Hitler’s Last Gambit: The Battle of the Bulge

In the early hours of December 16, the pre-dawn stillness experienced by the thinly held American line at the eastern edge of the Ardennes Forest was shattered by a massive German offensive. After a summer of rapid advance, and a frustrating fall of dogged resistance to their advance towards the German border, American troops and leaders expected a period of winter quiet from an army that was thought to be nearly beaten. Instead, the German military offensive intended to turn the course of the war created a massive Bulge in the Allied line and became the largest, costliest land battle in American history. In this episode, Sean and James discuss the epic battle that came to be known as the Battle of the Bulge.