On December 16, 1944, the Germans launched their last major offensive of WW2, intending to split the Allies' lines in two.
As the Germans advanced through the Ardennes Forest the Americans were caught completely by surprise and were pushed back, creating a bulge in their frontline which gave the battle its name.
The german's initial success did not last, however, and their advance was stopped ten days later as overwhelming numbers of Allied forces arrived.
In the following weeks, the Germans were driven back and lost all the ground they had previously taken.
The Battle of the Bulge lasted about six weeks with both sides taking around 90,000 casualties
each, but unlike the allies, the Germans had drained their resources and manpower and would
never recover.