Casino bastogne

The Battle of Bastogne was a battle between American and German forces at the town of Bastogne in Belgium from the 20th to the 27th of December , it was part of a more extensive operation, the Battle of the Bulge. The battle is also known as the Siege of Bastogne. The German forces tried to reach Antwerp harbor; they planned to reach it before the Allies and bring in more forces to hold it and defeat the nearing Allied forces. All roads in the Ardennes mountains met at the town of Bastogne, which was one of the main reasons why it was so appealing and important for the Germans. The siege ended on 27 December when the American forces holding the town were relieved George Patton&#;s 3rd Army.

Battle of Bastogne Commanders

Allies

Axis Powers

• Hasso von Manteuffel (5th Panzer Army)
• Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz (XLVII Panzer Corps)

Bastogne Order of Battle

Allies

• st Airborne Division
• CCB of the 10th Armored Division
• th Tank Destroyer Battalion
• st: 11, enlisted and officers
• Additional support units: 11,+
• Total Allied Forces: 22,+ soldiers

Axis Powers
Initially, portions of the:

• 26th Volksgrenadier Division
• 5th Parachute Division
• Panzer Lehr Division
• 2nd Panzer Division
• Total: All or parts of 7 German Divisions
• 54,+ Men

Battle of Bastogne Casualties

• Allies: 3,+ total casualties (2,+ from the st Airborne)
• Axis Powers: Unknown

Battle of Bastogne Map

Battle of Bastogne Video

Battle of Bastogne Facts and Summary

After the Invasion of Normandy and the push to France afterward, the Allies extended their lines from Nijmegen to the neutral Swiss. The city of Antwerp was notable for its port and was captured during the push; by winter, the Allies controlled the German territory near Aachen. Hitler developed a plan to attack Allied troops near Belgium. The plan was for 55 divisions to perform a surprise attack to cross the Meuse River and capture Antwerp. Despite protests from some of his commanders, the plan was set to launch on 16 December On the other hand, the Allied commanders didn&#;t consider that the Germans would launch an attack from the Ardennes because of the terrain, which wasn&#;t suitable for a large-scale attack. In the weeks leading up to the Battle of Bastogne, the Allied command expected an attack from anywhere but the Ardennes. Bastogne, a strategically important city in the region, was protected by the 28th Infantry Division which was assigned to this relatively peaceful area after constantly fighting in its previous assignment. Because of the terrain layout in the area, the Allied command believed that there couldn&#;t be a big-scale attack in this area.

The responsibility of capturing Bastogne was in the hands of Heinrich Freiherr von Luttwitz. He planned to attack a 7-mile (11 km) line using three divisions; the Allied forces were mostly in small groups located at big villages with outposts at the river. Because the troops weren&#;t wide enough to sustain an even battle line, their attention was on the four roads. Due to heavy rainfall before the German attack, only one road could be used as a crossing point.

At this point, the Allies realized that they couldn&#;t afford to lose Bastogne, they had already lost some lines during previous battles, and if they were to lose Bastogne, the Germans could keep advancing. Considering this, Eisenhower sent some of the best American troops to the town; he knew they would have to give their best if the Allies held Bastogne. To hold Bastogne, the Americans sent in the st Airborne Division with soldiers from the Easy Company.

Both sides had strengths and weaknesses that would present themselves in the Siege of Bastogne. The Germans had vastly more troops, over , of them prepared to take Bastogne, which is now considered part of the greater Battle of the Bulge. At first glance, their victory seemed almost inevitable. However, even though they ruled in numbers, most of their soldiers weren&#;t very well trained and inexperienced; they were primarily young recruits sent into battle to sustain the German war machine.

The American troops in Bastogne desperately needed reinforcements, Patton&#;s had his army on the south side of Bastogne, and he was ordered to move north. The Allies could hold Bastogne with reinforcements, but getting them there took time.

General McAulifee’s Famous Bastogne Quote

During the battle, the ^st Commander, General Anthony Clement McAuliffe, received the following demand for surrender from the German commander fighting the st, which has become one of the most famous World War II quotes known to this day:

To the U.S.A. Commander of the encircled town of Bastogne.
The fortune of war is changing. This time strong German armored units encircled the U.S.A. forces in and near Bastogne. 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.
The German Commander.

After a short discussion with his staff, General McAuliffe sent the following in reply to the German Commander:
To the German Commander,
 ”Nuts!”
The American Commander.”

When COL Harper, the Regimental commander, was asked to explain the meaning of the reply by the German officer taking the message

back to the German HQ, he replied that it was the equivalent of “Go to Hell.”

Sources:
The Battered Bastards of Bastogne, George Koskimaki.

Interview with General Harry O. Kinnard by Patrick O’Donnell
Rendezvous with Destiny, Rapport & Northwood

Battle of Bastogne Conclusions

On 15 December, the Germans started sending men and equipment over the river and grouping near the American garrisons. Just a few hours later, German artillery began the bombardment of the Americans; this was the start of the Siege of Bastogne. Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz, the German commander, even sent a note to the American troops demanding that they surrender or be annihilated. The Americans were in an unfortunate position; not only did they need reinforcements but supplies as well; luckily for them, the weather began to improve, and the Allies were able to air-lift supplies to them.

Germans&#; mistakes also helped the Americans when they moved some of their forces from Bastogne to Meuse; because of this, the Americans could hold their position until Patton&#;s army arrived. When Patton&#;s Third Army arrived, the German troops quickly started falling back, and the Siege of Bastogne was over.

Battle of Bastogne References

1. Stephen E. Ambrose (). Band of Brothers: E Company, th Regiment, st Airborne: from Normandy to Hitler&#;s Eagle&#;s Nest. Touchstone Books. ISBN
2. Bastogne, The Story of the First Eight Days In Which the st Airborne Division Was Closed Within the Ring of German Forces (Reprint ed.). United States Army Center of Military History. CMH Pub Last viewed: December 16^th,
3. Summary of the Battle of Bastogne, last viewed: 15 December
   Winters, Richard D., Cole C. (Cole Christian) Kingseed, and Inc ebrary. Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters. New York: Berkley Caliber, Web. 26 October