In the center of the town of Bastogne, Belgium, stands a damaged Sherman tank and a statue of Anthony McAuliffe, who commanded American troops in the besieged town during the Battle of the Bulge. The American general became famous for his single-word reply to a demand for surrender. On December 22, 1944, American troops received a message from the German forces outside of town. They demanded “the honorable surrender” of the town within two hours. General McAuliffe’s reply was brief and succinct: “To the German Commander: NUTS! The American Commander” The…
