The Resistance Library Podcast: Battle of the Bulge

Ammo.com ^ | 1/13/2021 | Sam Jacobs

[ammodotcom]

On this episode of The Resistance Library, Sam and David discuss the Battle of the Bulge.

When we think about American GIs in the European theater of World War II, much of our image comes from the Battle of the Bulge. Named so because of the distinctive "bulge" shape of the front lines, this is where so many American men laid down their lives on fields of frozen mud in France.

[humblegunner]

Podcast?

Hey, why not get an actual job?

[Rufii]

this is where so many American men laid down their lives on fields of frozen mud in France.

The battle didn't take place in France.

[Leaning Right]

> The battle didn’t take place in France. <

Right. It took place in Belgium and Luxembourg. Kinda makes you wonder if the author has any idea about the subject.

[colorado tanker]

The Epic WW2 Battle That Cemented American Confidence

Huh? It shook American confidence to the core.

You have to wonder about somebody who doesn't know where the battle took place or the effect it had on the GI's and America.

My mother in law was a girl at the time and remembers Christmas 1944 was a gloomy time. All anyone could think about was those GI's trapped in Bastogne.

After the Battle was over and Germany suffered a defeat it could not recover from things looked better. However, the Allies were basically where they had been on December 1, 1944. Meanwhile, Russia had driven almost to the gates of Berlin.

[Carriage Hill]

It was launched through the densely-forested Ardennes region between Belgium and Luxembourg towards the end of the war in Europe.

My Dad, who was a Combat Engineer Platoon Sgt in 101st Infantry, 26th Yankee Division, 3rd Army Corps w/ Patton, was there. He passed in August 2018, at 96.

He was shot by a German sniper while dragging 2 of his platoon out of a bloody, snow-covered field, after a machine gun ambush. He has the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Good Conduct Medals, and 4 Campaign Medals w/ Patton, all over France, Netherlands, Germany and Belgium.

Please try to be “accurate”, for the sake of our brave Troops.

[Mr Rogers]

Get the feeling the folks doing the podcast should have at least read a Wikipedia article before providing their expert analysis....

BTW, I’ve read several books on the battle during the last 6 months. But I don’t feel qualified to discuss squat all about it.

[nesnah]

Hey, why not get an actual job?

---

Besides being a “candy man”, what else do you do for a living?

[colorado tanker]

The official US Army history of the Battle, the “green book” is one of the best written of the series on WWII. Highly recommended.

[Rufii]

Please try to be “accurate”, for the sake of our brave Troops.

What did I say that was inaccurate?

[The Westerner]

My daddy was with Patton, too, in that frozen Christmas battle. Had some stars, too. RIP

[kiryandil]

Did some one say "Green Book"?   

https://history.army.mil/html/books/007/7-8-1/index.html

Read online, or download the PDF from CMH (Center of Military History)

Any questions about CMH, I'm here all day.

[Rufii]

I’m listening to the podcast and the narrator keeps saying that the battle took place in France.

[libertylover]

I know that what you say is true, but I read in Omar Bradley’s own book that, from the very beginning, he was confident of victory and actually saw it as an opportunity to destroy the German army.

[colorado tanker]

I read in Omar Bradley’s own book that, from the very beginning, he was confident of victory and actually saw it as an opportunity to destroy the German army.

That's how it would look from his perch, a 30,000 foot perspective. Looking at the big picture, the Germans attacked with fewer troops than they ran through the Ardennes in 1940. The sector was heavily defended in contrast to almost no defenses in 1940. Also, the German logistical situation was much worse in 1944.

But that wouldn't be much comfort to the dogfaces who seemed to be fighting against overwhelming forces.

BTW, the movie Battle of the Bulge is one of the worst war movies ever made, IMHO.

[Carriage Hill]

Here’s the map. France was part of it, but it spanned 4+ countries’ borders and territories.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bulge#/media/File:Wacht_am_Rhein_map_(Opaque).svg

[Rufii]

None of the actual fighting in the Battle of the Bulge took place in France, but there was heavy fighting nearby in the Colmar Pocket, located just west of the Rhine, and it continued even after the Battle of the Bulge was over.

[Mr Rogers]

Thank you. Looks like this bookmarked page will be my friend:

https://history.army.mil/catalog/search.html

https://history.army.mil/html/books/007/7-8-1/CMH_Pub_7-8-1.pdf

[kiryandil]

Here's the Green Book list for WWII:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_in_World_War_II

[SunkenCiv]

BTW, the movie Battle of the Bulge is one of the worst war movies ever made, IMHO.

Hear, hear!