 U.S. with 19,000 killed