After the resounding defeat suffered in Normandy, the German Army (or what remained of it) retreated, being intensely pursued by the Allies to the German border. Then, the increase in German resistance, the excessive extension of supply lines, and the attrition of their units caused the Allies to lose heart in the pursuit. Taking advantage of this, the Germans reorganized their forces and brought in new reinforcements. Adolf Hitler then ordered the planning of a major attack: the Ardennes Offensive. The plan consisted of attacking, with three armies, the weakly defended Ardennes region. The Panzer armies (5th Army of General Hasso von Manteuffel and 6th Army of General Josef "Sepp" Dietrich) would advance to the Meuse River, cross it between Dinant and Li ge, and reach Antwerp, isolating the entire British 21st Army Group north of the penetration, while the southern flank would be covered by the 7th Army of General Erich Brandenberger. These armies would be under the command of Army Group "B", of Marshal Walter Model. On the American side, the Ardennes were defended by two Army Corps: V (General Leonard T. Gerow) and VIII (General Troy H. Middleton), both belonging to the American 1st Army (General Courtney H. Hodges). The offensive began on 12/16/44 and caught the Americans by surprise. However, the rapid movement of reinforcements, the stubborn American defense, and the improvement in weather (allowing Allied planes to return to the sky) enabled the Allies to contain and then repel the German attack, with heavy and irreparable losses for Germany. Hitler's last gamble had failed.

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