Belgium Ardennes – A mixture of nature, tourism and history

Located at the crossroads of the old continent, often referred to as "the essence of Europe", Belgium is a small yet densely populated country in Northern Europe that borders the North Sea, Germany, Luxembourg , France and the Netherlands. Famous for its chocolate and beer, Belgium attracts millions of tourists every year mainly due to an interesting combination of nature and history. Perhaps one of the best examples is the Ardennes region located in southern Belgium, in the south-eastern part of Wallonia region. The Ardennes is a vastly forested plateau host to abundant wildlife and beautiful landscapes; the Ardennes form the so-called "green lung" of Belgium – a perfect place to visit for those who love the flora and fauna as well as for those interested in folklore and old traditions.

Due to its strategic location, the region has been at the centre of numerous historical events: starting with the Roman legions, the invasion of the Germanic tribes, the region was occupied in turns by the Spanish, Austrians and the French. One of the most famous historical events linked to the region is the Battle of the Bulge that took place in the Ardennes during the Second World War. At the end of 1944, the Allied Armies of USA, Britain and Canada were on the brink of attacking Germany. Hitler thought that the alliance in the western front could be weakened by splitting the British and American line in half. Therefore he ordered a massive counter-offensive whose goal was to take back the French territory, to divide, encircle and destroy the enemy armies.

The official historical name of the battle is the Ardennes Offensive; the Germans called it the Operation "Watch on the Rhine" after their hymn "Die Wacht am Rhein" while the French named it "la Bataille des Ardennes". Considered to be a part of the Ardennes-Alsace campaign, the battle that took place between 16 December 1944 and 25 January 1945 is known to the general public as the Battle of the Bulge due to the fact that the Germans created a bulge in the Allied front line. The offensive was supported by three German armies and was fought against what were mainly American forces. Hitler wanted to capture the major port of Antwerp thus eliminating an important source of supplies for the Allies, and after that to surround and destroy the enemy armies. The counter-offensive was planned as a secret operation and, although the US intelligence predicted a massive German attack, the Allies were caught by surprise.

The strategy of the Germans consisted of a massive armored attack. The winter in Ardennes with extremely low temperatures, low clouds and heavy fog favored the Germans because it minimized the advantage of the Allies. At the beginning the attackers had a great success and managed to punch a bulge in the enemy front line. However, this lasted only a few days.

Because of the fierce resistance they faced and the reinforcements received by the Allies, the Germans were not able to stick to the timetable as planned. The improving weather conditions allowed the Allies to use their air force by launching devastating attacks and by bombing the enemy supply lines. Because of this, the Germans soon found themselves unable to supply their armored force with fuel which was a turning point in the battle. When the shortage of fuel became critical, the Germans were forced in numerous occasions to abandon their equipment in order to avoid being surrounded or captured. Because of massive losses of forces and equipment, on the 7th of January 1945 Hitler decided to stop any offensive operations in the Ardennes and started the withdrawal of his forces.

The Battle of the Bulge remains an important battle in the history of the Second World War, especially for the Americans who paid the highest price in terms of forces involved and registered casualties. The Ardennes region still reflects the echoes of this event represented in numerous battlefield museums, memorials and historical monuments. Therefore the Belgium Ardennes remains one of the most visited places in Belgium, a mixture of nature, tourism and history visited by historians, veterans of the Second World War as well as by common travelers eager to discover one of the most beautiful regions in Europe.