"...December 22, marks the 74-year anniversary of American Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe’s legendary reply to the Germans during the Battle of the Bulge.
During the Battle of the Bulge, German forces had surrounded the Americans holding Bastogne and the area around the town.
German forces approached the men of the 101st Airborne Divison to demand their honorable surrender or face annihilation.
In the absence of General Maxwell Taylor, McAuliffe was in charge of the 101st.
The German message was delivered to him around noon, and read in part:
This time the U.S.A.forces in and near Bastogne have been encircled by strongGerman armored units. More German armored units have crossedthe river Ourthe near Ortheuville, have taken Marche andreached 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 overa term of two hours will be granted beginning with thepresentation of this note.If this proposal should be rejected one GermanArtillery Corps and six heavy A. A. Battalions are readyto annihilate the U.S.A. troops in and near Bastogne. The order for firing will be given immediately after this two hours’ term.
What did McAuliffe do?
Did he order his men to throw their weapons down and surrender to the Germans, who had them outnumbered and encircled?
Did he cave to the enormous threat from the enemy?
No, he simply replied with one word: NUTS!
His full message read:
His full message read:
December 22, 1944To the German Commander,N U T S !The American Commander
What happened next was unbelievable — and one of the greatest accomplishments in the history of American warfare..."
As Richard Winters so eloquently put it, “We’re paratroopers. We’re supposed to be surrounded.”
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