In a briefing at his military command complex at Adlerhorst, Adolf Hitler declared in his speech to his division commanders on 28 December 1944 (three days prior to the launch of Operation Nordwind):[1]

This attack has a very clear objective, namely the destruction of the enemy forces.

There is not a matter of prestige involved here. It is a matter of destroying and exterminating the enemy forces wherever we find them.

The question of liberating all of Alsace at this time is not involved either. That would be very nice, the impression on the German people would be immeasurable, the impression on the world decisive, terrific psychologically, the impression on the French people would be depressing.

But that is not important.

It is more important, as I said before, to destroy his manpower

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.[1]

Phil was not yet back to his men, but he would be in a day or two. He had no idea the buzzsaw into which he would be walking.

~~~~~

[1] Operation Nordwind. Wikipedia.

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