Losheim Gap

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

American soldiers, stripped of all equipment, lie dead, face down in the slush of a crossroads somewhere at the Losheim Gap
American soldiers, stripped of all equipment, lie dead, face down in the slush of a crossroads somewhere at the Losheim Gap

The Losheim Gap was the opening in the US defences, which was the result of a strong thrust of German forces, in the opening phase of the Battle of the Bulge. The villages Losheim and Lanzerath (both part of the municipality of Büllingen, eastern Belgium) marked the border between the sectors of U.S. VIII Corps and U.S. V Corps. This is where Dietrich's 6th SS Panzer Army assaulted in force. The 1st SS Panzer division planned to drive west through the crossroads of Losheimergraben and Manderfeld.