Microfilm Rolls dealing with the Ardennes Offensive

[Maus]

Hello Everyone,

I am in the process of doing some research on the casulties reported by the Germans during the "battle of the bulge". I know that information is on the captured German records at NARA. Now, since I am new to this whole process, I need to know the following information:

A. What rolls of Mircofilm/Microfiche contain the records of the German 6th Panzer, 5th Panzer and 7th Armies? I am looking specifically for the daily casualties of the three above named armies for December 16, 1944 to January 20 1945.

B. If no one knows what rolls of film these records are contained on, then how do I find out which rolls they are on?

C. Also, I have noticed that NARA is now putting alot of there Microfilm/Microfice on DVD's, how do I find out if the records I am looking for are on DVD's?

Also, does anyone have the name of anyone in particular that I could contact from NARA to obtain the information (which rolls of film and or DVD's) that I am looking for? Also, I have looked around the NARA website, but I am not sure where the information would be that I am looking for.

Thanks in advance for the help that everyone is able to provide.

[MadDog]

Maus, go to

http://www.sturmpanzer.com/Default.aspx ... em=1&sec=1

And look through the guides for the armies. However, the short answer is that very little remains for army records after June 30, 1944. I think some of the corps records have a few entries for the Ardennes offensives. Maybe some of the division records. I think the T78 series has more equipment info, although I cant tell you which ones offhand.

To be honest I am unsure of where Dupuy and other authors got their info from on their Bulge Books. I need to look through the reference sections again.

Now, there are a lot of FMS documents on the Ardennes offensives, although these arent as good of a source of info as the microfilms. Go to hypewar.com and look for the Foreign Military Studies guide.

When you order from NARA you can specify DVD. highly recommended.

Mad Dog

[Maus]

Thanks MadDog, that is exactly the information I was looking for. I went to the sturmpanzer website and I started downloading all of the information on the divisions that took part in the Ardennes counteroffensive. It is interesting that you brought up Dupuy, as I am currently reading his "Hitler's Last Gamble" and I love the tables of casulties that he has in the appendixes for both the Germans and the Americans. What is frustrating, is that he compiled all of the information in the Aredennes Campaign Simulation Database, and yet he does not seem to use the casualty figures compiled in that data base in the book itself. Several times over the past week I have double checked casualty figures in the text of the book with what it showed for a particular division from the appendix of the book and the figures are way off. Now, granted the figures in the appendix are a weekly total and usually within the text of the book they are daily figures. But when the daily figures are larger then the casualties for an entire week (according to the ACSDB), then something is messed up. I am guessing for some of the German casualty figures, the authers found the information in American sources. But if you go through all of the work of compiling that huge database, and then fail to utilize it within the book.......it doesn't make any sense. At any rate, after seeing his casualties listed for each week (by division) I thought it would be nice to list casualties for each division for each day. I might try email the Dupuy institute to see if I can get acess to that database.

Ok, now have a couple of questions on the microfilm rolls/DVD's. Typically now many microfilm rolls are there on each DVD? And how much does a typical DVD cost? And would it not be easier for NARA to simply make all of the Microfilm rolls available for viewing in the internet? I know this would probably require a massive server, but for researchers it would be wonderful! Thanks again for your help.

[MadDog]

There is a poster here, "Rich" who is part of the DuPuy institute, and who may have had a part in the book. He would be the best person to answer your casualty question. I have the same book and I really like it. Danny Parker has a good Bulge book, too.

When ordering data from NARA, you get it by the "roll". Each roll contains a variable amount of shots/frames on it (the content of which you have to guess by the short description on the guides). Since its a lot easier, you are best off ordering the "film" in the form of a DVD. Each DVD "roll" costs $65.

There is so much information you would choke the Google server farm if you put it up there. I find the NARA ordering process slow and painful, but from what I hear it beats BAMA (German archives).

I have been ordering through Richard Hedrick at sturmpanzer, as he knows the ropes. I think you can find instructions on sturmpanzer on how to order.

Mad Dog

[michalst]

Go to hypewar.com and look for the Foreign Military Studies guide.

the url is not working.Did you misspell the address?

[Tom Houlihan]

Isn't it hyperwar.com ??

[michalst]

did't work earlier today

[MadDog]

Sorry, try this link:

http://ibiblio.org/hyperwar/Germany/FMS/index.html

Mad Dog