Ardennes : last hope or hopeless?

[Dessek Warrior]

No, but you did write:

Had the Germans tried to launch a counteroffensive while any one of the Allies were fully fed and fueled, or had the Germans lacked natural obstacles to anchor their main defenses, the Germans would have been badly chewed up.

The Germans were badly chewed up as it happened. I don't know how it could have been a German victory in any way, it could only have ended yet worse for them.

Exactly how do you think the Germans could have won this offensive, or any of the long-term goals they attached to it?

[Christian W.]

You didnt seem to undrestand what I said. I meant that if the Germans would have launched the attack ( started the Ardennes Offensive ) when the Allies had already been fed and fueled, the Germans would have been badly schewed up.

[Helmut Von Moltke]

What would the Allies do if they lost battle?

[David Thompson]

The Failure of German Logistics During the Ardennes Offensive of 1944
http://www.blackvault.com/documents/ADA384410.pdf

[Scharlemanje]

Wouldve Hitler given his yes to the proposal of his generals von Manteuffel, Model and Dietrich, he had agreed to the 'small' encirclement plan, Hrowe E. Saunders referrs in his book 'Wacht am Rhein': That US Troops would have suffered their heaviest defeat in their history. In this case - knows the author to tell - US-congress would have enforced the return of the US-Army home. This made very clear by Saunders with much background material.
Fieldmarshall Montgomerys statement: Would have been this german plan succesful, no second miracle of Dünkirchen wouldve helped us, because Dünkirchen was still in german hands.

[Lt.-Colonel]

In the time of Wacht am Rhein the Germans had a choice between sure defeat and a hazardous attack, which in situation like that wasn't hazard at all. Being a follower of Clausewitz doctrine Hitler knew that and decided to roll the dice in the Ardennes.

Germans had no chance in braking through to Antwerpen, but if Rundstedt's and Model's ideas were followed the German army could've destroyed all of the Allied troops east of river Maas and then pulled out to the starting positions. That loss would've striken Allies hard and it would surely postpone the attack on Rhine.

Bodenplatte was the waste, but my guess is that it wouldn't ended like that if original, Galand's, plan was followed. His idea was to summon all of the forces Luftwaffe still had and to mount overwhelming attacks against bombers who were returning from their missions. Galand reckoned that the Allies will loose bunch of airmen that way, and the men are not so easy replacable as the machines are.

[Oberst_Emann]

Bodenplatte was the waste, but my guess is that it wouldn't ended like that if original, Galand's, plan was followed. His idea was to summon all of the forces Luftwaffe still had and to mount overwhelming attacks against bombers who were returning from their missions. Galand reckoned that the Allies will loose bunch of airmen that way, and the men are not so easy replacable as the machines are.

This plan was known as Der Grosse Schlag, The Big Blow.

[Lt.-Colonel]

Yes, but that plan was never put to work, at least from what I learned about it. Instead of it die Bodenplatte was put together.