The Purist
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True,.... but I would submit that XXX Corps had a better chance of crossing the Rhine at Arnhem than Peiper did of ever reaching the Meuse.
Note that by the time Peiper was crossing the upper Ambleve near Stavelot the balance of forces that favoured the Germans on the 16th had already been eliminated. By the 18th of December, the informality of the American command system (and the fact that most div and corps commanders knew each well and were, if not actual classmates, very close to it) had set in motion the movement of troops the Germans had not anticipated.
On the 16th CCB 9th Arm'd was released from reserve to move to St Vith
On the 17th those parts of 4th ID not already fighting in the south were shifting north. The 1st and 9th ID and 7th AD were moving to the Ardennes from the north.
On the 18th the 10th Armoured is marching to the southern flank with CCB tasked to move to Bastogne (both in their areas by nightfall). Lead elements of 101st AB begin arriving at Senonchamps SW of Bastogne with the first battalions moving east of Bastogne by the morning of the 19th.
The same happens with 82nd AB near Werbomont up north, with the first troops crossing the Lienne River by dawn the 19th and bumping into Peiper's scouts at Rahier that evening. Finally, 30th Infantry is coming down from the north and forming combat teams north of the La Gleize-Stoumont area that evening. These would be in position the next morning as Peiper arrives.
On the 19th the 3rd Armoured and 334 Reg't of 84th ID begin arriving from the north and will be moving to block the 6th Pz Army that evening.
And on it goes.
In the north alone, by the evening of the 18th (3rd day), the US 1st and 9th Armies have moved or are moving 1st, 9th, 30th and 84th Infantry divisions, 3rd and 7th Armored Divisions to the American left in the Ardennes while 82nd Airborne arrives from SHAEF reserve. Add to this their attached tank, tank destroyer, AA and masses of and corps and army artillery assets and it soon becomes evident that Peiper has no where to go without crossing corps and army boundaries,...and completely fouling the lines of supply and routes of neighbouring units.
A better argument may be to throw German reserves such as the Fuhrer Begleit and Grenadier Brigades, 2nd SS, 9th SS Pz and 3rd Pz Gren Div behind 5th Pz Army's breakthrough and use the 6th Pz Army to guard the northern flank against US counterattacks. However, these units are largely deployed behind 6th Pz Army (along with their logistics tails) and could not be easily shifted.
Besides, at this point it is not yet clear to the Germans what is happening and they still think Peiper may break free and the US front collapse south of Elsenborn. By the time they realise the US Army has won the race in the north it is too late.
Note that by the time Peiper was crossing the upper Ambleve near Stavelot the balance of forces that favoured the Germans on the 16th had already been eliminated. By the 18th of December, the informality of the American command system (and the fact that most div and corps commanders knew each well and were, if not actual classmates, very close to it) had set in motion the movement of troops the Germans had not anticipated.
On the 16th CCB 9th Arm'd was released from reserve to move to St Vith
On the 17th those parts of 4th ID not already fighting in the south were shifting north. The 1st and 9th ID and 7th AD were moving to the Ardennes from the north.
On the 18th the 10th Armoured is marching to the southern flank with CCB tasked to move to Bastogne (both in their areas by nightfall). Lead elements of 101st AB begin arriving at Senonchamps SW of Bastogne with the first battalions moving east of Bastogne by the morning of the 19th.
The same happens with 82nd AB near Werbomont up north, with the first troops crossing the Lienne River by dawn the 19th and bumping into Peiper's scouts at Rahier that evening. Finally, 30th Infantry is coming down from the north and forming combat teams north of the La Gleize-Stoumont area that evening. These would be in position the next morning as Peiper arrives.
On the 19th the 3rd Armoured and 334 Reg't of 84th ID begin arriving from the north and will be moving to block the 6th Pz Army that evening.
And on it goes.
In the north alone, by the evening of the 18th (3rd day), the US 1st and 9th Armies have moved or are moving 1st, 9th, 30th and 84th Infantry divisions, 3rd and 7th Armored Divisions to the American left in the Ardennes while 82nd Airborne arrives from SHAEF reserve. Add to this their attached tank, tank destroyer, AA and masses of and corps and army artillery assets and it soon becomes evident that Peiper has no where to go without crossing corps and army boundaries,...and completely fouling the lines of supply and routes of neighbouring units.
A better argument may be to throw German reserves such as the Fuhrer Begleit and Grenadier Brigades, 2nd SS, 9th SS Pz and 3rd Pz Gren Div behind 5th Pz Army's breakthrough and use the 6th Pz Army to guard the northern flank against US counterattacks. However, these units are largely deployed behind 6th Pz Army (along with their logistics tails) and could not be easily shifted.
Besides, at this point it is not yet clear to the Germans what is happening and they still think Peiper may break free and the US front collapse south of Elsenborn. By the time they realise the US Army has won the race in the north it is too late.
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