75 Years ago today, 12/16/44: The beginning of the Battle of the Bulge

Discussion in 'US Coins Forum' started by Skyman, Dec 16, 2019.

  1. Skyman

    Skyman Well-Known Member

    75 Years ago today was the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge, the biggest, deadliest battle the US fought in World War II. The US suffered roughly 90,000 casualties, the British roughly 1,400 casualties, and the Germans roughly 90,000 casualties in the Battle. For the US and Germany, of these casualties, each suffered roughly 40,000 dead or missing.

    On December 16, 1944 Hitler launched an attack from Germany in the Ardennes sector (roughly the area around Luxembourg and southern Belgium) against the US Army. He employed his strategic reserve of forces to do this. His goal was to cross the Meuse river, capture Antwerp (the main Allied supply port), split the US and British forces, and, if successful, force the British to perform an oversized "Dunkirk".

    The Allies were caught completely by surprise. They thought that Hitler would save his reserves for a defense of the Rhine. Four US Army divisions were attacked by roughly 25 German divisions. The US Army would suffer it's worst defeat in the European theater of WW II in the early stages of the battle when over 10,000 men of the 106 infantry division, and supporting forces, were surrounded and captured.

    The German offensive pushed a bulge into the allied lines. The Battle lasted for roughly a month, but the end result, defeat for Germany, was clear by Christmas 1944. While the battle was technically a battle of the Allies against the Germans, in reality it was a battle fought overwhelmingly by US forces against German forces. The US pulled in forces from throughout it's front, notably the 82nd and 101st airborne divisions and Patton's 3rd Army, to hold and eventually counterattack the Germans. Of particular note, the 101st airborne, the all African-American 969 artillery battalion, and Combat Command B of the 10th armored division were surrounded at Bastogne, an important road hub in the center of the Front, on December 19. Their sacrifice and determination stopped the Germans from forwarding essential supplies to troops at the leading edge of their offensive, effectively halting the offensive in the central sector. On December 26, the 4th armored division from Patton's 3rd Army, coming up from the South, broke through and opened a corridor to the Bastogne troops.

    There was much hard fighting from December 26 to mid January. In the end, Germany's strategic reserve, and the German population's morale, was essentially destroyed. The net result was when the Allies started their strategic offensive in the West in February the offensive proceeded much more rapidly, and at much lower cost, than had been expected. Germany surrendered in less than 4 months from the end of the Battle of the Bulge.

    Post a coin from 1944 or 1945 in honor of the Allied men and women who fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Pictures from the era are also a good thing to post.

    bc1944D_66fbMEo2.jpg
    bc1944D_66fbMEr5.jpg
     
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  3. GSDykes

    GSDykes Well-Known Member

    [QUOTE=



    There was much hard fighting from December 26 to mid January. In the end, Germany's strategic reserve, and the German population's morale, was essentially destroyed. The net result was when the Allies started their strategic offensive in the West in February the offensive proceeded much more rapidly, and at much lower cost, than had been expected. Germany surrendered in less than 4 months from the end of the Battle of the Bulge.

    Post a coin from 1944 or 1945 in honor of the Allied men and women who fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Pictures from the era are also a good thing to post.
    END QUOTE

    It has been said that many of the German soldiers were using amphetamine (speed), which caused many to really persevere.
     
  4. Randy Abercrombie

    Randy Abercrombie Supporter! Supporter

    My hero while he was here was my father-in-law. He did not fight the Battle of the Bulge but he did carry German shrapnel from Italy in his back the remainder of his life.

    As an odd aside, I spent three of my Army years in Germany. Being a history buff, I spent my free weekends traveling to famous battle sites. While the German people may not have cared for the ideology of the day, they certainly are proud and have memorialized the young men that gave their lives in those times. I wish my photographs from that era were digital so I could post some of the memorials that I visited.
     
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  5. Arkos

    Arkos Member

    My grandfather's cousin was a paratrooper (43-46) with two combat jumps, I am not exactly sure which specific battles he was in but I know he was stationed in Europe for the War. After Germany’s surrender he was supposed to be transferred to the Pacific, but while he was home on 30-day leave the atomic bombs were dropped an peace declared. My great-grandfather's brother was also in the War, but I don't know any of the details.
     
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  6. Mojavedave

    Mojavedave Senior Member

    Skyman, Thank you for your great historical write-up. It brings back some great memories of stories some of my old working buddies had who were in the Battle.

    Dave
     
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  7. atcarroll

    atcarroll Well-Known Member

    the German soldiers were issued Pervitin in their rations pervitin-combined.jpg
     
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  8. Rheingold

    Rheingold Well-Known Member

    Come on guys, those days are gone forever.
    And that's good for sure.
    I am German and the reminder of this time in my family is still alive.
    We lost two brothers of my grandfather in the Ardennes.
    And they lost their lifes on Christmas.
    I am happy that the US and the German nations are connected now as good friends forever.
     
  9. Mr. Flute

    Mr. Flute Well-Known Member

    My wife's maternal grandfather fought in this battle and was severely injured, but survived.

    Author Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. also fought in this battle, was captured, sent to Dresden, survived the horrible firebombing of the City, etc, etc. Eventually, wrote one the great American novels about his experience and what would latter be called PTSD.

    God rest both their souls and all the other soldiers that fought and never returned.
     
    Last edited: Dec 16, 2019
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  10. Gilbert

    Gilbert Part time collector Supporter

  11. GSDykes

    GSDykes Well-Known Member

    Where on earth did you find this drug image?? Interesting.
     
  12. atcarroll

    atcarroll Well-Known Member

    Google
     
  13. green18

    green18 Unknown member Sweet on Commemorative Coins Supporter

    I love that. Adversaries once. Friends present day......One thing I will never understand is how Hitler came to power when the popular vote was against him.

    Your ancestors were warriors, Reingold. They were soldiers fighting for what they believed in, and they were protecting their country. German soldiers inflicted more casualties among Americans then we inflicted upon them. They were well trained, disciplined and efficient as a fighting force. The only thing they lacked was superior 'fire power'. Had we not had that, your boys could have carried the day.......

    And petrol......had the Panzers not run out of gas the tide could have turned the other way.
     
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  14. green18

    green18 Unknown member Sweet on Commemorative Coins Supporter

    NUTS!

    "On December 22, 1944, von Lüttwitz dispatched a party, consisting of a major, a lieutenant, and two enlisted men under a flag of truce to deliver an ultimatum. Entering the American lines southeast of Bastogne (occupied by Company F, 2nd Battalion, 327th Glider Infantry), the German party delivered the following to Gen. McAuliffe:.[2]

    To the U.S.A. Commander of the encircled town of Bastogne.

    The fortune of war is changing. This time the U.S.A. forces in and near Bastogne have been encircled by strong German armored units. More German armored units have crossed the river Our near Ortheuville, have taken Marche and reached St. Hubert by passing through Hompre-Sibret-Tillet. Libramont is in German hands.

    There is only one possibility to save the encircled U.S.A. troops from total annihilation: that is the honorable surrender of the encircled town. In order to think it over a term of two hours will be granted beginning with the presentation of this note.

    If this proposal should be rejected one German Artillery Corps and six heavy A. A. Battalions are ready to annihilate the U.S.A. troops in and near Bastogne. The order for firing will be given immediately after this two hours term.

    All the serious civilian losses caused by this artillery fire would not correspond with the well-known American humanity.

    The German Commander.

    [​IMG]
    Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe and his staff gathered inside Bastogne's Heintz Barracks for Christmas dinner December 25th, 1944. This military barracks served as the Division Main Command Post during the siege of Bastogne, Belgium during World War II.
    According to those present when McAuliffe received the German message, he read it, crumpled it into a ball, threw it in a wastepaper basket, and muttered, "Aw, nuts". The officers in McAuliffe's command post were trying to find suitable language for an official reply when Lt. Col. Harry Kinnard suggested that McAuliffe's first response summed up the situation pretty well, and the others agreed. The official reply was typed and delivered by Colonel Joseph Harper, commanding the 327th Glider Infantry, to the German delegation. It was as follows:

    To the German Commander.

    NUTS!

    The American Commander.

    The German major appeared confused and asked Harper what the message meant. Harper said, "In plain English? Go to hell."[3] The choice of "Nuts!" rather than something earthier was typical for McAuliffe. Vincent Vicari, his personal aide at the time, recalled that "General Mac was the only general I ever knew who did not use profane language. 'Nuts' was part of his normal vocabulary."[4]

    The artillery fire did not materialize, although several infantry and tank assaults were directed at the positions of the 327th Glider Infantry. In addition, the German Luftwaffe attacked the town, bombing it nightly. The 101st held off the Germans until the 4th Armored Division arrived on December 26 to provide reinforcement."

    Citation: Wikipedia
     
  15. ksparrow

    ksparrow Coin Hoarder Supporter

  16. ksparrow

    ksparrow Coin Hoarder Supporter

    The episodes of "Band of Brothers" that deal with the battle are excellent. I can almost feel the cold. The hardship those men endured is almost unimaginable.
     
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  17. Skyman

    Skyman Well-Known Member

    I'd like to qualify your first point and disagree with your second.

    Of course the Germans caused more casualties amongst the Americans than we inflicted upon them. The Germans were fighting on the defensive, and people fighting from defensive positions generally have far fewer casualties than those fighting on the offensive.

    It is also fair to note the results of battles between the elite units of the Wehrmacht with the elite units of the US Army. Generally speaking, in cases where the odds were roughly 1 to 1, the US troops won.

    Second, Germany (and occupied Europe) produced far more steel, coal, electronics etc. than the Soviet Union did during the two most crucial years of the war, 1941-2, AND the Soviet Union had to move a huge percentage of it's industries from the Western USSR to the Urals disrupting it's production. However, the USSR outstripped Germany, including occupied Europe, in the production of tanks, planes, artillery etc. during those years (which goes to your point about firepower), and far outstripped them in 1943-5. The USSR had a FAR more efficient war economy than Germany did. The USA, after Pearl Harbor, was also far more efficient in production of war materials than Germany was.

    Having said all that, I'm glad Germany is a member of NATO, and that our peoples are not only allies, but also share the same basic outlook on life.
     
  18. Razz

    Razz Critical Thinker

  19. Razz

    Razz Critical Thinker

  20. green18

    green18 Unknown member Sweet on Commemorative Coins Supporter

    Quite agree.....Grandma was German. She died before I was born, but from what I've been told, she was a most formidable soul. Her blood flows through my veins.........and I'm happy that today, we all get along quite well together.
     
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  21. TheFinn

    TheFinn Well-Known Member

    1944 2 francs.jpg One of my counselors at Boys' State put on by the VFW was one of the "Battling Bastards of Baston". He got his orders Christmas Eve with the 101st Airborne to go to Belgium.
    He said that when they opened the path for the trapped troops to get out, they slept in the underground caves the Germans had made and were sleeping in. They had icicles from their breath, and that I wouldn't believe how many layers of clothes he had on if he told me.
    Said it was the worst Christmas he has ever had or could imagine.
     
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