German Fuhrer Adolf Hitler was a huge military gambler. There is no doubt about it. On more than one occasion, he had drawn the complete ire of his generals when he dismissed their cautious views and conservative advice, and hurled his forces into battle. Early on, these policies gave way to dazzling success, as German ground forces scored a seemingly unending chain of tremendous victories over the other nations of Europe. On top of this, Hitler was also able to pull off an impressive, as well as an unprecedented series of “Bloodless” conquests.

Hitler’s dazzling success came to a screeching halt, however, at the Gates of Moscow in December 1941, the ruins of Stalingrad in February 1943, the cauldron of Kursk later that July, and the Normandy plain in August 1944. These strategic defeats had severely mauled the German Armed Forces, and caused the Third Reich to stare defeat directly in the face by the fall of 1944.

In the strategic context of things, Nazi Germany faced two tough choices as the end of 1944 approached. They were: remain on the defensive and fight a grinding battle of attrition, or rise up like the Phoenix and strike the Allies’ where they least expected it. In terms of the first strategy, it was simply untenable. The Germans were outnumbered in soldiers 3 to 1, 10 to 1 in tanks, 8 to 1 in guns, and 30 to 1 in aircraft. So, even if they were able to conduct a very highly credible battle of attrition, they were still going to be worn down to a frazzle, and eventually be defeated. The numbers were that much in favor of the Allies’ and were inevitably going to become even greater.

Therefore, that presented the Germans with just one strategic alternative; strike, strike with fervor and terror. This is the exact course of action in which Hitler chose. He was acutely aware of how serious Germany’s situation was. She was in grave danger, and he needed to act in order to save her. Laying back onto the defensive was only going to postpone the inevitable. He was going to show the Allies’ that Germany would never be conquered.

So, it is for these reasons that Adolf Hitler chose to use his last remaining reserves in men, tanks, guns, aircraft, food, fuel, and ammunition in one last desperate effort to reverse the tide of war back in Germany’s favor. And this is how one must understand German strategic thinking with regard to their Ardennes counter offensive of late1944/1945.