260

McAuliffe, General Anthony C

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Historical Memorabilia Start Price:0.00 USD Estimated At:20,000.00 - 25,000.00 USD
McAuliffe, General Anthony C
McAuliffe, General Anthony C (1898-1975) American soldier and West Point graduate. He fought in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. He is famous for the most famous quote from World War II: "Nuts!" Autograph Letter Signed "A C McAuliffe," 1 1/3 pp (Washington, DC), Feb. 20, 1975. Written less than six months before McAuliffe's death to a young man, Mr. Jonathan Cross, in Philadelphia, explaining the circumstances during the Battle of the Bulge which led to his famous quote. In full:

"Dear Jonathan: The best answers to your questions are contained in the many histories that are available, like 'Battle: The Story of the Bulge' by John Toland. I commanded the 101st Airborne Division and attached troops, a force of about 20,000, charged with defense of the key road center of Bastogne. We were quickly surrounded and cut off by the Germans. Their commander sent me a written demand to surrender, saying our situation was hopeless. The Germans asked for a written reply, so I gave them one: 'Nuts.' I was disgusted and was sure we could hold out until General Patton's Army broke through to us. This we did. Sincerely, A. C. McAuliffe." Very fine. Accompanied by the transmittal envelope, addressed in McAuliffe's hand.

The Battle of the Bulge (Dec. 16, 1944-Jan. 25, 1945), called Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein by the Germans and the Ardennes-Alsace campaign by the U.S. Army, but now more commonly know as the Battle of the Bulge, was Germany's last, desperate offensive of the war. It was also the largest land battle of World War II in which American forces took part. Hitler planned to take Allied forces by surprise by attacking a weakly-defended area in the Ardennes mountain range during bad weather, when Allied aircraft could not be deployed, and to push through to the harbor at Antwerp. He hoped to divide British and American forces, whose generals were known to bicker, and to force them to sue for a separate peace from the one the Germans would have to sign with the Soviets; this would give the Germans more time to churn out more war materiel.

The town of Bastogne was vital to the Germans, as all seven roads in the Ardennes mountains converged on the town. By noon of Dec. 21st, they had surrounded Bastogne and on the 22nd, the German commander, Generalleutnant Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz, sent a written demand for surrender in order to avoid "total annihilation." McAuliffe, who was in command only because Gen. Maxwell Taylor was elsewhere, didn't hesitate, even though most of his medical supplies and personnel had been captured and artillery ammunition was restricted to ten rounds per gun per day. McAuliffe's gutsy reply to the Germans raised the morale of Allied troops everywhere when word got out. His faith in Patton was justified, too; Old Blood and Guts showed up with his Third Army the day after Christmas, bringing much-needed relief.

More than 1,000,000 men fought in the Battle of the Bulge: some 600,000 Germans, 500,000 Americans, and 55,000 British. American casualties were approximately 80,000, wih 19,000 killed; British casualties were 1400, with 200 killed; and Germans killed, wounded, or captured amounted to 100,000.

After the Battle of the Bulge, McAuliffe was given command of the 103rd Infantry Division of the US 7th Army, which he led from January 15, 1945 to July, 1945. For his actions at Bastogne, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross by General Patton on Dec. 30, 1944, and later received the Distinguished Service Medal.

Without question the most important World War II letter we have handled. It could realize a runaway price.
Estimated Value $20,000 - 25,000.

Our item number 157950