The date was December 22nd, 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge at Bastogne.
Lt. Col. Ned Moore told General Anthony McAuliffe that we had a German surrender ultimatum. The General’s first reaction was that the Germans wanted to surrender to us. Col. Moore quickly disabused him of that notion and explained that the Germans demanded our surrender. When McAuliffe heard that, and once he got over his incredulity, he sent back a very succinct response to the Germans - “Nuts!”
Even in the face of overwhelming odds, to simply surrender does not speak well of personal bravery or courage. The Israelis lack neither, a fact that Bronco Bama cannot seem to get his head around.