Advance and Destroy: Patton as Commander in the Bulge

Contents

Contents List of Illustrations ix Key to the Maps xiii Series Editor’s Foreword xv Acknowledgments xvii List of Abbreviations xix Studying Patton 1 Part I. The Road to the Bulge 1. Origin of the Ardennes Counteroffensive 13 2. The Opposing Armies in December 1944 25 Part II. Panzers in the Ardennes 3. Onslaught 55 4. Enter Patton 73 5. The Verdun Conference 94 Part III. Descent on Bastogne 6. The Ninety-Degree Turn 113 7. Third Army Attacks, December 22–23 137 8. A Rendezvous with Eagles, December 24–26 166 Part IV. The Incomplete Victory 9. Patton’s Alternative Lines of Action 181 10. Path to Attrition, December 27–29 200 11. Slugging Match, December 30–31 226 viii Contents 12. Culmination, January 1–4 241 13. The Harlange Pocket, January 5–8 261 14. No Risk, No Reward, January 9–25 275 15. Assessment 303 Appendixes A. Eisenhower’s Order of Battle, December 16, 1944 325 B. German Order of Battle, December 16, 1944 335 C. German Reinforcements versus Third Army, December 22, 1944–January 18, 1945 346 D. Selected ULTRA Messages 347 E. Weather Conditions in Third Army’s Area, December 23, 1944–January 10, 1945 350 F. XIX TAC Daily Fighter and Fighter-Bomber Sorties, December 22, 1944–January 28, 1945 351 G. Third Army Reinforcements versus Casualties, December 22, 1944–January 28, 1945 352 H. Patton’s Staff 353 Notes 355 Selected Bibliography 427 Index of Military Units 447 General Index 472 ...