NUTS!!
Posted on 12/20/2003 7:18:10 PM PST by carlo3b
"NUTS"
Battle for Bastogne
Suddenly it was Hell. Encircled since December 20, the people of the Ardennes had their mind set on the first Christmas since the liberation of Belgium, but it was not to be.. The Massive power of the German artillery weapons was unleashing destructive power on the American positions in the Belgian Ardennes. More than 250.000 soldiers, accompanied by over 1.000 tanks started their march through the Ardennes. The goal, First take Bastogne, as they headed for the Meuse river, with the intentions to push to the north of Belgium to take Antwerp and its militarily strategic harbor, with the hopes of turning the tide of the War in Europe.What had started out as an advance to contact and destroy the enemy had now become a defensive operation out of necessity. The morning of 20 December, 1944, saw the 501st maintaining a defensive sector across Bizory, Neffe, and the small village of Mont. Enemy Artillery and flat trajectory fire was heavy, indicating strong enemy concentrations. In the biggest action of the day F Company repelled a very heavy enemy attack, consisting of a reinforced company of infantry and armor on the ground northeast of Bizory.The town of Bastogne had been bombed by the massive German army from the 18th of December. The town was defended by the 101st Airborne Division under the command of General A.C. McAuliffe. During a six day period, Bastogne underwent an unimaginable siege. Nearby, neighbouring villages of Neffe, Marvie and Champs horrible battles raged during which weary soldiers from both armies fell in the cold snow in hills of the Ardennes. At 11.25 am on December the 22nd, the Germans ask the Commander at Bastogne to surrender. General McAuliffe's answer, though short, was heard loud and clear and became the rallying cry that echoed throughout the military and the world.. The message was simply "NUTS"Specialist 5 Michael R. Fishcher 50th Military History Detachment, Bozeman Montana
During the next 3 days the siege continued, until the Germans successfully overtake the Kessler farmhouse on their way to Arlon, just a stones throw from Bastogne. The city lay heavily bombarded on the eve, and throughout Christmas Day. However, during the following days the 5th Panzer division under General H.E.von Manteuffel failed to take the city, the brave "101" persisted.
The Germans demanded Bastogne's surrender. Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe's replied, "Nuts." The Germans did not understand, so the Americans explained that "Nuts" meant "go to Hell" The Germans redoubled their efforts to destroy Bastogne and its "Besieged Bastards." They did not succeed.In the meantime, help was on the way. General George Patton's, 3th Army, turned it's entire force of 250,000 men, north. With a forced march, amid a miserable winter storm, provided the fastest and most dramatic rescue in military history. Bastogne was freed and on the 26th and 27th of December the 101st Airborne Division in Bastogne received its first reinforcements. However, on the 29th the Germans launch a new attack on the city. Thousand of soldiers hold man-to-man fights in the woods around the city. Finally, the Germans, weakened, and abandoned their positions. On January the 14th 1945 they retreated from Foy, a village 5 Km outside of Bastogne, leaving behind thousands of dead and a completely destroyed city.705th Tank Destroyer Battalion
"White Christmas Red Snow...Let it be remembered that on that Christmas eve 1944, as the war rained terror on the city, the Lufftwaffe bombed Bastogne not once, but twice. Yet, on that unholy night, history has recorded, an unforgettable Holy mass took place in the town, as wounded Airborne soldiers shed tears as "Silent Night" was sung, and the German POWs were visited by General A.C. McAuliffe himself. When he entered, they were singing "Stille Nacht" and " O Tannenbaum".
As the ground shook under the impact of the heavy shelling, the snow covered battlefield soon became an spectrum of bright flares and deafening explosions and machine-gun tracers .... The attack was on, it was Christmas Day already, lying face down in the bottom of my icy foxhole, I remember praying both in English and Spanish."Ed Peniche, DMOR 502d Infantry 101st Abn. Division.
He wished them a Merry Christmas!GOD BLESS AMERICA, AND GOD BLESS OUR AMERICAN TROOPS
GASP!! BUT, BUT, I saw it on TV.. Sheeesh . . Now who can ya believe???.. :)
True enough.. Here is an interesting book. During World War II, some 10,000 Italian immigrants in America were displaced. Another 50,000 lived under curfew. Others spent months or years in internment camps.When Being Italian was a Crime
by Sarah Goodyear
April 12 - 18, 2000
NUTS!!
Geeeze, that ole thing .. it's sooo long ago, can't we just move on.. we know who the real victims were after all.. don't confuse me with facts .. /sarcasm
Or as the German Proverb says, "God gives the nuts but he does not crack them."
.
Wonderful... :o)
Harsh, but it was a very nasty war, and we did not start it.
Become of them, we are free.. NEVER FORGET, indeed!
Ouch!... :/.. LOL
"STUN"
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