Featured Posts

Marty & Cindy : Unpublished Photos 1945 The German civilians would come over during the day and tend to their gardens. They would also wash the soldiers clothes for them. Notice the wooden shoes. Photo of Red Cross mobile serving 17th...

Read more

The Best Way to Move in the USA - Canada We usually do this almost the same way in Europa. We pack everything, assemble all the material to be moved in the garage then call for transport (mostly one rental trucks). Then, like a circus convoy,...

Read more

Marty & Cindy : Unpublished Photos 1945 Hello Gunter, these photos were taken by Lawton Clark who is a good friend of my Dad Kenny Cavanah. They were taken at the end of the war and from the smiles on most of their faces you can see that they...

Read more

Marty & Cindy : 17th A/B Unpublished Photos 1945 Message #01 : Some of the photos I sent yesterday failed to be delivered. I will try again. Have a good day. Operation Varsity taken by Joe Summers of the 17th Airborne. Marty Cavanah Message #02 :...

Read more

twitter

Follow on Tweets

  •  

The Battle of the Bulge (2)

Category : Battle of the Bulge, The Bulge (CMH)

CHAPTER II
Planning the Counteroffensive

Details of the Plan

About 25 September Generalorberst Alfred Jodl was ordered to begin a detailed analysis of the Hitlerian concept, the only function now left to the great General Staff. Some latitude remained to the individual staff officers and those favored few in the high echelon of command who retained access to the Führer in kneading and shaping the very general outline handed down by Hitler into an operations plan. The outline as it now had taken shape contained these major points :

  • (a) the attack should be launched sometime between 20 and 30 November;
  • (b) it should be made through the Ardenne in the Monschau – Echternach sector;
  • (c) the initial object would be the seizure of bridgeheads over the Meuse River between Liège and Namur;
  • (d) thereafter, Antwerp would be the objective;
  • (e) a battle to annihilate the British and Canadians would ultimately be fought north of the line Antwerp, Liège, Bastogne (1);
  • (f) a minimum of thirty divisions would be available, ten of which would be armored;
  • (g) support would be given by an unprecedented concentration of artillery and rocket projector units;
  • (h) operational control would be vested in four armies and two panzer armies abreast in the lead, two armies composed largely of infantry divisions to cover the flanks;
  • (i) the Luftwaffe would be prepared to support the operation;
  • (j) all planning would aim at securing tactical surprise and speed;(k) secrecy would be maintained at all costs and only a very limited number of individuals would be made privy to the plan.

map-001

Continue Reading >>>

Get Adobe Flash playerPlugin by wpburn.com wordpress themes