Posted on Dec 29, 2016
Today in history: Here's how a U.S. general in 1944 responded to German surrender demands
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1944: Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe, commander of the 101st Airborne Division, was presented with a formal demand from the German XXXXVII Panzer Korps that he surrender Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. McAuliffe was at a loss for a suitable reply, though his operations officer, Lt. Col. Harry Kinnard, had a suggestion based on something he heard McAuliffe say several times that morning. The reply: “To the German commander. NUTS! The American commander.” Read more about the Battle of the Bulge on HistoryNet.com.
Here's some of what also happened on Dec. 22 in the United States and elsewhere:
1775: In the Battle of Great Cane Break, South Carolina Patriots routed a gathering of Loyalists, although the Tory leader, Patrick Cunningham, escaped. As a result of the battle, though, South Carolina’s commitment to secession from Great Britain was virtually sealed.
1914: As the Russians advanced into Western Galicia in the early months of World War I, the 1st Brigade of the Polish Legion fought a delaying action -- often hand-to-hand -- at Lowczówek. The Poles eventually had to abandon their positions at 1 p.m. on Dec. 25, but held on long enough to prevent the Russians from splitting the Austro-Hungarian Third and Fourth armies, giving those forces time to withdraw. The battle costs the Polish brigade 128 killed (including 38 officers) and 342 wounded.
1941: Just days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese forces invaded Luzon in the Philippines. See a map of the battle on HistoryNet.com.
Here's some of what also happened on Dec. 22 in the United States and elsewhere:
1775: In the Battle of Great Cane Break, South Carolina Patriots routed a gathering of Loyalists, although the Tory leader, Patrick Cunningham, escaped. As a result of the battle, though, South Carolina’s commitment to secession from Great Britain was virtually sealed.
1914: As the Russians advanced into Western Galicia in the early months of World War I, the 1st Brigade of the Polish Legion fought a delaying action -- often hand-to-hand -- at Lowczówek. The Poles eventually had to abandon their positions at 1 p.m. on Dec. 25, but held on long enough to prevent the Russians from splitting the Austro-Hungarian Third and Fourth armies, giving those forces time to withdraw. The battle costs the Polish brigade 128 killed (including 38 officers) and 342 wounded.
1941: Just days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese forces invaded Luzon in the Philippines. See a map of the battle on HistoryNet.com.
Today in history: Here's how a U.S. general in 1944 responded to German surrender demands
Posted from militarytimes.com
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Us Generals At Bastogne (1944)
Bastogne, France. Two American Generals being interviewed, sign 'Bastogne' behind them. They walk off after the interview. FILM ID:1885.1 A VIDEO FROM BRITIS...
Yes, in 1944 BG Anthony C. McAuliffe, commander of the 101st Airborne Division, was presented with a formal demand from German General der Panzertruppe Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz′s XLVII Panzer Korps commander that he surrender Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. McAuliffe replied : “To the German commander. NUTS! The American commander.”
Needless to say the proud men of the 101st Airborne resents the implication that they had been rescued by the 4th Armored Division in the relief of Bastogne.
[Note the German unit was the XLVII Panzer Korps not the XXXXVII Panzer Korps]
"The German attempt to break through the Allied lines at Bastogne finally came to nothing. The besieged town had received air drops on the 25th and 26th. Late on the 26th outside units broke through and this relief line was consolidated on the 27th.
It had been a hard fought battle. The Germans knew that their whole offensive would come unstuck if they could not break through here. The defenders, almost all of them pushed into hastily prepared positions at short notice, many of them ill equipped for the winter conditions, had held off repeated attacks that grew ever more desperate as the Germans realised they were running out of time.
The 101st Airborne Division, and a large number of smaller units attached or incorporated within it, were awarded a Presidential Unit Citation:
These units distinguished themselves in combat against powerful and aggressive enemy forces composed of elements of 8 German divisions during the period from 18 December to 27 December 1944 by extraordinary heroism and gallantry in defense of the key communications center of Bastogne, Belgium.
Essential to a large scale exploitation of his break-through into Belgium and northern Luxembourg, the enemy attempted to seize Bastogne by attacking constantly and savagely with the best of his armor and infantry.
Without benefit of prepared defenses, facing almost overwhelming odds and with very limited and fast dwindling supplies, these units maintained a high combat morale and an impenetrable defense, despite extremely heavy bombing, intense artillery fire, and constant attacks from infantry and armor on all sides of their completely cut off and encircled position. This masterful and grimly determined defense denied the enemy even momentary success in an operation for which he paid dearly in men, material, and eventually morale.
The outstanding courage and resourcefulness and undaunted determination of this gallant force is in keeping with the highest traditions of the service.
General McAuliffe, commanding the 101st, who had responded to the German invitation to surrender with the single word ‘NUTS’, had not seen the situation as nearly as desperate as others had:
It didn’t occur to us, until it was all over, that the eyes of the world were on the 101st Airborne Division and the attached armour during the defence of Bastogne.
The first thing we heard was that we’d been ‘rescued’ by the 4th Armoured Division. Now I, and everyone else in the 101st, resent the implication that we were rescued or that we needed to be rescued.
When General Taylor arrived on the 27th the first thing he asked me was what kind of shape we were in. I told him, ‘Why, we’re in fine shape: we’re ready to take the offensive.’ General Taylor said: ‘I should have known it, but all that stuff I read in the newspapers was beginning to worry me just a little.’
The fact is we were thinking about what a tough time the Kraut was having. We Weren’t alarmed about our own position at all. After all, we’d deliberately jumped into that kind of position in Normandy and Holland.
For the first three days we gave the Germans the licking of their lives . . . the Troop Carrier Command did a great job on the supply end too. They brought us all the ammunition, rations, and other equipment that we needed. Our morale was always tops.
Good morale is just as contagious as panic can be. We had several thousand reinforcements — attached troops — and they caught the infectious courage of the old men of the 101st right away.
Airborne Divisions always have good morale. We were fortunate enough to have been associated with the First and Sixth British Airborne Division up around Arnhem. They don’t come any better.
No one should be surprised at what the 101st Airborne Division did at Bastogne. That’s what should be expected any time of airborne troops. With that kind of troops I, as a commander, can do anything.
Images: 1944-12-16 Germen plan for the Ardennes attack Map; 1944-12-25 Bastogne sign; 1944-12-16 German Plan Ardennes Counter-Offensive with infiltration parties Map C; 1944-12-25 Waffen SS Soldiers at Siege of Bastogne"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ2IeB1ERiU
LTC Stephen C. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown CW5 (Join to see) CW5 Charlie Poulton SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT SSgt Robert Marx SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SGT (Join to see) SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SGT Forrest Stewart SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
Needless to say the proud men of the 101st Airborne resents the implication that they had been rescued by the 4th Armored Division in the relief of Bastogne.
[Note the German unit was the XLVII Panzer Korps not the XXXXVII Panzer Korps]
"The German attempt to break through the Allied lines at Bastogne finally came to nothing. The besieged town had received air drops on the 25th and 26th. Late on the 26th outside units broke through and this relief line was consolidated on the 27th.
It had been a hard fought battle. The Germans knew that their whole offensive would come unstuck if they could not break through here. The defenders, almost all of them pushed into hastily prepared positions at short notice, many of them ill equipped for the winter conditions, had held off repeated attacks that grew ever more desperate as the Germans realised they were running out of time.
The 101st Airborne Division, and a large number of smaller units attached or incorporated within it, were awarded a Presidential Unit Citation:
These units distinguished themselves in combat against powerful and aggressive enemy forces composed of elements of 8 German divisions during the period from 18 December to 27 December 1944 by extraordinary heroism and gallantry in defense of the key communications center of Bastogne, Belgium.
Essential to a large scale exploitation of his break-through into Belgium and northern Luxembourg, the enemy attempted to seize Bastogne by attacking constantly and savagely with the best of his armor and infantry.
Without benefit of prepared defenses, facing almost overwhelming odds and with very limited and fast dwindling supplies, these units maintained a high combat morale and an impenetrable defense, despite extremely heavy bombing, intense artillery fire, and constant attacks from infantry and armor on all sides of their completely cut off and encircled position. This masterful and grimly determined defense denied the enemy even momentary success in an operation for which he paid dearly in men, material, and eventually morale.
The outstanding courage and resourcefulness and undaunted determination of this gallant force is in keeping with the highest traditions of the service.
General McAuliffe, commanding the 101st, who had responded to the German invitation to surrender with the single word ‘NUTS’, had not seen the situation as nearly as desperate as others had:
It didn’t occur to us, until it was all over, that the eyes of the world were on the 101st Airborne Division and the attached armour during the defence of Bastogne.
The first thing we heard was that we’d been ‘rescued’ by the 4th Armoured Division. Now I, and everyone else in the 101st, resent the implication that we were rescued or that we needed to be rescued.
When General Taylor arrived on the 27th the first thing he asked me was what kind of shape we were in. I told him, ‘Why, we’re in fine shape: we’re ready to take the offensive.’ General Taylor said: ‘I should have known it, but all that stuff I read in the newspapers was beginning to worry me just a little.’
The fact is we were thinking about what a tough time the Kraut was having. We Weren’t alarmed about our own position at all. After all, we’d deliberately jumped into that kind of position in Normandy and Holland.
For the first three days we gave the Germans the licking of their lives . . . the Troop Carrier Command did a great job on the supply end too. They brought us all the ammunition, rations, and other equipment that we needed. Our morale was always tops.
Good morale is just as contagious as panic can be. We had several thousand reinforcements — attached troops — and they caught the infectious courage of the old men of the 101st right away.
Airborne Divisions always have good morale. We were fortunate enough to have been associated with the First and Sixth British Airborne Division up around Arnhem. They don’t come any better.
No one should be surprised at what the 101st Airborne Division did at Bastogne. That’s what should be expected any time of airborne troops. With that kind of troops I, as a commander, can do anything.
Images: 1944-12-16 Germen plan for the Ardennes attack Map; 1944-12-25 Bastogne sign; 1944-12-16 German Plan Ardennes Counter-Offensive with infiltration parties Map C; 1944-12-25 Waffen SS Soldiers at Siege of Bastogne"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ2IeB1ERiU
LTC Stephen C. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown CW5 (Join to see) CW5 Charlie Poulton SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT SSgt Robert Marx SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SGT (Join to see) SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SGT Forrest Stewart SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
LTC Stephen F. what a read and share, I learned so much from your response, "amazing" !
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