American forces held on stubbornly in spite of heavy casualties—more than 19,000 died.
Hitler aimed to halt them through a surprise Blitzkrieg. Several armored divisions massed in the Ardennes with the goal of breaking through Allied lines. American forces held on stubbornly in spite of heavy casualties—more than 19,000 died. The Germans had limited supplies, and could only fight for a few days before fuel and ammunition ran out, so the offensive soon ran out of steam. Allied lines bulged, but did not break, and hundreds of thousands of reinforcements poured into the area. Afterward, Germany lacked resources for another offensive. The end was inevitable.