I'm Embarrassed to ask this Question

[T. A. Gardner]

Yes, I've read about that one. Amazing what a working radio with "unlimited" batteries will do in the hands of determined US troops.....

[Wolfy]

Originally Posted by T. A. Gardner

Most of the lead units were not "elite." They were infantry formations and most of those were composed of troops often of dubious quality.

I agree, I was just referring to the opening assault, where German divisions deployed the best troops they had at the time. There was an order to bring forward the best men in the assault divisions and organize them into assault battalions. Regardless of the fact that their units were mostly rated a "KG III/IV" and many divisions lost half of their officers and NCOs (and often most of their bayonet strength) to Normandy and Bagration. And with large shortages in most categories.

What actually happened all-to-often was the infantry being in trucks or riding on the tanks quickly became seperated from their armored vehicles. Lacking artillery support and good communications they were quickly pinned. The panzers would then push on regardless. Battles like that at Krinkelt - Roherath degenerated into cat and mouse combat with panzers trying to hunt down US tanks while trying desperately to stay out of bazooka fire. It usually ended badly for the Germans.

I think the 6th Panzer Army's assault had a lot of coordination problems. They used their recon elements (which were understrength, anyway) poorly and these armored cars got tangled up in relatively pointless fights. The 1st SS was literally charging into towns with tank rushes with little reconnaissance and the 12th SS gutted itself in the twin villiages.

But I get the impression that the 5th Army operated more smoothly and used their Armored recon battalions more along German lines.

[A-58]

See how easy that was CN? Ok, fire another one away for us!

[Triple C]

The Sixth Panzer Army flopped because Sepp Dietrich was a fool. The clotting of the roads in Sixth Panzer Army's staging area at day one imposed a twenty four hour delay on the German time table on the first day alone. George S Patton brought three divisions abreast in 2 days on the run. Draw your own conclusions.

The magnificient sergeant could not bring his two assault divisions in line at the same time. Anything see what's wrong with this picture? Why should Peiper be ordered to attack west, when the oppertunity to unravel the defense of the 1st and 2d Infantry by flanking Elsenborn presented itself? Sepp Dietrich was not paying attention, and almost all American commanders at the northern shoulder was aware of the folly of pushing the cream of the Wehrmacht into the mew of the strongest US formations in the west. Sepp went on it forthree days.

The Waffen-SS was not what it is cranked up to be.

[Wolfy]

Also very bizarre is the complete lack of serious bridging equipment for KG Peiper. What on earth possessed them to make such an error?

The SS divisions made some serious blunders in this battle- probably the worst in their combat history. To be fair, half of their officers and ncos were killed in Normandy and Market-Garden.

[PzJgr]

It was not Dietrich's fault for the failure of the 6th SS Pz Army failing to obtain it's goals. It was the directives handed down to him. Dietrich was not the smartest General but even he did not approve of the plan. Also, the commanders were not made aware of the details until the very last moment necessary. Directives given to them were very detailed, designed by those a thousand miles away.

Also, Patton did not have the heavy forested area of the Ardennes to deal with. He was in NE France when he broke off and headed Northwards to hit the Germans on their Left flank which was in Luxembourg.