In December 1944, after Bastogne had already been liberated, and as a last-ditch effort to avoid complete defeat, Hitler's troops attacked again in the Ardennes, just as they did in 1914 and 1940. The goal was to advance to Antwerp, to cut off supply and separate British from American troops. On December 16th, taking advantage of the cold and the fog, the German artillery started the so-called Battle of the Bulge by attacking the sparsely deployed American troops around Bastogne. A few days later, General McAuliffe and the 101st Airborne Division arrived to counter-attack but, after heavy fighting, got encircled in the city. On December 22nd, German emissaries asked for the American surrender, to which the General's answer was quite brief: - Nuts! The next day, the weather cleared up, allowing air retaliation and the parachuting of much needed food, medicine, and weaponry. On December 26th, the troops of General Patton broke the deadlock. No member of the 101st Airborne Division has ever said that they needed Patton's assistance. The official end of the Battle of Bastogne only occurred three weeks later, when all fighting finally stopped. By that time, the city was completely destroyed and more than 25,000 people had been killed, not counting the more than 50,000 who were never found.

Pictured here are two 1:48 scale US soldiers from the 101st Airborne ("Screaming Eagles"), who were tasked with defending the all-important town of Bastogne, which lay astride several roads junctures within the Ardennes Forest. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Approximate Height: 1-1/2 to 2 inches