December 1944 saw the Germans mount a counter-offensive, called Operation Autumn Mist, into the face of the unsuspecting US defenders. Wacht Am Rhine is one of the many hard fought battles of that period which became known as the Battle of the Bulge. The Allies fought to halt the offensive and succeeded in preventing the Germans reaching their intended target of Antwerp. The Germans had succeeded in penetrating 70miles but by the end of the operation were back where they started.