Battle of Bastogne
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| Battle of Bastogne | |||||||
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| Part of Battle of the Bulge (World War II) | |||||||
 Map of battlefield movements during the Battle of the Bulge. Bastogne is near the middle. |
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| Combatants | |||||||
 United States |
 Germany |
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| Commanders | |||||||
 Anthony McAuliffe |
 Hasso von Manteuffel |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 101st Airborne Division, Elements of 10th Armored Division | (estimated) Nine German divisions (mostly Panzer) | ||||||
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 attacked at different points of the perimeter in sequence, violating the military principle of "mass" and playing to the American advantage of interior lines of communication. Although this made the American forces move about, it tended to dissipate the German advantage of superior numbers. Though the American forces were cut off from their supply line, without cold-weather gear, outnumbered, and unable to be resupplied or supported by air due to some of the worst winter weather in years, the Germans were still 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 by news of the stubborn defense of this besieged town.
The most famous quote to come out of the battle was from the 101st’s acting commander, Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe, when awakened by an enemy request for his surrender: “Nuts!” (the German interpreter translated McAuliffe’s reply as “Go to hell!”). The Germans were unable to take the town.
When the winter weather finally cleared, Allied planes rushed in to restore air 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 casualties on both sides. The Allies eventually won out of sheer perseverance and firepower.
[edit] 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.
