| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"Ken [NY]" |
| Date: |
25 Dec 2004 10:30:08 AM |
| Object: |
NO PLAN? TROOPS STRETCHED TOO THIN? |
December 23, 2004, 8:25 a.m.
Christmas Eve Combat
As in 1944, our soldiers know we will prevail.
By W. Thomas Smith Jr.
Surprise attacks in supposedly secure areas. A spike in casualties. A
few baffled American commanders. Suspicions of degrading morale within
some units. Outright refusal to carry out lawful orders in others.
Troops stretched too thin. Blame heaped on planners and those said to
be responsible for unreliable intelligence.
Sound familiar?
It all began 60 years ago - this very Christmas season - when the
German army, in a last-ditch effort, smashed through the Ardennes and
struck the primary Allied lines in Belgium. The attack created an
enormous salient or "bulge" in the lines - thus it was known as the
Battle of the Bulge (Dec. 16, 1944, to Jan. 28, 1945) - and threatened
to cut American and British forces in half.
As the Germans continued deepening, the salient, fresh American units
were hurriedly trucked forward from France, including the U.S. Army's
crack 101st and the 82nd Airborne Divisions.
The 82nd, the lead division on the road north, was tasked with
blunting the enemy's advance along the Salm River. The 101st followed.
En route, the advancing Germans passed between the 82nd and the 101st,
separating the two.
"THE BATTLING BASTARDS OF BASTOGNE"
The 101st, under the command of Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe,
was about to make history. The division was rushed toward the
strategically vital town of Bastogne.
The allies believed that by holding Bastogne they could regroup their
forces and launch a counterattack. The Germans also realized the value
of the town: It served as a major highway junction and a potentially
important hub for mechanized forces. Control of the roads was
critical: The surrounding terrain was rugged and not particularly
vehicle-friendly. Consequently, both the Germans and the 101st raced
to the city.
In their haste, the American paratroopers had been unable to properly
equip themselves. They were desperately short of ammunition, food,
water, medical supplies, and winter clothing, much less vehicle armor
and personal body armor, which was virtually nonexistent in those
days.
On the road, the men of the 101st were shocked to see frightened,
fleeing American soldiers (non-Airborne), most of whom were green
18-year-old draftees who had seen little if any combat. The paratroops
demanded much-needed ammo from their retreating "leg" brethren. The
latter happily complied.
The paratroops arrived first on the 18th and quickly set up defensive
positions. The Germans arrived the following day, surrounded the
101st, and laid siege to Bastogne. At that point, some 18,000
Americans in the town were facing 45,000 Germans. Worse, the weather
was so poor that Allied aircraft were not able to provide close air
support or make resupply drops. But despite the weather, sub-zero
temperatures, dwindling supplies, and numerous enemy attacks, the
101st was committed to holding at all costs.
IKE AND PATTON
On the 19th, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander,
called a meeting of his chiefs at Verdun. "The present situation is to
be regarded as an opportunity for us and not a disaster," Ike said,
trying to set a positive tone. "There will only be cheerful faces at
this conference table."
Lt. Gen. George S. Patton agreed, adding, "Hell, let's have the guts
to let the sons of bitches go all the way to Paris. Then we'll really
cut 'em off and chew 'em up." Of course, Patton's brassy suggestion
was not an option.
Eisenhower's immediate concern was Bastogne. He asked Patton when he
and his Third Army would be able to mount a rescue operation. Patton
responded, "on the morning of December 21st."
An impossible boast in Ike's mind, he gave Patton an additional two
days.
"NUTS"
On December 22nd, German officers, under a flag of truce, delivered a
rather long-winded message from Lt. Gen. Heinrich von Luttwitz to
General McAuliffe at Bastogne. The message, demanding the Americans
surrender, appealed to the "well-known American humanity" to save the
citizens of Bastogne from further suffering. McAuliffe was given two
hours to reply.
Having no intention of surrendering, McAuliffe was initially at a loss
for words. One of his aides remarked that the general's first comment
upon receiving the surrender demand might be wholly appropriate.
McAuliffe agreed and penned his now-famous response to the Germans. It
simply read, "NUTS."
The message was then delivered by American Col. Joseph Harper to a
group of German officers waiting in nearby woods. Harper handed the
note to one of the Germans who read it and then looked at Harper in
confusion.
"What does that mean?" the German asked. "Is this affirmative or
negative?"
Harper responded, "It means you can all go to hell."
Meanwhile, Patton ordered his chief chaplain to compose a prayer
asking God for good weather in which to fight. The resulting prayer
reads:
Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee, of Thy
great goodness, to restrain these immoderate rains with which we have
had to contend. Grant us fair weather for battle. Graciously hearken
to us as soldiers who call upon Thee that, armed with Thy power, we
may advance from victory to victory, and crush the oppression and
wickedness of our enemies and establish Thy justice among men and
nations.
The following day, the skies were clear and aircraft were up, but the
situation was becoming increasingly desperate at Bastogne.
CHRISTMAS EVE, 1944
On Christmas Eve, Gen. McAuliffe visited with captured German
prisoners and wished them well. He also shared with his own men the
story about his response to the surrender demand, and he presented a
Christmas message, a portion of which reads:
What's merry about all this, you ask? We're fighting. It's cold.
We aren't home. All true. But what has the proud [Screaming] Eagle
Division accomplished with its worthy comrades...? Just this: We have
stopped cold everything that has been thrown at us from the north,
east, south and west. We have identifications from four German panzer
divisions, two German infantry divisions and one German parachute
division. These units, spearheading the last desperate German lunge,
were heading straight west for key points when the Eagle Division was
hurriedly ordered to stem the advance. How effectively this was done
will be written in history; not alone in our Division's glorious
history but in world history. The Germans actually did surround us,
their radios blared our doom. Allied troops are counterattacking in
force. We continue to hold Bastogne. By holding Bastogne we assure the
success of the Allied armies.
Out on the perimeter, cold, hungry soldiers shook hands with one
another and said goodbyes. Despite McAuliffe's words, the situation
was bleak, and the paratroopers knew it. They were running perilously
short of food and ammunition. Frostbite and pneumonia casualties were
thinning their ranks almost hourly. And there was a numerically
superior enemy force surrounding them in the darkness.
On the 26th, Patton punched through to Bastogne, and within hours the
Germans began falling back.
Did the men of the 101st ever complain about their situation or
question their superiors? No more than any soldiers have done
throughout history, and probably less than some, because the amazing
consensus among the paratroopers who fought at Bastogne was that they
did not need to be relieved by Patton's forces.
In fact, following the relief at Bastogne, the airborne soldiers were
tasked with seizing a
number of Belgian towns and hamlets, which they did with the same dash
and aplomb they would have had after a period of rest and
recuperation. Why? Because the men of Bastogne — like their
descendents today serving in Iraq — understood the rewards reaped from
hardship.
CHRISTMAS 2004
"Thriving under harsh conditions is something that is bred into us
from the beginning of boot camp," 19-year-old Marine Cpl. Richard B.
McCluskey told NRO. "It is in our heritage and tradition that we
thrive under hardship."
Staff Sgt. William R. Bilenski, a ten-year veteran of the Marine Corps
and a transportation chief currently serving his third tour in Iraq,
agrees. "Regardless of the situation, if it's a legitimate order, you
shut your mouth and do it, no questions asked," he told NRO.
And the morale here is high. My Marines go on the road every
single day, and they look forward to going out every single day. They
drive for countless hours, man the crew-served weapons, and provide
their own security teams. That is all they live for out here -
accomplishing the mission - that is what takes them to the next day.
Despite the media-coached National Guardsman (certainly not a
frontline combatant like those slugging it out in Fallujah and
elsewhere) who publicly questioned the U.S. defense secretary,
comments like McCluskey's and Bilenski's are the heartfelt sentiments
of the vast majority of combat Marines and soldiers who know - like
their great-grandfathers at Bastogne - America will prevail.
-- A former U.S. Marine infantry leader and paratrooper, W. Thomas
Smith Jr. is a freelance journalist and the author of four books,
including the Alpha Bravo Delta Guide to American Airborne Forces.
Cordially,
Ken (NY)
"Herr Kommandant! The Jews are hiding in those woods
right over there!"
-popular phrase in France in the early 1940s.
email: http://www.geocities.com/bluesguy68/email.htm
spammers can send mail to
http://www.flowgo.com/funpages/view.cfm/6402
.
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| User: "Riggs" |
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| Title: Re: NO PLAN? TROOPS STRETCHED TOO THIN? |
25 Dec 2004 10:55:20 AM |
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"Ken [NY]" <email@BelowThe.Text> wrote in
news:855rs09cqboo88dpqqcvch3fc2ptoibr6t@4ax.com:
December 23, 2004, 8:25 a.m.
Christmas Eve Combat
As in 1944, our soldiers know we will prevail.
Another asinine WWII/Iraq comparison. Sheesh.
--
For the finest in vulgarity:
http://www33.brinkster.com/bushpic
.
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| User: "Bishop The" |
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| Title: Re: NO PLAN? TROOPS STRETCHED TOO THIN? |
25 Dec 2004 11:12:19 AM |
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On 25-Dec-2004, Riggs <pinetar.20.riggs@spamgourmet.com> wrote:
Another asinine WWII/Iraq comparison. Sheesh.
...and another intelligent answer.
You might point out that the tactics used in WWII against a
known country in an arena is not the same as insurgents
dressed like civlians, and really have no country's flag
flying.
When the enemy is all around you, and you cannot see the
forest for the trees, you have a problem.
Choice 1:
Kill everyone who comes withing 100 yards and suffer the
entire world's wrath and disrespect.
Choice 2:
Be specific and suffer the casualties that we see today and
make sure you are not killing civilians (you know those
"100,000" civilians America killed).
Choice 3:
Get the hell out and watch as we create another Afghanastan.
Because if the new Iraq government is not securely in place,
that's exactly what will happen.
....and your answer to this problem would be.............???
.
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| User: "Johnny Lately" |
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| Title: Re: NO PLAN? TROOPS STRETCHED TOO THIN? |
25 Dec 2004 12:02:53 PM |
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"Bishop" <The Bishop@InTheHall.Com> wrote in message
news:Tbhzd.14653$LW1.1014@fe2.columbus.rr.com...
On 25-Dec-2004, Riggs <pinetar.20.riggs@spamgourmet.com> wrote:
Another asinine WWII/Iraq comparison. Sheesh.
..and another intelligent answer.
You might point out that the tactics used in WWII against a
known country in an arena is not the same as insurgents
dressed like civlians, and really have no country's flag
flying.
When the enemy is all around you, and you cannot see the
forest for the trees, you have a problem.
Choice 1:
Kill everyone who comes withing 100 yards and suffer the
entire world's wrath and disrespect.
Choice 2:
Be specific and suffer the casualties that we see today and
make sure you are not killing civilians (you know those
"100,000" civilians America killed).
Choice 3:
Get the hell out and watch as we create another Afghanastan.
Because if the new Iraq government is not securely in place,
that's exactly what will happen.
...and your answer to this problem would be.............???
Every emerging Nation has had a Civil War.
America accomplished Bush's goal a year ago.
It is an oil grab at this point.
.
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| User: "Bishop The" |
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| Title: Re: NO PLAN? TROOPS STRETCHED TOO THIN? |
25 Dec 2004 12:32:45 PM |
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On 25-Dec-2004, "Johnny Lately" <JohnnyLately@JohnnyLately.net> wrote:
Another asinine WWII/Iraq comparison. Sheesh.
..and another intelligent answer.
You might point out that the tactics used in WWII against a
known country in an arena is not the same as insurgents
dressed like civlians, and really have no country's flag
flying.
When the enemy is all around you, and you cannot see the
forest for the trees, you have a problem.
Choice 1:
Kill everyone who comes withing 100 yards and suffer the
entire world's wrath and disrespect.
Choice 2:
Be specific and suffer the casualties that we see today and
make sure you are not killing civilians (you know those
"100,000" civilians America killed).
Choice 3:
Get the hell out and watch as we create another Afghanastan.
Because if the new Iraq government is not securely in place,
that's exactly what will happen.
...and your answer to this problem would be.............???
Every emerging Nation has had a Civil War.
America accomplished Bush's goal a year ago.
It is an oil grab at this point.
You didn't answer my question. Your solution is............???
So tell us, who's grabbing, where's the oil. If we have it,
gas prices would be about $1.00/gal. We certainly don't have
the oil money because the debt keeps climbing.
So again, who's grabbing?
.
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| User: "slim" |
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| Title: Re: NO PLAN? TROOPS STRETCHED TOO THIN? |
25 Dec 2004 08:36:36 PM |
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"Ken [NY]" wrote:
December 23, 2004, 8:25 a.m.
Christmas Eve Combat
As in 1944, our soldiers know we will prevail.
By W. Thomas Smith Jr.
Surprise attacks in supposedly secure areas. A spike in casualties. A
few baffled American commanders. Suspicions of degrading morale within
some units. Outright refusal to carry out lawful orders in others.
Troops stretched too thin. Blame heaped on planners and those said to
be responsible for unreliable intelligence.
Sound familiar?
Yes. It sounds like VIETNAM.
--
http://www.bushflash.com/thanks.html
http://www.worldmessenger.20m.com/weapons.html#wms
George "The AWOL President" Bush: http://www.awolbush.com/
WHY IRAQ?: http://www.angelfire.com/creep/gwbush/remindus.html
http://www.toostupidtobepresident.com/shockwave/chickenhawks.htm
"Bubba got a BJ, BU$H screwed us all!" - Slim
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