Members of the 117th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division, move past a destroyed American M5 “Stuart” tank on their march to capture the town of St. Vith at the close of the Battle of the Bulge. St. Vith was largely destroyed during the ground battle and subsequent air attack. American forces retook the town on 23 January 1945.
This year, many families will spend the holidays with family members away, in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s tough being on the battlefield at any time of year, but during Christmas it’s especially hard. We talk to historian and author Stanley Weintraub about one Christmas, in 1944, when American soldiers spent a freezing holiday in the Ardennes forest, fighting for their lives against Hitler’s army during the Battle of the Bulge; and how a general’s prayers could have been the key to turning the tide in the Allies’ favor.
Guest Information:
- Stanley Weintraub, Evan Pugh Professor Emeritus of Arts & Humanities, Penn State University, and author of 11 Days in December: Christmas at the Bulge, 1944.
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