<P> The Germans officially referred to the offensive as Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein ( `` Operation Watch on the Rhine '' ) , while the Allies designated it the Ardennes Counteroffensive . The phrase `` Battle of the Bulge '' was coined by contemporary press to describe the bulge in German front lines on wartime news maps , and it became the most widely used name for the battle . The offensive was planned by the German forces with utmost secrecy , with minimal radio traffic and movements of troops and equipment under cover of darkness . Intercepted German communications indicating a substantial German offensive preparation were not acted upon by the Allies . </P>
where does the battle of the bulge get its name
the bulge in German front lines on wartime news maps