Panzers in Winter

The greatest military disaster, the United States suffered in Europe during World War II happened in the Ardennes Offensive, when most of the 106th Infantry Division was destroyed in the Schnee Eifel mountains. This defeat was not inflicted by the vaulted panzer troops, the elite paratroopers, the hardened SS men, or German commandos. It was administered by a mediocre and unheralded unit - the 18th Volksgrenadier Division. Most of its men had been industrial workers or in the Luftwaffe or navy the year before. This book covers the Battle of the Schnee Eifel from the German point of view in greater depth than any book has ever done, using unpublished German reports and manuscripts, especially those of Lieutenant Colonel Dietrich Moll, the chief of operations of the 18th Volksgrenadier. The author utilises unpublished works, as well as the papers of Theodor-Friedrich von Stauffenberg, to produce a unique account of the Battle of the Bulge, mostly from the German point of view. He uses an organisational structure that is different than other works on the topic. The first two chapters set the stage for the offensive, and the opening day is detailed in Chapter Three. Henceforth, the battle is discussed by sector, from north to centre to south. This approach allows general readers to gain a better feel for the engagement. The final chapters cover the clearing of the Bulge, and the lives and careers of the major participants.