Adolf Hitler always believed in the attack and even when the German Armies were facing their darkest hour as they fell back across France in the face of a relentless Allied advance, the Führer was planning his vengeance. Youths and old men, previously ignored by conscription, were formed into new Volksgrenadier divisions while existing units were combed for trained leaders. Deficiencies in experience were made up for with increased firepower. Germany’s beleaguered arms industry worked through the Allied bombing raids to turn out assault guns and rocket launchers. Panzer Divisions, destroyed in the battles for Normandy, were recreated around the survivors and given new, improved tanks.
Hitler announced his intention to attack to his generals in September 1944. He planned to break through the wooded hills of southern Belgium, and drive across the River Meuse before turning north towards the final objective, Antwerp. Operation WACHT AM RHINE, (Watch on the Rhine) was designed to strike the weakest point in the Allied line while poor weather conditions cancelled out the advantages held by the Allied air forces.
Throughout the autumn, units secretly assembled to await the call to move towards the Ardennes, and although Hitler’s plans were complete by November, clear skies postponed the order to strike until the second week of December. Over the course of three nights more than 200,000 men and 1,000 tanks assembled along the Belgian and Luxembourg borders while 2,000 artillery pieces moved into position ready to bombard First US Army’s thin line.
By the night of 16 December seven panzer and thirteen infantry divisions were arrayed along an eighty-eight mile front; they faced only four American infantry divisions, two of them with no battle experience. Allied intelligence had failed to notice the massive build up of troops opposite General Courtney Hodges’ front, believing that Field Marshals von Rundstedt and Model had insufficient forces to threaten the Ardennes. They were about to be proved wrong.
Hitler, the architect of the German offensive, explains the plan to Jodl and Keitel. Taylor Library
King Tiger tanks, the pinnacle of German armoured engineering, lined up in review prior to the offensive in the Ardennes. Taylor Library
Build up for the attack. By the winter of 1944 lack of transport had become a serious problem. These bicycle-mounted Panzergrenadiers are seen passing a column of Panther tanks. Taylor Library
Ready to roll! Panzer crews line up for inspection in front of their Panthers. Taylor Library
