Bastogne

Bastogne , Du. Bastenaken, town (1991 pop. 12,187), Luxembourg prov., SE Belgium, in the Ardennes and near the border of the duchy of Luxembourg. It is a rail junction and market town noted for its hams. In World War II during the Battle of the Bulge (Dec., 1944-Jan., 1945), it was held mainly by a smaller U.S. division against overwhelming bombardment by the Germans, until eventually relieved by the U.S. 3d Army. Nearby are military cemeteries and the Mardesson monument to the U.S. soldiers who died in battle.

Bastogne town in Belgium, near the border with Luxembourg. In World War II, during the Battle of the Bulge (1944–45), it was held by the 101st U.S. Airborne division against overwhelming German bombardment, until relieved by the U.S. 3rd Army. Nearby there are several military cemeteries and a monument to fallen U.S. soldiers.

Bastogne, battle for, Belgian town held by the US Army during the German Ardennes offensive of December 1944. A vital centre of the area's road network, its defence fatally weakened the Fifth Panzer Army's drive to the River Meuse.

Having lost the race to reach the town before the 101st Airborne Division, commanded by Brig-General Anthony McAuliffe, and part of the 10th Armoured Division had thrown a defensive ring around it, the Germans left behind forces to besiege it which they needed for their drive westwards. By 22 December the defenders were low on ammunition and snow started falling. But when McAuliffe heard that 4th Armoured Division of Patton's Third US Army was racing north to break the encirclement his laconic reply to surrender demands was ‘Nuts!’

Ammunition air-dropped on 23 December helped frustrate a German attack on Christmas Day and Patton's armour then broke through. But the Germans were desperate to capture this centre of resistance in their 95 km. (60 mi.) bulge into the Allied front. They attacked twice more, unsuccessfully, with increased forces, but were eventually forced to withdraw.