Operation Nordwind was the last major German offensive in the West. It was small compared to the massive German counter-offensive in the Ardennes, and like the Ardennes, was doomed to failure. Nordwind severely tested the badly over-extended and understrength divisions of Seventh Army, eventually forcing a phased withdrawal to a final defensive line along the Moder River. The opening attacks of Nordwind began at 2300 hours, 31 December 1944 and continued into the third week of January. According to the Seventh Army Report of Operations, the defense of Alsace cost over 15,000 casualties with most occurring within VI Corps. Charles V. P. von Luttichau’s estimate for the German losses is roughly 23,000.
It is my hope that interested readers will find the following information of interest, as well as worthy of comment.
Nordwind OOB (annotated)
Attack Group XIII SS Corps
17th SS Panzergrenadier Division, reinforced with 50 assault guns
36th Volksgrenadier Division
19th Volksgrenadier Division
404th Volks Artillery Corps
410th Volks Artillery Corps
20th Volks Werfer Brigade
The 36th VG and 19th VG were dependable veteran units which had been brought up to strength for this operation. 17th SS was brought up to strength as well, but was not well regarded by AOK.
Attack Group XC Infantry Corps
6th SS Mountain Division (Arrived after the initial attacks)
559th Volksgrenadier Division
257th Volksgrenadier Division
361st Volksgrenadier Division
256th Volksgrenadier Division
The infantry divisions were experienced. Some had suffered heavy losses in the infantry regiments that were replaced in so far as was possible prior to the operation. 6th SS was considered an excellent attack unit.
XXXIX Panzer Corps (Army Reserve)
21st Panzer Division
25th Panzergrenadier Division
245th Volksgrenadier Division
Hitler released XXXIX Panzer Corps from army reserve on 7 January.
Final Reserve Forces
10th SS Panzer Division
7th Parachute Division
47th Volksgrenadier Division
2d Mountain Division
387th Assault Gun Brigade
667th Assault Gun Brigade
Himmler’s Escort Battalion
These final reserves, now under XXXIX Corps, were committed 16 January.
Code-named Nordwind (“Northwind”), these attacks would begin the last major German offensive of the European war. (Clarke and Smith, Rivera to the Rhine. p. 495). The authors were certainly aware of the last gasp German counter-offensive in the East so it is odd that they used wording that was not a tad
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The Germans deployed 11 Panzer, 4 Panzer Grenadier, 2 Parachute, 1 Mountain and 32 Infantry divisions in those 2 offensives. If instead the Germans keep those as a general reserve, how long would the Germans have held out past May 1945?
Or would the war end earlier?
I don't want to step on anybody's toes here, but the amount of non-dad jokes here in this subreddit really annoys me. First of all, dad jokes CAN be NSFW, it clearly says so in the sub rules. Secondly, it doesn't automatically make it a dad joke if it's from a conversation between you and your child. Most importantly, the jokes that your CHILDREN tell YOU are not dad jokes. The point of a dad joke is that it's so cheesy only a dad who's trying to be funny would make such a joke. That's it. They are stupid plays on words, lame puns and so on. There has to be a clever pun or wordplay for it to be considered a dad joke.
Again, to all the fellow dads, I apologise if I'm sounding too harsh. But I just needed to get it off my chest.
Do your worst!
I'm surprised it hasn't decade.
For context I'm a Refuse Driver (Garbage man) & today I was on food waste. After I'd tipped I was checking the wagon for any defects when I spotted a lone pea balanced on the lifts.
I said "hey look, an escaPEA"
No one near me but it didn't half make me laugh for a good hour or so!
Edit: I can't believe how much this has blown up. Thank you everyone I've had a blast reading through the replies 😂
It really does, I swear!
They’re on standbi
Pilot on me!!
Nothing, he was gladiator.
Dad jokes are supposed to be jokes you can tell a kid and they will understand it and find it funny.
This sub is mostly just NSFW puns now.
If it needs a NSFW tag it's not a dad joke. There should just be a NSFW puns subreddit for that.
Edit* I'm not replying any longer and turning off notifications but to all those that say "no one cares", there sure are a lot of you arguing about it. Maybe I'm wrong but you people don't need to be rude about it. If you really don't care, don't comment.
When I got home, they were still there.
What did 0 say to 8 ?
" Nice Belt "
So What did 3 say to 8 ?
" Hey, you two stop making out "
I won't be doing that today!
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