Bastogne: The Story of the First Eight Days - US Army Center Of ...

"NUTS!" 117
asked, "Is the reply negative or affirmative? If it is the latter I
will negotiate further."
All of this time the Germans were acting in an upstage and
patronizing manner. Colonel Harper was beginning to lose his
temper. He said, 'The reply is decidedly not affirmative." Then
he added, "If you continue this foolish attack your losses will be
tremendous." The major nodded his head.
Harper put the two officers in the jeep and took them back to
the main road where the German privates were waiting with the
white Bag.
He then removed the blindfold and said to them, speaking
through the German captain, "If you don't understand what
'Nuts' means, in plain English it is the same as 'Go to hell.' And
I will tell you something else-if you continue to attack we will
kill every goddam German that tries to break into this city."9
The German major and captain saluted very stilly. The captain
said, 'We will kill many Americans. This is war." It was
then 1350. 10
"On your way, Bud," said Colonel Harper, "and good luck to
you. "
The four Germans walked on down the road. Harper returned
to the house, regretting that his tongue had slipped and that he
had wished them good luck. ll
The rest of the day was comparatively quiet. The wholesale
destruction by artillery that the Germans had promised did not
materalize. But, at 1555 there was an attack by some 50 of the
enemy against Company F, 327th Glider Infantry, over precisely
the same ground where the German mediators had come into our
lines. The attack was broken up by small-arms and artillery fire.
At 1700 another small attack was again pressed to within 200
yards of Company F's lines but was beaten back by fire.
The terrain at this spot formed a kind of bowl. The Germans
came with their tanks into the bottom of the bowl and fired up
against the foxholes along the slope. The men under Sergeant
Butler, who had the riBe platoon, and Lieutenant Smith, who
had the weapons platoon, held their ground and drove the attackers
off with infantry fire alone. lI