American fortitude in the face of furious attack has been demonstrated in numerous episodes throughout history. Perhaps one of the most epic instances was the Siege of Bastogne, Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge in 1944, during World War II. It was here that the American defenders of Bastogne held out against German attacks for an entire week before being relieved. When asked if they would surrender, the American commander replied with one word: Nuts!
The Americans and British had landed with other Allied forces in Normandy, France in June, 1944. Since then, they had cruised through France during the “American Blitzkrieg” and advanced deep into Belgium while the British attacked the Netherlands. The Germans would not give up the Low Countries without a fight however. They prepared a counterattack to drive the Allies back. This resulted in the Battle of the Bulge, named after the dent it created in the American line. It was during the Battle of the Bulge (also called the Battle of the Ardennes Forest), that the Germans launched an attack on the strategic town of Bastogne. Bastogne, Belgium was the point of convergence for several important roads and transportation ways and thus it was of critical importance to both the German and American armies.
The Germans came upon Bastogne but met with fierce American resistance. Within days, however, the Germans had surrounded the American defenders in the small town and sought to attack it at less fortified positions around the town. To make matters worse, the roads into Bastogne had been captured and the skies were not in condition for airborne relief, leaving the Americans in Bastogne to defend themselves and hope for the best. The Germans seemed to be in a position to gradually drive Bastogne to her knees but they made a critical mistake. They continued their advance by splitting up their force and weakening their besieging army. Nonetheless, the German attacks on Christmas Eve where strong and in some areas successful.
The American forces of General George Patton’s army were on their way and the success of the German attack was short-lived. The American relief force drove into the German lines and finally relieved the besieged garrison. It was the stubborn, unwavering resistance of the American troops in Bastogne that made this battle an epic American battle however. The American attack in Belgium continued and by the spring of 1945 the Allies had invaded western Germany.
The American defense of Bastogne was a dramatic battle that led to ultimate victory and a much-needed rise in morale of the American forces in Belgium. The African-American troops at Bastogne were recognized for the critical part they played in the defense of the strategic town. The most famous episode from the battle was the reply of the Americans to the German demand for surrender: “Nuts!”. The battle of Bastogne was a perfect example of the American virtues of courage in the fight for liberty and unwavering resilience in the face of furious assault.