Three complete German armies were planned to attack the Ardennes region and push all the way towards Antwerpen and Brussel, severing the US allied forces in the South from the British forces in the North. This could effectively create a second British Dunkirk and most favorably force the allies to negotiate with the Germans. This way the Germans could free up all their forces to assist on the Eastern front and push back the Russians.

These plan were just as realistic as the condition of the German forces; the three German armies consisted of crack elite forces:

- 1^st LSSAH Panzer Division “LSSAH”

- 12^th SS Panzer Division “Hitler Jugend”

- 2^nd SS Panzer Division “Das Reich”

- 9^th Panzer Division “Hohenstaufen”

- Otto Skorzeny’s 150^th Panzer Brigade (infiltration commando’s)

- 9^th/ 116^th/ 2^nd Panzer Division

- Panzer “Lehr” Division

- Fuhrer Begleit and Fuhrer Grenadier Brigades

- 3^rd Fallschirmjager Division

- 16 different Volksgrenadier Divisions

- 2 separate Panzergrenadier Divisions

- Many different small specialized battalions equipped with Jagdpanzers, Sturmpanzers and (Nebel)Werfers.

During the 1942/ 1943 period a combination of these units could have crushed huge allied troop concentrations – definitely entire Russian armies; or maybe even the entire British or US sector on the Western front. But only if all negative conditions wouldn’t have existed.

During the operation more German flaws would surface. The different units would not advance together to protect their flanks. Some units did not have any or enough flak or reconnaissance vehicles. The Waffen SS doctrine stated that their most vulnerable tank, the Königstiger, should advance aggressively as the spearhead, which was what Peiper did. Behind these tanks the reconnaissance unit(!) followed to secure the area’s. During the complete vehicles and tanks columns advance into the Ardennes many of these would get stranded and block the roads. Which resulted in many stranded and cut off groups.

In truth the complete offensive was a disaster. All negative aspects would downgrade the elite units from 100% effectiveness to maybe 30%. Large quantities of panzers and vehicles would be lost – which the German could not spare at all. All spend fuel, troops and ammo was also with no result.

It was a miracle that KG Peiper was able to advance all the way up to La Gleize. The only reason it was able to do so was the combat effectiveness and determination of the 1^st SS Panzer Division crews.

The Stavelot – Trois Ponts – La Gleize was spearheaded by the Kampf Gruppe Peiper. Joachim Peiper was since the start of the German campaigns an adjutant and liaison in the highest staff – between Hitler and as personal staff of Himmler (head of SS) himself. Joachim Peiper was a young well connected true German nazi. On the Russian battlefield he gained command for the first time of a Waffen SS unit. He had the best soldiers, tactics and equipment; and, as a nazi, had no problem with war crimes. Many civilians and villages got burned to make way or to suppress possible resistance. In many cases he ordered his soldiers not to take prisoners of war but to execute them – in order to spare his own combat troops for guard duties or to simply lower enemy combat strength.