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.
The 2nd Armored Division was activated on July 15th 1940 at Fort Benning, Georgia. It participated in the VII Corps Tennessee Maneuvers from June 2nd to June 28th 1941 and moved to Ragley, Louisiana, on August 12th 1941 to participate in the 2nd/3rd Army Louisiana Maneuvers. The Division returned to Fort Benning Georgia on September 29th 1941 and participated (November 2nd 1941), in the 1st Army Carolina Maneuvers then returned to Fort Benning on December 2 1941. Relocated to Monroe, North Carolina on July 10th 1942 for the II Armored Corps Carolina Maneuvers the 2-AD was transferred to Fort Bragg, North Carolina on August 15 1942; staged at Fort Dix, New Jersey, on November 3rd 1942 until departed tje New York Port of Embarkation December 11th 1942; arrived North Africa December 25th 1942 (less elements which invaded November 8th 1942).
