The exhaustive fighting during Queen caused the Allied troops to suffer heavy casualties .
Eventually the Germans launched their own counteroffensive -- Operation Wacht am Rhein -- on 16 December , which would lead to the Battle of the Bulge .
The exhaustive fighting during Queen caused the Allied troops to suffer heavy casualties and eventually the Germans launched their own counteroffensive -- Operation Wacht am Rhein -- on 16 December , which would lead to the Battle of the Bulge .