ARTHUR CYR: Peace and war at Christmas
The Christmas season emphasizes harmony, but includes the anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, the largest battle in the history of the United States. On Dec. 16, 1944, Nazi Germany launched an enormous offensive through the quiet, thinly defended Ardennes Forest in Belgium. Adolf Hitler and planners in Berlin achieved total surprise. German forces rapidly gained ground. For Europeans among the Allies, the attack was reminiscent of the stunning 1940 German drive that overran France and secured Nazi domination of the continent. Among Dwight D. Eisenhowerâs associates at Supreme Allied ...