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OCR Page 1 of 6December 24, 1944
1916
DECLASSIFED
DOD DIR. 5200.9,
NE by, BSR
Dalo 9/23/20
SHAEF Main,
On December 16 Hitler himself launched his western armies
in a gamble massive, long premeditated, final. Into one counter-offensive were to be
thrown all the Panzer forces of the West worthy of the name, all the fresh infantry
made available by the culmination of the Volksgrenddier program, and all the last
dregs of thuggery still fermenting in the Fatherland.
After a long period of meticulous and secret planning, Field Marshal
Model's forces were to be suddenly gathered together from all quarters, flung in
mass at the unsuspecting Allies' center which consisted of difficult terrain
but was weakly held and then herded forward on a broad front towards the Meuse.
Two Panzer armies were to advance with 8 Panzer divisions in line in a. vast,
simple turning movement, four divisions of the SS on the axis MALMEDY-LIEGE, and
four of the army on the axis MARCHE-NAMUR Antwerp and Brussels would then lie
straight ahead. In the train of each army were to follow two or three fresh
Volksgrenadier divisions with a parachute division for protection on the outer
flank. Still further in the rear and in disguise were to follow the Wallonian
SS and the Flemish SS for the political butchery. On the north and south flanks
of the army group two further armies were involved, both controlling only infantry,
one to hold the old line forward of Cologne, as a firm hinge for the advance,
and the other to make covering advances on the southern flank, push out into the
hills and forests of the Ardennes to secure the left and rear. In reserve were
two further Panzer divisions and two Panzer Grenadier divisions, probably one of
each for each Panzer army for the exploitation of success or retrieving of mis-
haps, and all the time additional infantry was to be accumulated in reserve from
any and every sector where the Allies should show signs of themselves withdrawing
troops.
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