�ƹ���Ƶֱ��

On December 26, General George S. Patton employs an audacious strategy to , Belgium, during the brutal Battle of the Bulge.

The capture of Bastogne was one of the key goals of the Battle of the Bulge. Bastogne provided a road junction in rough terrain where few roads existed; it would open up a valuable pathway further north for German expansion. The Belgian town was defended by the U.S. 101st Airborne Division, which had to be reinforced by troops who straggled in from other battlefields. Food, medical supplies, and other resources eroded as bad weather and relentless German assaults threatened the Americans’ ability to hold out. Nevertheless, Brigadier General Anthony C. MacAuliffe met a German surrender demand with a typewritten response of a single word: “Nuts.”

Enter “Old Blood and Guts,” General Patton. Employing a complex and quick-witted strategy wherein he literally wheeled his 3rd Army a sharp 90 degrees in a counterthrust movement, Patton broke through the German lines and entered Bastogne, relieving the valiant defenders and ultimately pushing the Germans east across the Rhine.

Battle of the Bulge: How American Grit Halted Hitler’s Last‑Ditch Strike

Under cripplingly cold winter conditions, American troops proved their mettle.

Read more

Battle of the Bulge Soldiers

Facing the harsh conditions of the European winter, American soldiers fighting in the Battle of the Bulge faced a challenge like no other.

Watch now

Patton and the Liberation of Europe

With the U.S. Army and Air Force at their side, Patton and his troops campaign to drive the Nazis from the Mediterranean and liberate Europe. From Patton 360.

Watch now