4k Site of the WWII Battle of the Bulge - Bastogne, Belgium

The Battle of the bulge, also known as the Ardennes offensive, was the last major German offensive in western Europe during WWII. It took place in the Ardennes region of Belgium. In and around the small town of Bastogne. Hitler believed he could take advantage of the cold winter of 1944-45 (average temperature of 20° Fahrenheit or minus 7° Celsius which kept the Americans from being able to use their air superiority) and make a massive offensive push through allied lines on the Western front to capture the port of Antwerp. Which would have been a major blow to the allies. A bulge was created around Bastogne (an important crossroads town)as general Anthony McAuliffe famously refused to surrender the town with a one word reply to the German's surrender demand's, "nuts!". The American soldiers were able to hold out against fierce fighting and horrible weather until General George Patton raced to get there to deal the knockout blow to the Germans.
Nearly 20,000 American soldiers died in this battle and tens of thousands more were wounded. It is estimated that German casualties were between 70,000 and 100,000 as well as great amounts of tanks and equipment. It was a crippling blow for Germany and severely weakened them for the rest of the war. British prime minister Winston Churchill would go on to say during a speech to the house of commons "This is undoubtedly the greatest American battle of the war and will, I believe, be regarded as an ever-famous American victory".
The battle still looms large over the grateful city of Bastogne to this day. In tgis video I show you in and around the city. There is an excellent museum and a huge monument to honor the American soldiers that saved Belgium during the battle, called the Battle of the Bulge monument or Mardasson memorial. McAuliffe square, named after general Anthony McAuliffe has an American tank used in the battle in the middle of it as well as "Nut's cafe" named after general McAuliffe's famous line to the Nazi surrender demands, which serves classic "American food". Patton square features a memorial to the great general George S. Patton. There are plaques and thank you's and tributes to American soldier's nearly everywhere you look. Many of the shops and restaurants are American army themed as well, including a bar that serves drinks in a 101st Airborne division helmet.
Check out my next video to see the American cemetery in Luxembourg which is the final resting place for many of the men who died during the Battle of the Bulge as well as general Patton.