A Surprise Attack Catches the Allies Off Guard
The Germans launched the attack on the morning of December 16, taking the Allies totally by surprise. At the time, the Allies were confident and assured, planning their own offensives and not expecting such a sudden and direct attack from the Germans.
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A mixture of that confidence, along with bad weather and poor radio communications, led to the offense coming as such a surprise and taking such a devastating toll. American forces were the greatest victims of the Battle, suffering the most significant number of casualties of any operation during the war.