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Operation Northwind (1944)

January 01, 1970

This article is about the 1944–1945 operation. For the 1941 operation, see Operation Northwind (1941).
Operation Northwind
Part of the Western Front of World War II
Date31 December 1944 – 25 January 1945 (1944-12-31 – 1945-01-25)
Location
Alsace and Lorraine, France and Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
Result German operational failure
Belligerents
  Germany
Commanders and leaders
Units involved

Seventh Army

VI Corps

First Army

Strength
230,000
(average strength)[1]		 Unknown
Casualties and losses
 United States:
11,609[2][3]
killed and wounded, captured or missing[4]
 France:
7,000[5]
killed and wounded		 23,000 killed, wounded, or captured[6]

Operation Northwind (German: Unternehmen Nordwind) was the last major German offensive of World War II on the Western Front. Northwind was launched to support the German Ardennes offensive campaign in the Battle of the Bulge, which by late December 1944 had decisively turned against the German forces. It began on 31 December 1944 in Rhineland-Palatinate, Alsace and Lorraine in southwestern Germany and northeastern France, and ended on 25 January 1945. The German offensive was an operational failure, with its main objectives not achieved.

Objectives edit

By 21 December 1944, the German momentum during the Battle of the Bulge had begun to dissipate, and it was evident that the operation was on the brink of failure. It was believed that an attack against the United States Seventh Army further south, which had extended its lines and taken on a defensive posture to cover the area vacated by the United States Third Army (which turned north to assist at the site of the German breakthrough), could relieve pressure on German forces in the Ardennes.[7] In a briefing at his military command complex at Adlerhorst, Adolf Hitler declared in his speech to his division commanders on 28 December 1944 (three days prior to the launch of Operation Nordwind), "This attack has a very clear objective, namely the destruction of the enemy forces. There is not a matter of prestige involved here. It is a matter of destroying and exterminating the enemy forces wherever we find them."[3]: 499 

The goal of the offensive was to break through the lines of the U.S. Seventh Army and French 1st Army in the Upper Vosges Mountains and the Alsatian Plain and destroy them, as well as seize Strasbourg, which Himmler had promised would be captured by 30 January. That would leave the way open for Operation Dentist (Unternehmen Zahnarzt), a planned major thrust into the rear of the U.S. Third Army, intended to lead to the destruction of that army.[3]: 494 

Offensive edit

See also: Operation Nordwind order of battle

On 31 December 1944, German Army Group G (commanded by Generaloberst Johannes Blaskowitz) and Army Group Upper Rhine (commanded by Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler) launched a major offensive against the thinly stretched, 110-kilometre-long (68 mi) front line held by the U.S. 7th Army. Operation Nordwind soon had the overextended U.S. 7th Army in dire straits; the 7th Army (at the orders of U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower) had sent troops, equipment, and supplies north to reinforce the American armies in the Ardennes involved in the Battle of the Bulge.

On the same day that the German Army launched Operation Nordwind, the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) committed almost 1,000 aircraft in support. This attempt to cripple the Allied air forces based in northwestern Europe was known as Operation Bodenplatte. It failed without having achieved any of its key objectives.

The initial Nordwind attack was conducted by three corps of the German 1st Army of Army Group G, and by 9 January, the XXXIX (39th) Panzer Corps was heavily engaged as well. By 15 January at least 17 German divisions (including units in the Colmar Pocket) from Army Group G and Army Group Oberrhein, including the 6th SS Mountain, 17th SS Panzergrenadier, 21st Panzer, and 25th Panzergrenadier Divisions were engaged in the fighting. Another smaller attack was made against the French positions south of Strasbourg, but it was finally stopped. The U.S. VI Corps—which bore the brunt of the German attacks—was fighting on three sides by 15 January.

The 125th Regiment of the 21st Panzer Division under Colonel Hans von Luck aimed to sever the American supply line to Strasbourg, by cutting across the eastern foothills of the Vosges at the northwest base of a natural salient in a bend of the River Rhine. Here the Maginot Line, running east–west, was used by Allied forces, and "showed what a superb fortification it was".[8] On January 7 Luck approached the line south of Wissembourg at the villages of Rittershoffen and Hatten. Heavy American fire came from the 79th Infantry Division, the 14th Armoured Division, plus elements of the 42nd Infantry Division. On January 10 Luck reached the villages. Two weeks of heavy fighting followed, Germans and Americans each occupying parts of the villages while civilians sheltered in cellars. Luck later said that the fighting around Rittershoffen had been "one of the hardest and most costly battles that ever raged".[9]

Eisenhower, fearing the outright destruction of the U.S. 7th Army, had rushed already battered divisions hurriedly relieved from the Ardennes, southeast over 100 km (62 mi), to reinforce the 7th Army. But their arrival was delayed, and on 21 January with supplies and ammunition short, Seventh Army ordered the much-depleted 79th Infantry and 14th Armored Divisions to retreat from Rittershoffen and fall back on new positions on the south bank of the Moder River.

On 25 January the German offensive was halted, after the US 222nd Infantry Regiment stopped their advance near Haguenau, earning the Presidential Unit Citation in the process. The same day reinforcements began to arrive from the Ardennes. Although Strasbourg had been successfully defended, the Colmar Pocket had not yet been eliminated.

See also edit

References edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ Cirillo 2003, Retrieved 16 August 2018
  2. ^ Cirillo 2003, Retrieved 16 August 2018
  3. ^ a b c Clarke, Jeffrey J.; Smith, Robert Ross (1993). (PDF). Washington, DC: Center of Military History, United States Army. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  4. ^ Smith, Clark: Riviera To The Rhine. P. 527
  5. ^ Grandes Unités Françaises, Vol. V-III, p. 801
  6. ^ Clarke, Jeffrey (1993). U.S. Army in World War II European Theater of Operations: Riviera to the Rhine. Washington, D.C.: United States Army Center of Military History. p. 527.
  7. ^ Clarke, Jeffrey (1993). U.S. Army in World War II European Theater of Operations: Riviera to the Rhine. Washington, D.C.: United States Army Center of Military History. pp. 493–494.
  8. ^ Ambrose 1997, p. 318.
  9. ^ Ambrose 1997, p. 386.

Bibliography edit

  • Ambrose, Stephen E. (1997). Citizen Soldiers: The U.S. Army From the Normandy Beaches to the Bulge to the Surrender of Germany. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0684815257.
  • Bonn, Keith E. When the Odds Were Even: The Vosges Mountains Campaign, October 1944 – January 1945. Novato, CA: Presidio, 2006. ISBN 0345476115
  • Engler, Richard. The Final Crisis: Combat in Northern Alsace, January 1945. Aberjona Press. 1999. ISBN 9780966638912
  • Nordwind & the US 44th Division *
  • Whiting, Charles (1992). The Other Battle of the Bulge: Operation Northwind. Avon Books. ISBN 0380716283. OCLC 211992045.
  • Citino, Robert (2017), The Wehrmacht's Last Stand: The German Campaigns of 1944–1945, University Press of Kansas, ISBN 9780700624942

External links edit

  • Cirillo, Roger. . The U.S. Army Campaigns of World War II. United States Army Center of Military History. CMH Pub 72–26. Archived from the original on 2008-12-06. Retrieved 2010-08-20.
  • on the website of the 100th Infantry Division Association contains a list of German primary sources on the operation.

https://wisvetsmuseum.com/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=OH_00915.xml

January 01, 1970
operation, northwind, 1944, this, article, about, 1944, 1945, operation, 1941, operation, operation, northwind, 1941, operation, northwindpart, western, front, world, iidate31, december, 1944, january, 1945, 1944, 1945, locationalsace, lorraine, france, rhinel. This article is about the 1944 1945 operation For the 1941 operation see Operation Northwind 1941 Operation NorthwindPart of the Western Front of World War IIDate31 December 1944 25 January 1945 1944 12 31 1945 01 25 LocationAlsace and Lorraine France and Rhineland Palatinate GermanyResultGerman operational failureBelligerents United States France GermanyCommanders and leadersJacob L DeversAlexander PatchJean d L de TassignyEdward H BrooksJoseph de MonsabertJohannes BlaskowitzHans von ObstfelderHeinrich HimmlerSiegfried RaspUnits involvedSeventh Army VI Corps 42nd Infantry Division45th Infantry Division70th Infantry Division79th Infantry Division XV Corps 103rd Infantry Division44th Infantry Division100th Infantry Division63rd Infantry Division XXI Corps 36th Infantry Division12th Armored Division14th Armored Division First Army I Corps 1st Infantry Division2nd Armored Division3rd Algerian Division II Corps 1st Armored Division1st Colonial Division3rd Moroccan Division4th Moroccan Division5th Armored Division10th Infantry Division1st Army 25th Panzergrenadier Division21st Panzer Division6th SS Mountain Division XIII SS Corps 19th Volksgrenadier Division36th Volksgrenadier Division17th SS Panzergrenadier Division XC Corps 559th Volksgrenadier Division257th Volksgrenadier Division LXXXIX Corps 361st Volksgrenadier Division245th Infantry Division256th Volksgrenadier Division 19th Army 10th SS Panzer Division LXIV Corps 189th Infantry Division198th Infantry Division708th Volksgrenadier Division LXIII Corps 159th Infantry Division716th Infantry Division269th Infantry Division30th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS XIV SS Corps 553rd Volksgrenadier Division10th SS Panzer DivisionStrength230 000 average strength 1 UnknownCasualties and losses United States 11 609 2 3 killed and wounded captured or missing 4 France 7 000 5 killed and wounded23 000 killed wounded or captured 6 Operation Northwind German Unternehmen Nordwind was the last major German offensive of World War II on the Western Front Northwind was launched to support the German Ardennes offensive campaign in the Battle of the Bulge which by late December 1944 had decisively turned against the German forces It began on 31 December 1944 in Rhineland Palatinate Alsace and Lorraine in southwestern Germany and northeastern France and ended on 25 January 1945 The German offensive was an operational failure with its main objectives not achieved Contents 1 Objectives 2 Offensive 3 See also 4 References 4 1 Citations 4 2 Bibliography 5 External linksObjectives editBy 21 December 1944 the German momentum during the Battle of the Bulge had begun to dissipate and it was evident that the operation was on the brink of failure It was believed that an attack against the United States Seventh Army further south which had extended its lines and taken on a defensive posture to cover the area vacated by the United States Third Army which turned north to assist at the site of the German breakthrough could relieve pressure on German forces in the Ardennes 7 In a briefing at his military command complex at Adlerhorst Adolf Hitler declared in his speech to his division commanders on 28 December 1944 three days prior to the launch of Operation Nordwind This attack has a very clear objective namely the destruction of the enemy forces There is not a matter of prestige involved here It is a matter of destroying and exterminating the enemy forces wherever we find them 3 499 The goal of the offensive was to break through the lines of the U S Seventh Army and French 1st Army in the Upper Vosges Mountains and the Alsatian Plain and destroy them as well as seize Strasbourg which Himmler had promised would be captured by 30 January That would leave the way open for Operation Dentist Unternehmen Zahnarzt a planned major thrust into the rear of the U S Third Army intended to lead to the destruction of that army 3 494 Offensive editSee also Operation Nordwind order of battle On 31 December 1944 German Army Group G commanded by Generaloberst Johannes Blaskowitz and Army Group Upper Rhine commanded by Reichsfuhrer SS Heinrich Himmler launched a major offensive against the thinly stretched 110 kilometre long 68 mi front line held by the U S 7th Army Operation Nordwind soon had the overextended U S 7th Army in dire straits the 7th Army at the orders of U S General Dwight D Eisenhower had sent troops equipment and supplies north to reinforce the American armies in the Ardennes involved in the Battle of the Bulge On the same day that the German Army launched Operation Nordwind the Luftwaffe German Air Force committed almost 1 000 aircraft in support This attempt to cripple the Allied air forces based in northwestern Europe was known as Operation Bodenplatte It failed without having achieved any of its key objectives The initial Nordwind attack was conducted by three corps of the German 1st Army of Army Group G and by 9 January the XXXIX 39th Panzer Corps was heavily engaged as well By 15 January at least 17 German divisions including units in the Colmar Pocket from Army Group G and Army Group Oberrhein including the 6th SS Mountain 17th SS Panzergrenadier 21st Panzer and 25th Panzergrenadier Divisions were engaged in the fighting Another smaller attack was made against the French positions south of Strasbourg but it was finally stopped The U S VI Corps which bore the brunt of the German attacks was fighting on three sides by 15 January The 125th Regiment of the 21st Panzer Division under Colonel Hans von Luck aimed to sever the American supply line to Strasbourg by cutting across the eastern foothills of the Vosges at the northwest base of a natural salient in a bend of the River Rhine Here the Maginot Line running east west was used by Allied forces and showed what a superb fortification it was 8 On January 7 Luck approached the line south of Wissembourg at the villages of Rittershoffen and Hatten Heavy American fire came from the 79th Infantry Division the 14th Armoured Division plus elements of the 42nd Infantry Division On January 10 Luck reached the villages Two weeks of heavy fighting followed Germans and Americans each occupying parts of the villages while civilians sheltered in cellars Luck later said that the fighting around Rittershoffen had been one of the hardest and most costly battles that ever raged 9 Eisenhower fearing the outright destruction of the U S 7th Army had rushed already battered divisions hurriedly relieved from the Ardennes southeast over 100 km 62 mi to reinforce the 7th Army But their arrival was delayed and on 21 January with supplies and ammunition short Seventh Army ordered the much depleted 79th Infantry and 14th Armored Divisions to retreat from Rittershoffen and fall back on new positions on the south bank of the Moder River On 25 January the German offensive was halted after the US 222nd Infantry Regiment stopped their advance near Haguenau earning the Presidential Unit Citation in the process The same day reinforcements began to arrive from the Ardennes Although Strasbourg had been successfully defended the Colmar Pocket had not yet been eliminated See also editOperation Spring AwakeningReferences editCitations edit Cirillo 2003 Retrieved 16 August 2018 Cirillo 2003 Retrieved 16 August 2018 a b c Clarke Jeffrey J Smith Robert Ross 1993 Riviera to the Rhine CMH Pub 7 10 PDF Washington DC Center of Military History United States Army Archived from the original PDF on 27 March 2019 Retrieved 1 May 2016 Smith Clark Riviera To The Rhine P 527 Grandes Unites Francaises Vol V III p 801 Clarke Jeffrey 1993 U S Army in World War II European Theater of Operations Riviera to the Rhine Washington D C United States Army Center of Military History p 527 Clarke Jeffrey 1993 U S Army in World War II European Theater of Operations Riviera to the Rhine Washington D C United States Army Center of Military History pp 493 494 Ambrose 1997 p 318 Ambrose 1997 p 386 Bibliography edit Ambrose Stephen E 1997 Citizen Soldiers The U S Army From the Normandy Beaches to the Bulge to the Surrender of Germany New York Simon amp Schuster ISBN 0684815257 Bonn Keith E When the Odds Were Even The Vosges Mountains Campaign October 1944 January 1945 Novato CA Presidio 2006 ISBN 0345476115 Engler Richard The Final Crisis Combat in Northern Alsace January 1945 Aberjona Press 1999 ISBN 9780966638912 Nordwind amp the US 44th Division Battle History of the 44th I D Whiting Charles 1992 The Other Battle of the Bulge Operation Northwind Avon Books ISBN 0380716283 OCLC 211992045 Citino Robert 2017 The Wehrmacht s Last Stand The German Campaigns of 1944 1945 University Press of Kansas ISBN 9780700624942External links editCirillo Roger The Ardennes Alsace The U S Army Campaigns of World War II United States Army Center of Military History CMH Pub 72 26 Archived from the original on 2008 12 06 Retrieved 2010 08 20 The NORDWIND Offensive January 1945 on the website of the 100th Infantry Division Association contains a list of German primary sources on the operation https wisvetsmuseum com ohms viewer render php cachefile OH 00915 xml Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Operation Northwind 1944 amp oldid 1223704651, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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