Bastogne
Bastogne
Bastogne is where General McAuliffe delivered World War II’s most famous response to a surrender request: “Nuts!” Although a number of Ardennes towns were destroyed during the Battle of the Bulge, Bastogne was the epicenter. McAuliffe’s American 101st division reached Bastogne on December 19, 1944, one day before General Von Manteuffel’s tanks surrounded it. The town was under constant attack, and the miserable weather made it impossible for supplies to be flown in. On December 22, the Germans asked the U.S. forces to surrender. They refused. On Christmas Eve, the defenders were close to a defeat, but relief was near. The American 42nd tank division, led by Major General Gaffey, broke through the German lines. The next day, General Patton managed to safeguard a small corridor through th...
Read MoreBastogne is where General McAuliffe delivered World War II’s most famous response to a surrender request: “Nuts!” Although a number of Ardennes towns were destroyed during the Battle of the Bulge, Bastogne was the epicenter. McAuliffe’s American 101st division reached Bastogne on December 19, 1944, one day before General Von Manteuffel’s tanks surrounded it. The town was under constant attack, and the miserable weather made it impossible for supplies to be flown in. On December 22, the Germans asked the U.S. forces to surrender. They refused. On Christmas Eve, the defenders were close to a defeat, but relief was near. The American 42nd tank division, led by Major General Gaffey, broke through the German lines. The next day, General Patton managed to safeguard a small corridor through the German lines toward the town. On December 26 the skies cleared and supplies were flown in, but it was another month before the last German stronghold was destroyed. To this day, a Sherman tank occupies a place of honor in the town square, named after General McAuliffe himself.
