December 22 1944 – Encircled by German forces at the Battle of the Bulge, the 101st Airborne Division, under acting commander Brigadier General McAuliffe received a message from German General Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz delivered under flag of truce.
To the U.S.A. Commander of the encircled town of Bastogne.
The fortune of war is changing. This time the U.S.A. forces in and near Bastogne have been encircled by strong German armored units. More German armored units have crossed the river Our near Ortheuville, have taken Marche and reached St. Hubert by passing through Hompre-Sibret-Tillet. Libramont is in German hands.
There is only one possibility to save the encircled U.S.A. troops from total annihilation: that is the honorable surrender of the encircled town. In order to think it over a term of two hours will be granted beginning with the presentation of this note.
If this proposal should be rejected one German Artillery Corps and six heavy A. A. Battalions are ready to annihilate the U.S.A. troops in and near Bastogne. The order for firing will be given immediately after this two hours term.
All the serious civilian losses caused by this artillery fire would not correspond with the well-known American humanity.
His response was perfect.
To the German Commander.
NUTS!
The American Commander
Hooah
Mixed parable, but: So they’ve got us surrounded, good! Now we can fire in any direction, those bastards won’t get away this time!
“We’re not surrounded, just in a target-rich environment!”
“No, no,” he explained, “I’ve got ’em right where I want ’em
— surrounded from the inside.” – SFC Jerry M. “Mad Dog” Shriver
what was the big deal they were paratroopers they were suppose to be surrounded lol
I get you but there are a lot of stand out points that set this battle apart from most besides the classic response.
The Army does a particularly poor job of telling its story sometimes. Primarily light infantry troops, surrounded, out of supply, at five to one odds to include elements from two enemy armored divisions shouldn’t have a happy ending.
http://gruntsandco.com/70-years-ago-today-american-humor-defiance/
Bastogne and the Battle of the Bulge in general are high water marks for the US Army but the Army doesn’t seem too interested in telling its story.
The US troops in Bastogne would not have prevailed had the weather not cleared up on the 23rd of Dec. allowing US air to being hammering the German troops and their armored units, as well as allowing the US to drop ammo/supplies/and field surgeons to Bastogne.
As well 4 days later, it became a moot point when Patton rolled the 4th Armored Div. in and cleared a road to Bastogne. (AFTER the germans had tried to push through with their armor, and even having broken the american lines briefly lost all their armor save for one tank on the 25th.)
Really? Not to detract from the USAAF’s contribution but when has a force in modern history ever survived without resupply? What would have happened if they showed up on the 24th, 25th, 26th…? What’s so special about the 23rd? And again, not to detract from the USAAF but the supplies they delivered were just barely enough to hold on and not defeat the Germans. As always it was ground combat power that was decisive (not to take away from close air support which is always a combat multiplier).
American airpower did start to play a role EIGHT days after the Germans started their offensive. It’s appreciated but a heck of a long time to wait as anyone who’s been on the ground knows.
The 101st held on singlehandedly against incredible odds. Any attempt to minimize that feat is ignorance or just bad manners. Sure airpower played a role as well as Patton’s arrival but it’s too easy for some to forget what the ground fight looked like.
^^^^ What he said.
Went to Bastogne this year in my trip to Europe. Amazing town to be in.
The uniform though. Back when we knew how to dress.
Correct! Wearing a “tie to work”. AWESOME!
My grandfather a me member of the Third Army who relieved aka “rescued” the 101st of which I’m a proud veteran of the five oh deuce oif 06-08 said he agrees with British wwii vets. If what we fought for is what we had today I would have stayed home better speaking German than Arabic or Swahili, read killing Patton by bill oreilly and justice denied the true story jochen pieper and the malmedy massacre also look up pow Geneva conventions and the Eisenhower camps compared to Guantanamo at least our terrorist ca still reproduce and for current events the protesters need to remember the cops are not the enemy they protect them from the silent majority who happen to be all the “legal” gun owners of the use natural law works
As someone of Jewish ancestry, I appreciate that they DID go over there! But I get what you’re saying.
The lessons of yesterday are lost on the youth of today.
Why must the “holocaust” be brought up in every wwii discussion while not directly saying it you alluded to it by mentioning your jewish ancestry, no one is going to forget please allow the soldiers to be respected while not demonizing the enemy not all Germans were party members same as not all American soldiers are republicans. The 101st and bastogne is a heroic epic and should be repeated and memorized by all, it’s like the Alamo getting relieved before the final push. Most of us are soldiers respecting fellow soldiers and the enemy should be included in the respect too. The waffen ss were real soldiers who have been and their spouses denied veterans benefits and all honors due to the remfs of the deaths head camp guards, and some were drafted. If the roles were reversed it would be the airborne and Rangers or just Marines not allowed any honor. After the war all German POWs were declared other enemy personnel and not entitled to the POW rights a lot starved, some were nothing more than slave labor. Yes I know they used slave labor but not the soldier across the lines. WWII is the epitome of the military all services of all countries were at their prime. It is the gold standard of war, everything since is held in comparison although traditional values of honor, sacrifice , duty and love and devotion of country/ people are ageless and our country is starting to lack those values and is suffering from it, the volunteer army needs its Citizens universal conscription would solve most of our problems even if we are just used to work like the CCC, the elite always attract the best anyways. Soldiers win wars, politicians / civilians start/mess them up.
John,
What point you are trying to make?
German POWs denied “POW rights”…by whom? Forced “slave labor”…again by whom. The Russians yes, the US certainly not.
When I was stationed in Germany in the late 70s German WWII veterans were certainly respected by the Germans and generally by the American forces stationed there.
When we would have partnership events with our German sister battalions many of those veterans would show up and always got the respect they deserved.
Of course that didn’t include the SS…at least not openly.
Having said that, if one is fighting for a regime like NAZI German…the individual soldier isn’t going to get a pass.
Some of that stink gets on everyone involved…soldier and civilian alike.
That’s not “demonizing” the enemy…that is simply holding them accountable.
TLB
One of my grandfather’s brothers was captured during the Battle of the Bulge, had lied about his age to enlist. Spent some time in a POW camp before being freed. Sadly he passed away before I had the chance to meet him.
I’ve had the honor of meeting a few Bastogne vets and they all say the same thing, it was a success because the 101 is just too goddamn stubborn.
Glad to wear an old Abe on both of my sleeves as well.