The Battle of the Bulge

Heavy snow in the Ardennes region kept British aircraft on the ground, but also hampered the German Panzer advance. Illustration by Ron Embleton

7 January marks the anniversary of the end of the Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, in 1945. It was one of the final German attacks of the Second World War, launched through the densely forested Ardennes Mountains region in Belgium. Launched on 16 December 1944, and led by heavy bombardment and a sharp thrust by German Panzer divisions, the Allies were taken completely by surprise and were driven back, hence the name: the ‘bulge’ being the shape of the initial incursion as seen on maps in contemporary newspapers.

Eventually the Allies were able to push the Germans back and, on 7 January, Hitler signed an order to withdraw forces from the Ardennes.

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