The Ardennes offensive was a last ditch effort by the Germans to achieve an advantage in the war, but it turned out to be an acceleration of GermanyÕs ultimate demise. Previous to the offensive the Allies had managed to achieve a beach head and advance toward Germany from almost every direction. On the eastern front Russia was steadily advancing on Berlin. The western front was around the Belgium and German border. GermanyÕs fate seemed to be determined but Hitler would not let the thought of defeat enter his or his commandÕs mind. He started planning for a massive offensive against the Allies on the western front. He believed that the relationship of the Allies was very unstable and that if he could penetrate through the western front and reach the port of Antwerp that they would bicker among themselves and eventually fall apart.
             In the fall of 1944 as General Eisenhower had promised the Allied forces had successfully fought their way through Europe and established a front from the North Sea to Switzerland. The lines were stretched very thin. Only 65 divisions of infantry, armor, and airborne were available to hold the 500 mile long line. Having landed at Normandy in June of the same year Allies had made very quick advances on the Germans positions. General Patton expressed it well when giving his famous speech to the Third Army
             I donÕt want to get any messages saying, I am holding my position.
             We are not holding a goddamned thing. Let the GermanÕs do that.
             We are advancing constantly and not interested in holding anything
             but the enemies b***s. (Province 5)
             The Allies were no longer worried about losing the war it was just a matter of time before Germany fell.
             Hitler however was not as willing to succumb to that realization. After a failed assassination attempt and suffering from bad health many say that by this time in the war HitlerÕs judgment and state of mind had become very unstable. He felt that ...