US infantrymen in the snowy Ardennes, Battle of the Bulge

us soldiers battle of the bulge

American infantrymen of the 290th Regiment in the snowy Ardennes (near Amonines, Belgium) during the Battle of the Bulge.

The Battle of the Bulge (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945) was the final major offensive campaign by German forces on the Western front in WW2.

Germany’s surprise attack through the forested terrain of Ardennes (Eastern Belgium) inflicted massive casualties to the Allied forces.

In the first week, the Germans besieged Bastogne and advanced almost 100 kms West to the village of Foy Notre Dame, near Dinant, before improved weather and reinforcements allowed the Allies to cripple German supply lines – pushing them back for one final time.

The importance of the battle, the vicious fighting and the brutal terrain have made the Battle of the Bulge one of the most famous clashes of WW2.

Casualties (killed, wounded, missing, captured) included 89.500 US personnel, 1.408 British personnel and 63.222 – 98.000 German personnel.

During the Battle of the Bulge, US forces suffered their highest casualties of any WW2 operation.

Book suggestions ⤵️

📖 Battle: The Story of the Bulge (John Toland, 1959)

📖 Those Who Hold Bastogne: The True Story of the Soldiers and Civilians Who Fought in the Biggest Battle of the Bulge (Peter Schrijvers, 2014)

TV Series suggestion ⤵️

🎥 Band of Brothers (2001)

Image source: US Army photograph

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