Posted: 3/23/2012 12:48:44 PM EDT
 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. To the German Commander. NUTS! The American Commander http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_McAuliffe |
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I thought as much (knew what it would be in this thread).  I watched all the way through Band of Brothers again recently, and have almost finished watching The Pacific again.  What a morale boost that had to have been. http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/8/2012/01/3df135a342499e12124d610d6a9ede5b.jpg Yeah they used that quote really well in Jericho. |
I love that song |
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Hell yea the s/o and I are going to see them on 5/5/2012 |
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Kicks butt for sure.
MN |
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for the same kind of consummate gallantry, read the 'waterloo' section from hugo's 'les miserables', especially chapters 14 and 15: 'the last square' and 'cambronne', which resonate here. but do yourself a favor and read the entire section. if you can do it with dry eyes, you're a stronger man than i. if you don't own the book, go here: http://www.gradesaver.com/les-miserables/e-text/section9/ |
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Quoted:
I read that Gen. McAuliffe's reply was a rather bit more colorful but it was cleaned-up a bit for mass consumption. No idea if true, just came to mind. I remember reading in Donald Burgett's "Seven Roads to Hell". That when the anwer "nuts" was presented to the Germans they asked the courier to explain what that meant. From what I remember the paratrooper replied with something along the lines of "It means you can go fuck yourselves, and if you try to take Bastonge we'll kill every last one of you". |
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At 32 seconds in first video... The sign could not use the word "Bastards" in it for a 1965 cinematic audience. Times have changed! |
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Quoted:
I read that Gen. McAuliffe's reply was a rather bit more colorful but it was cleaned-up a bit for mass consumption. No idea if true, just came to mind. I have read that too. And that, when it came time to release the tidbit to the media it was decided that 'Nuts!' would be the official and historical quote. |
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Quoted:
At 32 seconds in first video... The sign could not use the word "Bastards" in it for a 1965 cinematic audience. Times have changed! Also, in our Battalion headquarters in Ft. Campbell, there was a newspaper clipping from 1944, referring to us, the 502d Infantry Regiment, as the "Battered Bastards of Bastogne." |