Blake Hall
For the United States, the Battle of the Bulge was the bloodiest engagement of World War II. Period. While the numbers vary, it’s estimated that more than 8,000 Americans were lost in the fight — a fight that was commanded by some of the most heralded military minds in the country’s history: Dwight Eisenhower, Omar Bradley … George S. Patton.
It took place from December 16, 1944 to January 25, 1945 in dense, bitter cold forest — the Ardennes region of Wallonia, which crossed borders into Belgium, Luxembourg and even France.
The Allied victory over Nazi Germany in the struggle proved to be one of the nails in the Third Reich’s existence — and rule — over the crumbling continent. Less than four months later the German Instrument of Surrender was signed in Berlin, and the Second World War in Europe was officially over.
Below is a poignant photograph of two American troops in a foxhole during the six-week battle …
