31 December 1944 A.D. “Operation Nordwind,” Germany’s Last Major Offensive on the Western Front Begins

31 December 1944 A.D.  “Operation Nordwind,” Germany’s Last Major Offensive on the Western Front Begins

Editors. “1944 – Operation Nordwind, the last major German offensive on the Western Front begins.” This Day in U.S. Military History. N.d. http://thisdayinusmilhist.wordpress.com/2004/12/31/december-31/. Accessed 30 Dec 2014.

1944 – Operation Nordwind, the last major German offensive on the Western Front begins. The goal of the offensive was to break through the lines of the U.S. 7th Army and French 1st Army in the Upper Vosges mountains and the Alsatian Plain, and destroy them. This would leave the way open for Operation Dentist (Unternehmen Zahnarzt), a planned major thrust into the rear of the U.S. 3rd Army which would lead to the destruction of that army. Operation Nordwind, although costly for both sides, was ultimately unsuccessful, and the failure of the offensive allowed the U.S. 7th Army to contain the German push towards Strasbourg. Any gains attained by the offensive were negated by the later Operation Undertone.