<P> Casualty estimates for the battle vary widely . According to the U.S. Department of Defense, American forces suffered 89,500 casualties including 19,000 killed, 47,500 wounded and 23,000 missing . An official report by the United States Department of the Army lists 105,102 casualties, including 19,246 killed, 62,489 wounded, and 26,612 captured or missing . A preliminary Army report restricted to the First and Third U.S. Armies listed 75,000 casualties (8,400 killed, 46,000 wounded and 21,000 missing). The Battle of the Bulge was the bloodiest battle for U.S. forces in World War II . British casualties totaled 1,400 with 200 deaths . The German Armed Forces High Command's official figure for all German losses on the Western Front during the period 16 December 1944--25 January 1945 was 81,834 German casualties, and other estimates range between 60,000 and 125,000 . German historian Hermann Jung lists 67,675 casualties from 16 December 1944 to late January 1945 for the three German armies that participated in the offensive . The German casualty reports for the involved armies count 63,222 losses from 10 December 1944 to 31 January 1945 . The United States Army Center of Military History's official numbers are 75,000 American casualties and 100,000 German casualties . </P> <P> The U.S. Army lost 2,000 armored vehicles destroyed in the Ardennes in 30 days--900 Sherman tanks, 300 light tanks, 150 tank destroyers, 450 armored cars and 150 self - propelled guns . U.S. divisions suffered severe losses of armor . The 3rd Armored Division lost 163 tanks in 30 days, of which 125 were Shermans and 38 Stuarts . The 7th Armored Division lost 103 tanks, including 73 Shermans and 31 Stuarts, in 13 days from 17--30 December 1944 . The 11th Armored Division lost 86 tanks (54 Shermans and 32 Stuarts) in several weeks of high - intensity combat . </P> <P> German armored losses to all causes were between 527 and 554, with 324 tanks being lost in combat . Of the German write - offs, 16--20 were Tigers, 191--194 Panthers, 141--158 Panzer IV, 179--182 tank destroyers and assault guns . The Germans lost an additional 5,000 soft - skinned and armored vehicles . German AFV losses were far fewer than the U.S., and German armored units outperformed their U.S. opponents in combat . </P> <P> Although the Germans managed to begin their offensive with complete surprise and enjoyed some initial successes, they were not able to seize the initiative on the Western front . While the German command did not reach its goals, the Ardennes operation inflicted heavy losses and set back the Allied invasion of Germany by several weeks . The High Command of the Allied forces had planned to resume the offensive by early January 1945, after the wet season rains and severe frosts, but those plans had to be postponed until 29 January 1945 in connection with the unexpected changes in the front . </P>

Who was the battle of the bulge fought between