Today in military history: Patton's 4th Armored brings relief to Allied forces in the Bulge

December 26, 2:37 PMDC Military Community ExaminerElizabeth Kurtz

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Approximately 19,000 Americans were killed and 41,000 wounded during the Battle of the Bulge, the largest land battle ever fought by the U.S. Army. An Allied victory was secured shortly after General George S. Patton's 4th Armored Division broke through the German rear.

On December 26, 1944, General George S. Patton’s 4th Armored Division broke through the German rear during the Battle of the Bulge, effectively ensuring an American victory there.

The largest land battle fought on the Western Front during World War II – as well as the largest battle ever fought by the U.S. Army – the Bulge began on December 16, when German troops unexpectedly attacked the American 14th Cavalry Group, 9th Armored Division, and 4th, 28th, and 106th Infantry Divisions. Eisenhower had kept force levels in the Ardennes (a forested region along the Belgian-German border) low, intending to use it as a training ground while larger forces to the north and south conducted operations that would help the Allied forces break into Germany. Unprepared for combat (the 9th Armored and 106th Infantry Divisions hadn’t seen any combat, and the 4th and 28th were recouping from heavy losses suffered in the Battle of Hurtgen Forest), American troops in the Ardennes were caught off guard. (See December 23rd’s Today in military history for the story of a young private who refused to fight in the Battle of Hurtgen Forest.) The German army made a “bulge” in the American line, some 50 miles wide and 70 miles deep.

Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower immediately redirected American troops to the Ardennes, including the 101st Airborne Division, which was then under the command of Assistant Division Commander Brigadier General Anthony C. McAuliffe. American forces held their own against the German onslaught, and McAuliffe made news when he responded to a German demand for surrender with one word: "Nuts!" (The American soldier who delivered the message explained that it essentially meant, "Go to hell!") American reinforcements arrived the same day, December 22nd, but it wasn’t until December 26th, when General George S. Patton’s 4th Armored Division broke through the rear German lines that the battle’s outcome was clear: An American victory was then inevitable.

Today, the Battle of the Bulge is seen as an example of the extreme conditions that battles are sometimes fought under. HBO’s highly acclaimed Band of Brothers accurately dramatized these conditions. Add the series to your Netflix or Blockbuster list, or watch the Bastogne episode online. (Little disclaimer: I can't endorse the legality of that clip being online, but it's a good clip, all the same ...) Or – for the real history buffs – watch original news reels about the Bulge. Here are a couple good ones (one long, one short):
Battle of the Bulge Newsreel (2:39), Newsreel: Battle of the Bulge (7:59).