WWII: Start of the Battle of the Bulge

16th December 1944

Hitler's desperate last throw during the depths of winter 1944/45 came perilously close to being a major disaster for the Allies. Their offensive through the Ardennes fell on the Americans and caught them totally by surprise. Unaccustomed to set-backs, the situation was for a time extremely serious and in some areas panic set in and events went out of control. It was only after the most bitter fighting and massive reinforcement that the rot was stopped.