Friday, 22 December 1944 — The Battle of the Bulge

The seventh day of Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein marked the end of the offensive’s initial phase. After six days of hard fighting, the enemy had penetrated American lines almost 50 miles, but the offensive was now almost three days behind schedule. Kampfgruppe Peiper was trapped at La Gleize with no prospect of relief, while the 2. Panzer-Division’s reconnaissance battalion reached Celles, four miles from the Meuse–the deepest German penetration of the Bulge.

The Front Line — Friday, 22 December 1944

Traced from: U.S. 12th Army Group, Situation Maps, 1200 hrs daily, 16 Dec 1944 – 25 Jan 1945. Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division, G5701.S5 (LoC ict21195–ict21235). Approximate positions; interpolated between key dates.

The 30th Infantry Division recaptured Stoumont, completing the isolation of Kampfgruppe Peiper. At Bastogne, Brigadier General McAuliffe delivered his famous “Nuts!” reply to the German surrender demand. Patton’s III Corps drove north toward Bastogne, having disengaged three divisions from combat and launched them over one hundred miles of icy roads into the German offensive.

Northern Shoulder

Elsenborn Ridge holds firm

The front remained static. German forces breached the lines of the 1st Infantry Division at Bütgenbach and the 9th Infantry Division in the Monschau Forest but were unable to exploit their gains. The 6. SS-Panzerarmee had definitively failed to break through the American lines.

Kampfgruppe Peiper trapped at La Gleize

Peiper’s situation was now hopeless, penned into La Gleize under constant shellfire with fuel and ammunition practically exhausted. A Luftwaffe resupply attempt at 20:00 failed catastrophically, with only ten per cent of supplies reaching the pocket. Peiper requested permission to break out after learning that Gruppe Hansen’s relief attempt had been suspended.

Stoumont recaptured

The 30th Infantry Division captured Stoumont after extensive artillery bombardment, completing the isolation of Kampfgruppe Peiper. Combined with the 3rd Armored Division, they pocketed an estimated 15 to 20 German tanks at La Gleize.

Panzer-Brigade 150 repulsed at Malmedy

SS-Obersturmbannführer Skorzeny’s Panzer-Brigade 150 launched a third attack on Malmedy but failed. Heavy snowfall covered the Baugnez execution field, temporarily obscuring the remains of eighty-six murdered American soldiers.

Central Sector

St. Vith withdrawal begins

American forces began a deliberate withdrawal from the St. Vith salient, passing through the 82nd Airborne Division’s lines. Montgomery intervened and ordered the withdrawal, noting the defenders could retire “with all honour.” The defenders had severely disrupted the German timetable, putting the offensive almost three days behind schedule.

Baraque de Fraiture holds for a fourth day

The defence at Parker’s Crossroads continued into its fourth day. The 2. SS-Panzer-Division “Das Reich” awaited fuel supplies and probed the position. Major Parker was wounded by mortar fragments and evacuated; Major Goldstein took command.

McAuliffe’s “Nuts!” reply at Bastogne

Four German emissaries carrying a surrender ultimatum were met at the 327th Glider Infantry’s lines. Brigadier General McAuliffe’s reply–“Nuts!”–was delivered by Colonel Harper, who told the German captain: “If you don’t understand what nuts means, in plain English it is the same as go to hell.” The massive artillery attack promised by the Germans did not materialise.

2. Panzer-Division reaches Celles

The reconnaissance battalion of the 2. Panzer-Division reached Celles, due south of Huy, about four miles from the Meuse. This was the deepest German penetration of the Bulge, but the division’s spearhead was dangerously overextended.

Southern Shoulder

Patton’s III Corps drives north

The attack Patton promised at Verdun jumped off at 06:00. He had disengaged three divisions from combat and launched them over one hundred miles of icy roads. The 4th Armored Division reached Burnon and Martelange, the 26th Infantry Division made contact at Rambrouch-Grosbous, and the 80th Infantry Division advanced five miles to Merzig-Ettelbruck.

Allied Command

End of the offensive’s initial phase

The initial phase of the German winter offensive ended. Von Rundstedt was forced to make the first major change to his plan. The 6. SS-Panzerarmee had bogged down, sacrificing four divisions at Elsenborn without result, while the 5. Panzerarmee reached its furthest points but halted from fuel shortages and an exposed northern flank.

VII Corps reconstituted

VII Corps was reconstituted with the 75th and 84th Infantry Divisions and 2nd Armored Division, rapidly concentrating in the Durbuy-Marche area. The 84th Infantry Division completed perimeter defence of Marche. First Army headquarters moved from Chaudfontaine to Tongres.