Operation 'Herstnebel'

Did you know that Operation 'Wacht Am Rhein' was not actually called that?!?!
Hitler had renamed the Operation as 'Herstnebel' (Autumn Mist) on the verge of the Ardennes Offensive, as he saw 'Watch on the Rhine' as more of a defensive name and needed something else to fill the name!!!!

 

Wastn't Operation Herbsnebel the attack towards Straatsburg???

 

Not sure if this is the difference-but I think Hitler wanted the name as defensive as possible because that would lure the allied thinking no offensive was on its way.


Herbstnebel – Autumn Mist: Alternative name for the Ardennes offensive 16th December 1944 (Army Group B plan )

Wacht am Rhein – Watch on the Rhine: The infamous codename for the Ardennes offensive

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"Unternehmen Herbstnebel" (Wacht am Rhein was the first name for the offensive, but it was changed at the end of November 1944)

http://www.feldgrau.com/9ss.html

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It was also called the Rundstedt offensive though von Rundstedt himself would never have given his name to this operation, I think...


http://www.eagle19.freeserve.co.uk/code.htm

http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/academic/history/marshall/military/wwii/Battle.of.Bulge/Green.Book/glossary.txt


More info on this?

 

*bump*

 

According to the books I have, I have not found in them any mention of 'Herbstnebel', just the typical 'Wacht am Rhein'.



But I think that 'Von Runstedt' offensive is completely out of question. It was the Allies the ones who gave it that name, mostly, because the Allied commanders really respected field marshal Von Runstedt. Eisenhower even said that he was "the finest of German commanders". But he said after the war that he refused that the offensive carried his name on History books "becuase I would have never launched such an idiotic offensive in the first place" he expressed.

 

Maybe someone else has read this?

I recall reading that Hitler sent the plan of the operation to the Generals for inspection but on top of the plan was a piece of paper saying " not to be changed "...

Interesting humour or was he trying to humiliate his staff again...