The bloodiest battle in all of WWII
The Battle of the Bulge was fought over the winter months of 1944 – 1945, nearing the end of WWII. The battle began when Hitler order a major offensive through the Ardennes mountain region. It was largely the Americans duty to contain the offensive, though they did have the help of a few other Allied forces including Britain. Hitler’s driving force behind this major offensive was to separate the Americans from the British. His goal was to capture Antwerp; a city located in Belgium, then continue on to destroy multiple Allied armies. Hitler believed this would force the Allied forces into negotiate some sort of peace treaty with Axis powers. It was not without great loss, but the Allied forces were able to hold the Germans.
Hitler sprung this decision on his advisers who were all surprised. This offensive was kept with complete secrecy, Hitler limited radio conversations and only moved his troops under the cover of nightfall. The plan for this big counteroffensive took shape after the demoralizing defeats of the Axis on their fronts on the East and West. In the East the Soviets made an offensive. The Russians were able to drive the Germans back and become in reach of the German homeland. The Russians began to run low on supplies, limiting their push to go any further. Also the Russians made a push toward Hungary, occupying Romania and Bulgaria along the way. This push acted as a great threat to the Germans. This is because it would cut off the German forces located in Greece, Albania, and Yugoslavia.
As if this wasn't enough, the Germans, arguably, faced even more of a threat to the west. By the middle of September, the Allied forces had freed most of France, Belgium, and Luxembourg from the control of the Germans. As well as that, the Allied were threatening in the Ruhr area, the industrial heart of Germany, so to speak. Also Eisenhower, an American war leader, had captured the port in Antwerp, which was a vital port for both Eisenhower and Hitler. Many areas that had previously supplied the Germans with raw materials had now been recaptured by the Allies, limiting the German war machine. Hitler was becoming more and more aware that he cannot continue to take this punishment from the east and west, he had to act.
The summer of 1944, the German economy boomed. In September, despite the bombings of Allied forces, Germans were still profiting from the peak in production. However the breakdown of transportation in German greatly resulted in a collapsing economy. With this issue, obtaining necessary amounts of fuel oil became very difficult. Hitler knew time was running out and took some necessary steps to ready up for his major counteroffensive. He lowered the draft age to 16 years old, as well as raising the maximum to 50 years old. This helped him grow an additional three quarters of a million soldiers. Hitler also had more artillery and armored units created. Hitler has just enough left in his country for one last offensive.
Hitler sprung this decision on his advisers who were all surprised. This offensive was kept with complete secrecy, Hitler limited radio conversations and only moved his troops under the cover of nightfall. The plan for this big counteroffensive took shape after the demoralizing defeats of the Axis on their fronts on the East and West. In the East the Soviets made an offensive. The Russians were able to drive the Germans back and become in reach of the German homeland. The Russians began to run low on supplies, limiting their push to go any further. Also the Russians made a push toward Hungary, occupying Romania and Bulgaria along the way. This push acted as a great threat to the Germans. This is because it would cut off the German forces located in Greece, Albania, and Yugoslavia.
As if this wasn't enough, the Germans, arguably, faced even more of a threat to the west. By the middle of September, the Allied forces had freed most of France, Belgium, and Luxembourg from the control of the Germans. As well as that, the Allied were threatening in the Ruhr area, the industrial heart of Germany, so to speak. Also Eisenhower, an American war leader, had captured the port in Antwerp, which was a vital port for both Eisenhower and Hitler. Many areas that had previously supplied the Germans with raw materials had now been recaptured by the Allies, limiting the German war machine. Hitler was becoming more and more aware that he cannot continue to take this punishment from the east and west, he had to act.
The summer of 1944, the German economy boomed. In September, despite the bombings of Allied forces, Germans were still profiting from the peak in production. However the breakdown of transportation in German greatly resulted in a collapsing economy. With this issue, obtaining necessary amounts of fuel oil became very difficult. Hitler knew time was running out and took some necessary steps to ready up for his major counteroffensive. He lowered the draft age to 16 years old, as well as raising the maximum to 50 years old. This helped him grow an additional three quarters of a million soldiers. Hitler also had more artillery and armored units created. Hitler has just enough left in his country for one last offensive.