The Demise of a Division

The focus on the 1944 Ardennes offensive is always on the initial dash of Kampfgruppe Peiper and the battles around Bastogne. The tanks steal the show. Most German forces involved were however infantry divisions with little means of transport. They are often regarded as the weak link: the footsloggers who could not catch up with the tanks.

There was however an often overlooked German infantry success in the Schneiffel sector. The German 18th Volksgrenadierdivision almost singlehanded defeated the American 106th Infantry Division. In the historiography this is often either glossed over, or grossly exegerated. Why? Because an inferior German force in terms of infantry, artillery and armour defeated a larger, better trained American force.

This book explains how a German volksgrenadierdivision was shaped up for battle and which role its general played in the eventual success. It also highlights the crucial role of a dozen assault guns, an unassuming tracked vehicle, in the German attack. The American side is not forgot-ten and gets a thorough analysis on often overlooked aspects, like the integration of replacements and the problems of command.