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Vlaamse Leeuw
16 december 2003, 20:42
Hier ben ik weer met een stukje geschiedenis. Deze keer gaat het over de laatse grote aanval van de Duitsers op het Westelijk Front, namelijk het Ardennenoffensief - of zals de Amerikanen het noemen: the Battle of the Bulge.

16 December 1944
Start of the German Offensive between Monschau (Montjoie) and Echternach, at 0530 a.m.

17 December 1944
The Panzer Group lead by Joachim Peiper of the 6th Army of Sepp Dietrich attack at Losheim.

18 December 1944
Star of the German assault on Bastogne, and arrival of American reinforcements: The 101th Airborne Division (Gen. A. Mc Auliffe), transported by road from Reims, and the 10th Armored Division (Gen. Roberts).

20 December 1944
Gen. D. Eisenhower, Chief of the Allied operation at the western front, fixes commands: Field Marshal Montgomery to the north of the Givet - Prüm line, Gen. O. Bradley to the south.

The two German Panzer Corps of Gen. von Manteuffel's 5th Panzer Army storm towards the River Meuse.

Gen. Patton sends his troops to the aid of beleaguered Bastogne.

22 December 1944
After some violent attack, the Germans take St Vith in the north. The German troops cut off all access roads to Bastogne. The town and its defenders are surrounded.

In reply to the German demand for surrender, Gen. Mc Auliffe sends his now famous message: "NUTS".

23 December 1944
After a period of fog and excessive snowfall, the star of a spell of brighter weather allows the US Air Force to resume its operations, including flying supplies to the besieged at Bastogne. The improved flying conditions mark a turning-point in the fighting.

24 December 1944
The German Panzers surging towards the Meuse are stopped near Dinant, and they withdraw after suffering important losses. The Germans also give up their push towards Elsenborn and send their Panzer Divisions to reinforce troops at Bastogne.

Christmas!
Operations continue with the same intensity on all fronts.

26 December 1944
The 37th Tank Battalion of the 4th Armored Division of Gen. Patton's 3rd Army pushes toward Assenois, to the south of Bastogne, and succeeds in breaching the German lines to join the troops at Bastogne.

27 December 1944
A convoy of ambulances follows through the "corridor" of Assenois, and return with casualties from Bastogne to take them to field hospitals.

28 December 1944
Allied counter-attack by the 2nd, 9th and 99th US Infantry Divisions. The Germans concede that their initial objective, to reach the port of Antwerp, cannot be achieved.

30 December 1944
Failure of an all out German attack on Bastogne aimed at cutting off the Assenois "corridor".

1 January 1945
The Luftwaffe launches its last major offensive strike. The 30th British Corps is deployed between Bure and Hotton.

3 January 1945
Allied counter-attack toward Houffalize towards Houffalize by the 1st US Army of Gen. Hodges.

8 January 1945
The German decide to reduce the length of the frontline.

11 January 1945
La Roche-en-Ardenne is liberated by a Scottish unit.

16 January 1945
The joining at Houffalize of the 2nd Armored Division of the 1st US Army of Gen. Hodges and the 11th Armored Division of the 3rd US Army of Gen. Patton, and the start of an all out Allied counter-attack toward the east, i.e. the German border.

The last German shell drops on Bastogne.

22 January 1945
The 6th German Panzer Army of Sepp Dietrich withdraws from the front in the Ardennes.

23 January 1945
Liberation of St Vith by the 7th US Armored Division of Gen. Hasbrouck

31 January 1945
The Germans are rolled back beyond their positions at the start of the offensive on 16 December 1944.


After The Battle
By the eve of 28 January - the date which the Americans look upon as the final day in the Battle of the Bulge - the Americans suffered 75.522 losses: 8.477 men had been killed, 46.170 sustained injuries and 20.905 had either been taken prisoner or were missing.

The 30th British Corps suffered 200 deaths, 239 wounded and 969 prisoners or missing persons.

The German losses amounted 67.675 men: 10.749 killed, 34.439 wounded and 32.487 prisoners or missing persons.

In addition, 2.500 civilians were either killed in bombardments or massacred by German troops.



http://users.skynet.be/bulgecriba/attack16.jpg

Patriot!
16 december 2003, 22:07
God ja, 59 jaar geleden was het dus een historische dag! :wink:

Tof om te weten, zou er zelf ni opgekome zijn :wink:

Celebfin
18 december 2003, 11:14
Ardennenoffensief was eigenlijk het belangrijkste dat zich in België afspeelde tijdens WOII.

Vlaamse Leeuw
18 december 2003, 22:51
Ardennenoffensief was eigenlijk het belangrijkste dat zich in België afspeelde tijdens WOII.

Niet echt. Er is ook de val van Eben-Emael. Het gemak waarmee dit - zeer sterk verdedigd - fort viel is de verdienste van de uitstekende Duitse parachutisten.

Ook hebben we het verzet dat sabotagedaden pleegde en inlichtingen verzamelde voor de Geallieerden. Ook nog even zeggen dat dankzij het Antwerpse verzet de haven intact in handen viel van de Britten.