Can we just talk about the Battle of Bastonge?
Like, this place is pivotal to the German counterpush into France. There are seven roads that lead to Antwerp (a major Allied supply depot, so an important target) and they all pass through the city. To do this, they get Panzer divisions to push through the Ardennes forest, where Allied troops are at the weakest (due to some serious forgetfulness, exhausted and newer troops are sent to that sector). They smash through easy. They're converging on Bastonge, and Allied command can see the writing on the wall.
So they send the 101st to Bastonge with orders to hold the city.
Like, these guys are paratroopers. They have few anti tank weapons. They are not designed for this at all. This is not their function. Full stop. Cease this. They are facing tanks with M1 Carbines that shoot pistol rounds, knives, maybe a few MGs and bazookas, and their bare frickin hands.
And they hold out. And then, General George Patton, the CRAZIEST MOTHERFRICKER TO GET 3 STARS IN ALLIED ARMIES, tells Allied Command, "I can have four divisions in Bastonge in four days."
Everyone looks at him like he's crazy, because guess what, he's like 140 miles south in the Saar region. This is, shockingly, 140 miles away in Sherman tanks that cannot go all that fast. Oh, and it's winter, so all the roads are iced over.
And then they give him a chance.
And he DISENGAGES HIS ARMY AND STARTS DRIVING 140 MILES NORTH TO BASTONGE.
Meanwhile, in Bastonge, they are still very much under siege. Men are losing fingers to frostbite. Guns are jamming with ice. They are almost out of ammo.
And they get a letter from the German commander that is basically just a very long way to say "surrender." Like three pages of "we will run you into the ground if you deny this request."
And the commander of the 101st in Bastonge sends his response of one word.
And the translator is confused by this, so he looks the dude's aide in the eye and says "What does this mean."
And the aide's response? "It means go to hell."
And eventually, Sherman tanks start rolling up on the panzers outside and doing things that tanks do when fighting other tanks, and the 101st has their butts saved.
But guess what? The day before the tanks pop up, the 101st are IRONING THEIR UNIFORMS AND BRUSHING UP BECAUSE "we don't need cavalry to save us from a fight."
So, in conclusion, Screaming Eagles of the 101st are frickin insane.
