To the U.S.A. Commander of the encircled town of Bastogne.
The fortune of war is changing. This time the U.S.A. forces in and near Bastogne have been encircled by strong German armored units. More German armored units have crossed the river Our near Ortheuville, have taken Marche and reached 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 over a term of two hours will be granted beginning with the presentation of this note.
If this proposal should be rejected one German Artillery Corps and six heavy A. A. Battalions are ready to annihilate the U.S.A. troops in and near Bastogne. The order for firing will be given immediately after this two hours term.
All the serious civilian losses caused by this artillery fire would not correspond with the well-known American humanity.
The German Commander.
NUTS!The fortune of war is changing. This time the U.S.A. forces in and near Bastogne have been encircled by strong German armored units. More German armored units have crossed the river Our near Ortheuville, have taken Marche and reached 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 over a term of two hours will be granted beginning with the presentation of this note.
If this proposal should be rejected one German Artillery Corps and six heavy A. A. Battalions are ready to annihilate the U.S.A. troops in and near Bastogne. The order for firing will be given immediately after this two hours term.
All the serious civilian losses caused by this artillery fire would not correspond with the well-known American humanity.
The German Commander.
-- General Anthony McAuliffe
3 comments:
My Great Uncle Hank fought in the Battle of the Bulge, was wounded and ended up marrying the Belgian nurse who took care of him.
That man could shoot the eye out of a snake at 100 yards with a .22 rifle. My Dad and I both idolized Uncle Hank, a great and humble man and quite a backwoodsman.
My family and I visited the battlefields and museums of Bastogne while stationed in Germany. Uncle Hank had passed on by then, but my dad and I appreciated the man anew as we walked those battlefields, viewed the monuments, and visited the American Cemetery in Hamm, Luxembourg (where General Patton is buried, btw.)
God bless the men and women out there doing the dirty work so we can celebrate Christmas in out cozy, comfy homes.
IMO Bastogne was one of the most glorious battles in US history.
It's kinda hard to compare the German army of WWII with the US army because the US always was so way better supplied on the ground and supported from the air.
Ones hears about how great the German solider was in comparison to the Allies.
Well at Bastogne the American solider showed that in 1944 he and his commanders were every bit as good as any German ever was.
It was another blessing from God Almighty upon a moral nation, not a perfect one.
American Exceptionalism
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