Operation Greif

At the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, the Germans launched a small special mission called Operation Greif ( in English, griffin) in an effort to capture two bridges over the Meuse River. This operation featured German troops dressed in American uniforms and sabotage as a way to create chaos and panic on the American front. Operation Greif only lasted about one week and failed at its mission, but the confusion it created lasted for weeks.

Operation Greif was originally conceived by Hitler but was passed off to Waffen-SS officer Otto Skorzeny to plan and implement. Strategically, the overall idea was to infiltrate enemy lines in the Ardennes area, capture the port of Antwerp, split the Allied forces, and then negotiate for peace. By using German troops disguised with American uniforms who spoke English fluently and were driving captured American jeeps, the commandos could pose as American Military Police who could disrupt communication systems and create chaos amongst the Allied troops. Their orders included cutting telephone wires, changing road signs, issuing false orders, and redirecting convoys carrying fuel and ammunition. If done properly, the sabotage would produce delays for badly needed fuel and supplies, create traffic problems, disrupt leadership commands, and generate distrust.

The operation began on time on December 16^th. Approximately 150 to 200 German soldiers from the Panzer Brigade 150 (which numbered over 2,000 troops) breached the American front in the area of the Ardennes near Belgium and Luxembourg. Approximately ten were fluent in English with a few dozen more having some workable knowledge of the language. There was a shortage of jeeps and the tanks used were disguised German tanks. The sabotage began the next day. The Americans, however, quickly discovered the ruse when some of the German commandos were captured and talked about their mission during interrogation. Nevertheless, there was panic and chaos as military trucks were redirected to the wrong locations and road signs moved transportation in the wrong direction so soldiers became lost and fuel and ammunition deliveries were late. The fake orders created distrust and confusion. And the checkpoints and roadblocks created traffic jams on the roadways. Additionally, as false information spread, there was one unsubstantiated claim that General Eisenhower was a target, leading to enhanced security for Eisenhower and other army generals.

The response from the Americans was immediate. SHAEF quickly issued warnings about Germans wearing American uniforms and unable to speak fluent English. Roadblocks and checkpoints were set up. A series of questions were developed to detect the fake Americans and no one, including high-level generals, were allowed to pass without supplying the correct answer.

This is where the plot becomes a bit comical. The trivia questions were designed for Americans who were acquainted with American geography, culture, heroes, major movie stars, sports stars, and even the names of military commanders in Europe. They asked for the capitals of states, such as Illinois or Texas, or where the Golden Gate Bridge was located. Some people were asked to sing the Star-Spangled Banner or identify the importance of Pearl Harbor. The answers should have been simple for Americans. They were asked who won the last World Series or who was Babe Ruth. They were asked about movie stars like Betty Grable or Clark Gable and what was a hot dog. The questions were successful in determining and capturing the German infiltrators, but a few Americans could not answer the questions correctly and were therefore subjected to further interrogation. This included General Omar Bradley who was detained and questioned until he was positively identified.

Operation Greif only lasted a week as the German infiltrators were either captured or managed to return to German territory. The threat of sabotage was eliminated, and the chaos soon ended. Although the operation indeed caused some chaos, the mission was considered a tactical failure. The swift response by the Americans was organized and effective. Operation Greif led to few casualties on either side and did little to affect the outcome of the German Ardennes offensive. Troops from the Panzer Brigade 150 never reached their strategic goals of capturing the bridges over the Meuse River.

Of the 150 to 200 German infiltrators in American uniforms, eighteen were captured. Unfortunately, these men were subject to the rules of law relating to soldiers wearing enemy uniforms that defined them as engaging in espionage. As a result, these eighteen men were tried and executed as spies by the Americans.

Historians have evaluated the problems associated with Operation Greif. There were identifiable issues during the planning process. The plan called for 3,000 infiltrators that spoke perfect English, which would allow them to pass through American troops without being identified. In fact, they had fewer than a dozen men who were fluent and fewer than 50 who spoke passable English. They were easily identifiable as foreigners. There were also shortages in jeeps, tanks, and other equipment. The Germans also did not anticipate how fast the Americans would discover the ruse and take countermeasures. It took less than two days to identify the German operation and set up the checkpoints with trivia questions. Furthermore, the Germans failed to understand the penalty of wearing an enemy’s uniform into battle, which led to executions of perceived spies and a morale problem in the German military. Over 100 other infiltrators were taken as prisoners because they did not wear American uniforms behind enemy lines. In a broader sense, the Germans also miscalculated the ability of the Allied military forces in stopping and reversing the German advance that created the bulge.

One of the more interesting impacts of Operation Greif was the psychological aspects of the endeavor. The distrust, panic, and confusion created by the sabotage was real and widespread for the Allies. For a short time, the Americans had problems discerning what was true and what was fake, and how to differentiate between the real Americans and the intruders. However, the Americans were able to create and implement a security system to remedy the situation within a few days. There were few casualties, and it barely affected the more pressing problem of the Battle of the Bulge.

For the Germans, Operation Greif was a small side show to help the primary offensive and it failed. For the Americans, it was the opportunity to highlight their counterintelligence capabilities, and there was no lasting damage. For both sides, Operation Greif was an illustration of psychological warfare and the importance of ensuring that deception plans are adequately planned and implemented, the importance of aggressors understanding the enemy’s operations and culture, and the difference between military action and espionage.