Battle of the Bulge Day--La Gleize and Bastogne

Map of the battle. The crossroads at La Gleize and
Bastogne were the keys to Hitler's success. 

On Saturday (6/20), I wanted to take the students to a pair of historical sites that were both central in deciding the outcome of the battle and that offered spectacular battlefield relics. That meant that we would visit the small village of La Gleize as well as Bastogne.

In December, 1944, Hitler’s goal was to strike west with his remaining mobile reserve, splitting the Allied front and pinning the British up against the English Channel, just as he had done in 1940. He didn’t think he could win the war, but he hoped a massive victory would demoralize the American and British public. He was convinced it would gain him a few months of respite while he stabilized the Russian front. The initial attack staggered the Allies, whose intelligence had failed completely. Within hours German forces shattered the American front, overrunning foxholes and rounding up thousands of prisoners.

Battle-Group Peiper's route to La Gleize. American troops stopped him dead.

La Gleize was where the northern flank of the German attack failed. Led by a ruthless veteran SS commander, the battle-group massacred Belgian civilians and hundreds of American prisoners, most infamously at the Malmedy crossroads. 

The SS massacred American prisoners at Malmedy

This force was racing to seize the Meuse River crossings, but enough American troops held their ground to refuse bridges and road junctions all around La Gleize. Eventually, fighting in the area devolved into house-to-house and hand-to-hand combat. The Germans ran out of gas and ammunition; the survivors abandoned their heavy equipment and fled.

The La Gleize Tiger and my students. 

King Tiger 213 is a relic of that battle. It was damaged during the fighting, but was still serviceable. Following the battle, American soldiers practiced shooting armor-piercing shells at its front glacis. The solid shot gouged the armor, but didn’t penetrate—so visitors get a sense of why Allied soldiers found Tigers so terrifying. The tank stands in front of the December 44 Museum, restored and larger--in every dimension--than a modern M1A2 Abrams. It is huge.

This museum is all about militiaria and this battle alone--there's no attempt to provide any broader historical or political context. The King Tiger tank outside is the most imposing relic, but you can get lost in the huge collection of uniforms, weapons, equipment, and even foodstuffs. If you like your military history unadulterated, this is the place for you. Even the gift shop is overflowing with military memorabilia. I had to explain to an enthusiastic student that he would have to refrain from purchasing a reproduction German potato-masher hand grenade. There was no way he would get it past airport security.

Display of SS uniforms and equipment in a scene
reproducing the fierce  house-to-house fighting

An "up-armored" American jeep

I loved this set of artifacts: chewing gum, Chiclets, and cigarettes. German
newsreels showed numerous SS troops happily passing around food they had
plundered from their American prisoners. 

Invitation to the show. The scrum in
La Gleize finally made sense.  

In addition, our visit coincided with the Bourse Militaria Internationale show. Collectors came from all over Europe and the world to deal in military antiques. When we arrived in our bus, we couldn't understand why all the roads into town were choked with cars. I initially thought a bicycle race was in progress (the Ardennes are a biker's dream). Instead, barricades blocked the road to the museum and groups of surly, serious-looking men stared up at us from their exhibits. They demanded we pay to enter the area. Arnaud, our guide, patiently explained that the 15 teenagers were not in the market to purchase wartime-era uniforms, and the organizers permitted us to pass through to the museum unmolested.

We were not allowed to approach the booths (registered guests only) but it was fascinating to see tables covered in Second World War-era ammunition clips, web gear, and helmets. There were also a few young men who were clearly there because they have an unhealthy obsession with SS racism (see my posting on neo-Nazi fashion HERE) They were fairly unobtrusive, which is more than could be said in 2011 when they marched through the streets in full SS regalia. The story in French is here. It appears that the Tiger tank may serve as an unholy relic for neo-Nazi pilgrims, and the commander of the SS battlegroup has become one of their "saints". Yuck.

Incidentally, there's a Wisconsin connection here as well. Senator Joe McCarthy (yes... that Joe McCarthy) served on a Senate committee in which he defended Peiper and his troops--apparently McCarthy felt that left-leaning Hollywood types were a greater danger to America than fanatical Nazi officers who had worked closely with Himmler and the Einsatzgruppen in Russia.

We then moved on to Bastogne, where we visited the Bastogne War Museum. It was a much richer experience overall, although it lacked the—er—authenticity—of mixing with latter day Nazis. The museum provided a rich narrative experience, combining deeply cool artifacts (my favorite was the brewed-up Sherman inside the museum) with a story emphasizing humanity and reconciliation. 

Sherman in city center--note the killing shot that knocked it out.

Unlike La Gleize, where historical nuance takes a back seat to authentic equipment, Bastogne is the "real deal". A student could walk into the museum with no knowledge of the Second World War or the rise of Hitler and leave with a broad understanding of both. Better yet, the story even addresses the longer term implications of the battle on the region. What about all the minefields? What about the civilians trapped in the city? This museum addresses it all.

Telling a story helps kids learn--so the Bastogne War Museum
includes the stories of four young people.
Narratives are triggered as you proceed through the displays

Finally, there's the Bastogne Memorial directly behind the museum. I thought it was awesome. I suggest that anyone planning to visit this museum set aside an entire day--to really get through the museum thoroughly you'll want about 3-4 hours. An on-site cafe means you can take a break halfway through. Then head over to the memorial. You can climb to the top for a view of the surrounding countryside. I hope to return to this site someday.

A panoramic view of the Bastogne Memorial.
I made sure to frame "Wisconsin" in the center of the shot.

I watched a wreath-laying ceremony, complete with bag-piper.