Siege of Bastogne
The Battle of Bastogne was a smaller battle in and around the Belgian town of Bastogne, during the larger Battle of the Bulge. The battle lasted from December 1944 to January 1945. During the battle, German divisions surrounded and attempted to capture Bastogne. The town was being held by the American 101st Airborne Division and Combat Command B of the U.S. 10th Armored Division. The Battle of the Bulge, which was mainly tank-based for the Germans, was fuel intensive. Thus, Allied forces needed to control all roads in the Ardennes to halt German tank progression. The seven main roads in the mountain range all converged on the small town of Bastogne.
The German forces tended to focus their attacks on several individual locations in sequence. Although this made the American forces move about, it tended to dissipate the German advantage. Though the American forces were cut-off from their supply line, without winter clothing, outnumbered, and unable to be resupplied or supported by air due to some of the worst winter weather in years, the Germans were unable to take the city. Bastogne became a large obstacle in the German armored advance because of the major road junction there. The morale of Allied forces elsewhere on the Western Front was boosted for this feat of stubbornly defending this beseiged town.
The most famous quote to come out of the battle was from the 101st's acting commander, General Anthony McAuliffe, when awakened with a request for Allied surrender: "NUTS!"(the German translator interpreted the reply as 'Go to hell!'). This typically American slang infuriated the Germans, but they were still unable to take the town. A little-known fact, however, is that the Germans' specific request, to which McAuliffe's reply should be considered an answer to, was "Where would you like to be kicked?"
When the winter weather finally cleared, Allied planes rushed in to restore aerial superiority, and delivered much-needed supplies of food and ammunition to the division. With the threat of ever-closer reinforcements deployed by the Allied Command, the disappointed Germans withdrew after one last bloody battle, with many casualities on both sides. The Allies eventually won out of sheer perseverance and firepower.
Band of Brothers
The legendary Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, U.S. 101st Airborne Division was one of the units present at Bastogne. Band of Brothers, an HBO miniseries based on a book of the same name by Stephen Ambrose, dedicates two episodes (Bastogne and The Breaking Point) to their experiences there.