The Ardennes Offensive or Operation Wacht am Rhein are the official terms. "Battle of the Bulge" was a name invented by Churchill; "Von Rundstedt Offensive" was a nonsensical name used only be French speaking peoples for some reason. I don't much like either. Now, indeed, let us remember around 40,000 dead...
While talking of the cryptonyms, the official German name for this last big offensive was "Wacht am Rhein", in some books you can read also "Herbstnebel". As far as I remember the last name was used only for an intelligence ouverture before Decmber 16th (colonel Giskes from Abwehr, known also for operation "North pole". Am I right? If not, please, correct me. I'd like to have it clear.
Even in one Czech written book I've read the term "battle of the bulge" translated as "battle at the Bulge" and I was wondering where is the city called Bulge? The more you read, the more you become confused... :-?
As far as I know, Herbstnebel was the official code name for the offensive until the last few weeks, when Hitler had it changed to Wacht am Rhein to further confuse the Allies. Since Wacht am Rhein means "watch" or "guard" on the Rhine, this name was to give the Allies the idea that the troop concentrations in the Ardennes area were of a defensive nature.
Ah, again Hitler's work (like renaming tanks...). I've read that "Wacht am Rhein" is a German folk song. Thanks for making it clear anyway.
You're welcome. Indeed it was a song, since the Rhine has always been Germany's natural defense line to invasions from the West (see the Romans). But the song, in WW2, was mostly a morale booster for the troops fighting on the western front; if they had to retreat, they would always be safe behind the Rhine. See, this is why I prefer to use the term "Ardennes Offensive"...
Ah, yes, the Rhine. I liked the fact that at least one Roman commander (I think it was Julius Caeser, before he became Caesar) had his engineers build a bridge across the Rhine. They crossed it, beat the snot out of the local warband, went back across it and pulled down the 'German' half of the bridge. They left the 'Roman' half up, as a subtle reminder of the power of the Legion (look, we can bride your river, whenever we choose, and when we do we'll kick your arse).
Yes, that was Ceasar. What's more, according to the report he made, the bridge was built in ten days! By the way, he was always named Caesar; the position was named after him, not the other way around. Bad Pedantic Man! Bad! The song was another part of Hitler's love for myth, as was the operation named after it...
The History Channel tried to build a similar bridge using Roman techniques and British Army engineers.They failed to build it in a ten day time limit.
they did not even manage to build a portion in that time, so the question is: the bridge is a myth or what?
i got the impression taht they name it like that because the attack produced a bulge in the allied front
Why did they fail? The Roman engineers would have had access to 7,000 semi-skilled workers, don't forget...
I've seen a similar experiment on the Discovery Channel where they used Roman techniques to build a much smaller bridge over a much smaller river, but with a representative amount of workers and time to make the experiment reflect the actual event. The outcome was that the bridge wasn't finished in time but the specialists reckoned that with Roman efficiency and numbers the job could have been finished. After all the Roman workers would have been at home with the methods used whereas British Army engineers were new to them. Yes, Churchill named it the Battle of the Bulge after the tide had turned and the Germans were stuck in their bulge leading nowhere. It came with idioms such as "erasing the Bulge".
I saw a story in my Sunday newspaper of a ceremony at the McAuliffe Monument in Bastogne. Veterans of the Bulge were there, warmly welcomed by the Belgian people. There was a photo with the story; the veterans were so few in number. When they're gone, how long will we remember them and what they did?
I was intending to go there and see it myself but I couldn't get anyone to join me... Also I lacked the time. :angry: But by no means was it not on my mind over the past week! Today it is December 20th. 60 Years ago, the Germans had completed their encirclement of Bastogne on the 19th and elements of the 26th Volksgrenadier and Panzer Lehr divisions had started assaults on the northeastern outskirts of the pocket, pushing back the last remnants of 10th Armoured division's task forces. Further north, the two encircled regiments of the 106th Infantry division were still gallantly holding out - they would until the 22nd. Meanwhile the tide had turned for Peiper already. On the 20th the 82nd Airborne supported by Task Force Lovelady moved south and took up positions at Trois Ponts, thereby cutting Peiper's unit off from the rest of the Leibstandarte. His breakout attempts westward started failed, and finally he was pushed back to Stoumont and even later to La Gleize where he gave up his equipment and withdrew on December 23rd. At the Elsenborn ridge all attacks by the 1st SS Panzer Corps finally ceased, faced by such determined resistance from the American 2nd and 99th Infantry Divisions and the gallant stand of the 1st at Bütgenbach. From this day on, 60 years ago, the main thrust of the offensive was laid more and more in the south, on the section attacked by 5th Panzer Armee.
December 26th, today! Jumbo Shermans of C Company, 37th Tank Bn, 4th Armoured division, break the encirclement of Bastogne from the south. From then on the 101st Airborne division holding the city is back in the area of regular supply. The breakthrough is often referred to as "the best Christmas present the Screaming Eagles could get".
I was there the Weekend of 18/19 december. You could have come with me Roel. The veterans parade was quite impressive,just in the moment as they reached McAuliffe square, snow began to fall. Another impressive moment was when in the evening of december 18 they darkened the whole city.
I'm so very glad that the people of Bastogne still remember and care. I hope that they, and the rest of us, continue to do the same.
