It is what the Campaign ribbon states too: Ardennes - Alsace.So I guess the US Army cut corners and did not make two separate Campaign credits but only one.
When I speak about the Battle of The Bulge, I do mean the area of the Belgian and Luxembourg Ardennes.
The other operations is simply known to me as the Alsace Campaign.
Just wanted to make this clear.
For the "ordinary" soldier it didn't give a damm in what Campaign he was in.
He just tried to survive the horrors of war and get it all over with so he could go home .... hopefully in one piece.
Heck, if I was freezing my tail off, trying to avoid some Kraut putting a hole in me .... I wouldn't start wondering "now, in what glorious Campaign am I participating in now?"
I bet those guys "on the other side" thought the same thing (unless they were a brain-washed ardent nazi).
Btw, I am not easily offended and did not take your replies the wrong way.
Erwin
Indeed. The Battles of the Ardennes and Alsace are entirely different. It is a shame the US Army chose to lump them together as a single campaign credit. Regardless, from a historical standpoint it is a mistake to treat these major two battles as connected. They were separated by territory and involved different American and German armies and army groups.
The Battle of Alsace is in fact a misnomer. While it might correctly be referred to as the Second Battle of Alsace, the initial attacks and a fair share of the fighting occured in Eastern Lorraine.
Although some tend think Operation Nordwind was over by the first week of January, the number of German units engaged with Seventh Army actually increased. At least one German source treats Operation Nordwind as lasting until 25 January 1945.
Most importantly, Operation Nordwind, which precipitated the Battle of Alsace, was the last major German offensive of the war, not the Battle of the Ardennes. This is an important distinction that has been lost over the years due to the inaccurate reporting of, and continuing focus on the Battle of the Ardennes as the last major German offensive of the war. Hence the tendency for those veterans who stopped the last major German offensive of the war to identify with the Battle of the Ardennes/Bulge.
From a military history perspective it seems a disservice to the veterans of Seventh Army, and in particular, VI Corps, to lump their sacrifices and accomplishments in under the Battle of the Ardennes/Bulge. Instead, we should be working to set the record straight at every possible opportunity.
Well, that's my two cents on the subject.
Jim