"Surrounded and greatly outnumbered, the men of the 101st Airborne Division were not expecting a merry Christmas in Bastogne, Belgium, in 1944.
...McAuliffe then penned a letter to his own troops, in recognition of the imminent holiday, informing them of the events that had transpired.
McAuliffe’s letter began under the simple header, “Merry Christmas.”
What’s Merry about all this, you ask? We’re fighting — it’s cold, we aren’t home. All true but what has the proud Eagle Division accomplished with its worthy comrades the 10th Armored Division, the 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion and all the rest? Just this: We have stopped cold everything that has been thrown at us from the North, East, South and West. We have identifications from four German Panzer Divisions, two German Infantry Divisions and one German Parachute Division. These units, spearheading the last desperate German lunge, were headed straight west for key points when the Eagle Division was hurriedly ordered to stem the advance. How effectively this was done will be written in history; not alone in our Division’s glorious history but in World history. The Germans actually did surround us, their radios blared our doom. Their Commander demanded our surrender in the following impudent arrogance:
McAuliffe then included the text of the letter he had received from the German commanding officer, demanding the surrender of American troops in Bastogne and promising the destruction of the city — and civilian casualties — if the Americans did not surrender within two hours’ time.
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 the 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 hour’s term..The German Commander.
McAuliffe’s letter began under the simple header, “Merry Christmas.”
What’s Merry about all this, you ask? We’re fighting — it’s cold, we aren’t home. All true but what has the proud Eagle Division accomplished with its worthy comrades the 10th Armored Division, the 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion and all the rest? Just this: We have stopped cold everything that has been thrown at us from the North, East, South and West. We have identifications from four German Panzer Divisions, two German Infantry Divisions and one German Parachute Division. These units, spearheading the last desperate German lunge, were headed straight west for key points when the Eagle Division was hurriedly ordered to stem the advance. How effectively this was done will be written in history; not alone in our Division’s glorious history but in World history. The Germans actually did surround us, their radios blared our doom. Their Commander demanded our surrender in the following impudent arrogance:
McAuliffe then included the text of the letter he had received from the German commanding officer, demanding the surrender of American troops in Bastogne and promising the destruction of the city — and civilian casualties — if the Americans did not surrender within two hours’ time.
- To the U. S. A. Commander of the encircled town of Bastogne.
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 the 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 hour’s term..The German Commander.
- McAuliffe also included his own reply to the Germans’ demands.
22 December 1944
“To the German Commander:
N U T S !
The American Commander”
McAuliffe concluded with his own final words of encouragement, ensuring his men that their efforts would not be in vain...Must read all of this courageous history!
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