The Ardennes 1944 1945 Volume Ii

When Christer Bergström published the first English edition of his ground-breaking mammoth work The Ardennes 1944-1945: Hitlers Winter Offensive in 2014, it hit the World War II community with the impact of an earthquake. Based upon tremendous research into primary sources and interviews with very many of the veterans, this book turned the previous image of the Battle of the Bulge completely upside-down. Although tearing apart many myths that surrounded this battle it has hardly received any negative criticism with such scrutiny has the author treated the sources and source references. This book has been called the new main reference work on the battle. It still remains at the very edge of historical research on this epic battle. Especially the veterans from the Battle of the Bulge have praised the work as completely outstanding. The new Volume II deals with various turning points in the battle: First the failure of SS-Kampfgruppe Peiper, the Allied Air Forces severing of the German supply lines around Christmas, and Pattons counter-offensive. Next, the bitter defeat sustained by Pattons Third U.S. Army in the tank battle at Bastogne, and several other German victories in tank battles that have previously been covered up in history writing, how the Luftwaffe actually gained air superiority, and the German offensive restarted in January 1945. Although the bloody battles in January 1945 cost both sides higher losses per day than in December 1944, they have been neglected in previous history writing. Here they are described in detail. The reason why the Ardennes Offensive failed is discussed, as are its quite significant repercussions.