Much about the Second World War is a mystery to most Americans. Technology was at a crucial point in history, weapon systems like Tanks, aircraft, and destroyers had evolved from World War I but little was known about the Artillery weapons systems. At the end of World War I the United States military suffered from one of the largest downsizes and budget cuts in American history. From these setbacks came extensive training and modernization for the Artillery. From the experiences suffered during World War I the U.S Army realized that it would have to improve its mass fires. This meant Field Artillery would have to adapt to the battlefield and restructure was needed for this to be accomplished. Prior to World War II fire direction centers …show more content…
“In a postwar study, the Army noted that the group command structure was one of the keys to success during the war because it permitted the commanders to shift artillery battalions from army to army, corps to corps or even to support individual divisions. This way the additional fire support went where it was needed quickly. During the Bulge, many of these Corps units were on the move every 12 to 24 hours. The shift of several large caliber artillery units, particularly segregated African American battalions, to Bastogne during the first 48 hours of the battle helped save the city from capture.”(“Artillery Battalions in WWII) The restructure of battalions to the support larger elements was a major factor in effectiveness of fire …show more content…
The battle of the Battle of the budge was one of the examples that they were proved a vital asset. ‘’Throughout the Bulge, artillery units proved invaluable in slowing the German offensive. Recovering from the initial shock, men ran to their guns and often stayed there until ordered out, or in some cases, until they were killed. The speed and accuracy with which the American guns fired astonished the Germans. Caught on the muddy roads and deep ravines of the Ardennes, the German attacks were finally stopped cold by the sheer massing of firepower. The weather in Northern Europe by December 1944 was atrocious, nullifying the Allies’ air superiority. So the artillery had to fill that void. During the first week of the Battle, the U.S. Army was able to amass almost 350 guns of all calibers, one of the largest concentrations in the history of warfare, to defend the Elsenborn Ridge in the northern sector of the Bulge. The Sixth SS Panzer Army literally ran into a wall of steel. Throughout the rest of the campaign, artillery continued to be the penultimate battlefield weapon.” (“Artillery Innovations in WWII”). Artillery Units became key elements of their defense and this converted to an offensive firepower to fend off the German offensive. The shoot, move and communicate fundamentals were a major factor in the success of the