Did McAuliffe really say nuts?

He is celebrated for his one-word reply to a German surrender ultimatum: “Nuts!” After the battle, McAuliffe was promoted and given command of the 103rd Infantry Division, which he led from January 1945 to July 1945….Anthony McAuliffe.

Why did Anthony McAuliffe say nuts?

Anthony McAuliffe (2 July 1898 – 11 August 1975) was the United States Army general who was the acting division commander of the 101st Airborne Division troops defending Bastogne, Belgium, during World War II’s Battle of the Bulge, famous for his single-word reply of “Nuts!” in response to a German surrender ultimatum.

What did Nuts mean at the Battle of Bastogne?

Anthony McAuliffe of the 101st Airborne to answer the German call for surrender at Bastogne with the one-word interjection, “Nuts!” (Asked by the puzzled German emissaries what it meant, an aide to McAuliffe reportedly replied, “It means, ‘Go to hell. ‘”)

Did the 101st Airborne fight in the Battle of the Bulge?

Their first combat was west of Bastogne and the troopers cleared this area of German units. Members of the 101st Airborne Division, armed with bazookas, are on guard for enemy tanks on the road leading to Bastogne. The Battle of the Bulge was costly for the Airborne.

Did the Americans say nuts to the Germans?

Moore wakened McAulliffe and told him, “The Germans have sent some people forward to take our surrender.” Moore recalled that Brig. Gen. McAuliffe, still half asleep, said “Nuts!” and started to climb out of his sleeping bag. The German surrender demand was typewritten on two sheets.

What did the reply nuts mean?

“NUTS,” an official military response to a German commander. The response was to a German letter threatening to annihilate over 100,000 US troops in what was to be known as The Battle of the Bulge. Over a quarter-million German troops were moved into place as all hell broke loose as they advanced into Bastogne.

What was the response by the 101st Airborne commanding general when the Germans offered them surrender terms?

On December 22, the American troops were sent an ultimatum from the German forces outside of the town, demanding “the honorable surrender” of the town within two hours. General McAuliffe reply was brief and succinct: “To the German Commander: N U T S !

When did the 101st lose its airborne status?

The division was inactivated 30 November 1945. For their efforts during World War II, the 101st Airborne Division was awarded four campaign streamers and two Presidential Unit Citations.

Which is better the 101st or 82nd Airborne?

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. – The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) defeated the 82nd Airborne Division in the finals of an online unit pride competition, April 22. The online competition generated nearly 1.5 million total votes for 16 different Army units during the 20-day event.

What General said nuts to the Germans?

Anthony McAuliffe’s 1944 Christmas Message to his Troops. In mid-December 1944, Allied forces were surprised by a massive German offensive through the Ardennes Forrest that created a “bulge” in the Allied lines.

What did the general mean by nuts?

“NUTS,” an official military response to a German commander. The response was to a German letter threatening to annihilate over 100,000 US troops in what was to be known as The Battle of the Bulge. The plan was to split, surround and capture—or kill the—US troops.

What does the acronym nuts stand for?

NUTS

Where was the 101st Airborne in the Battle of the Bulge?

Caught in what would become known as the “Battle of the Bulge,” the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Armed Forces was holed up in Bastogne while German armored divisions encircled the town.

Who was the commander of the 101st Airborne Division?

Inside the town, General McAuliffe commanded the 101st Airborne Division and other tank and artillery units. That morning, a German contingent approached the 101st under a flag of truce, and handed a surrender ultimatum to Major Alvin Jones, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 327th Glider Infantry.

Who was the commander of the Battle of the Bulge?

In December 1944, the German army launched the surprise attack that became the Battle of the Bulge. Major General Maxwell D. Taylor, commander of the 101st Airborne Division, was attending a staff conference in the United States at the time. During Taylor’s absence, McAuliffe commanded the 101st and its attached troops.

Who was the German commander in Bastogne in 1944?

The German Commander. Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe and his staff gathered inside Bastogne’s Heintz Barracks for Christmas dinner December 25th, 1944. This military barracks served as the Division Main Command Post during the siege of Bastogne, Belgium during World War II.