December 1944: The Battle of The Bulge

The Battle of the Bulge was the largest and bloodiest battle during World War II on Europe’s western front, with casualties of 81,000 Americans and 100,00 Germans.It began at the end of 1944 when National Socialist Workers Party amassed three armies for an enormous attack against the Allies in the Ardennes Forest.General Eisenhower stated in his order, DECEMBER 22, 1944:”By rushing out from his fixed defenses the enemy may give us the chance to turn his great gamble into his worst defeat.

So I call upon every man, of all the Allies, to rise now to new heights of courage…with unshakable faith in the cause for which we fight, we will, with God’s help, go forward to our greatest victory.”

The Nazis soon surrounded the U.S. 101st Airborne Division in the town of Bastogne, southern Belgium.

When demanded they surrender, DECEMBER 22, 1944, U.S. General Anthony McAuliffe answered with one word: “Nuts.”

This response caused the Nazi commander to hesitate.

Marching to the rescue was General George Patton and the U.S. Third Army, but they were pinned down due to bad weather preventing planes from flying to give air cover.

General Patton directed Chaplain James O’Neill to compose a prayer, which was printed on cards and distributed to the 250,000 troops to pray:

“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 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. Amen.”

The reverse of the card had General Patton’s Christmas Greeting:

“To each officer and soldier in the Third United States Army, I wish a Merry Christmas. I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty, and skill in battle. We march in our might to complete victory.

May God’s blessings rest upon each of you on this Christmas Day.- G.S. Patton, Jr., Lieutenant General Commanding, Third United States Army.”

The weather cleared, the planes gave air support and the Allies counterattacked, breaking the  deadlock.

This was the beginning of the end, as just four months later Hitler committed suicide and the National Socialist Workers Party surrendered.

Get the book, Miracles in American History-32 Amazing Stories of Answered Prayer

President Franklin Roosevelt told the American people, December 24, 1944:

“It is not easy to say ‘Merry Christmas’ to you, my fellow Americans, in this time of destructive war…

We will celebrate this Christmas Day in our traditional American way…because the teachings of Christ are fundamental in our lives…the story of the coming of the immortal Prince of Peace.”