BATTLE: By Jan. 25, 1945, German troops along the Ardennes in Europe were pushed back following several weeks of fighting, a battle known as the Battle of the Bulge. That day marked the end of the battle, a victory for the Allies that would bring them closer to overall victory in World War II.
On Jan. 26, 1945, headlines on The Era’s front page declared the status of battles around the world, with headlines such as “200,000 Nazi Troops are Believed Trapped,” “German Offensive Checked by U.S. 7th” and “Enemy Is Smashed Back All Along Front by Yanks.”
An Associated Press article from France read, “The Germans opened up in northeastern France today with what may be their last offensive in the west, but it was checked by savage U.S. Seventh Army counterattacks after it had broken across the new American Moder river line at four points.
“The attack rolled out at dawn along a 20-mile front, with three crack armored divisions pacing at least three others in an assault which nowhere gained as much as two miles. A front dispatch said hard fighting raged tonight with the Americans inflicting punishing losses.”
The article ended with a summary of the recent battle action.
“The U.S. First Army attacked in near zero weather and pushed more than a mile east and south of St. Vith, where the Americans were less than three miles from the German border. Nowhere did the First have more than seven miles to go in Belgium before reaching the frontier.
“Firebombers, pounding home the attack on the retreating enemy for the third day, destroyed 52 tanks and armored vehicles and damaged 58 others, and knocked out 679 motor vehicles and damaged 515 others.”
Even as the battle was wrapping up, fighting continued around the world.
An article at the top of the Thursday, Jan. 25, edition of the “Then Yankee Doodler,” a weekly publication in Bradford at that time, announced “Many Bradford And Vicinity Men Overseas: Area Residents Arrive at Points All Over Globe.”
It read, “Men in the armed forces from Bradford and vicinity have arrived at many far flung battlefields during the past week.”
It truly was a world war, with Americans being sent that week along to France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, England, Wales, Philippines, Marianas Islands, Dutch East Indies, the European theater and unannounced destination.
U.S. Army website puts American casualties during the Battle of the Bulge at an estimated 83,000. More than 800,000 Americans fought during the six-week battle.
