The Eagles of Bastogne: The Untold Story of the Heroic Defense of a City Under Siege

by Martin King, Michael Collins, Bob Allen

There are few names in the annals of military history that evoke such emotion, and in some cases controversy, as the small Belgian town of Bastogne. The 101st Airborne are the best known defenders of Bastogne, but they only constituted one third of the eventual force that saved the city from total annihilation.

This book digs deeper into the defense of Bastogne, revealing more details about those indomitable “Screaming Eagles” and the other units that stood with them during that punishingly bitter cold winter of 1944/45. It also presents the perspective of the German soldiers trying desperately to re-take Bastogne that desperate winter. It is a story of sacrifice, dedication to duty, and honor in the face of terrible adversity, but more importantly it’s a human story, one that encapsulates the finest attributes of humankind in the absolute direst of circumstances.

Table of Contents

1 Setting the Stage
2 We're Heading Where?
3 First into Bastogne
4 Dig in and get ready
5 Lights Out
6 Disintegration and Destruction
7 Hand to Hand, Face to Face
8 We're Running out of Everything
9 The Value of Momentum
10 He Said What?
11 Smiling at Me
12 What's Merry About All This?
13 The Proud Eagle Division
14 A Winter's Tale
15 Who's Patton?

Genres: World War II

272 pages, Hardcover

Published May 31, 2024

About the author

Emmy Award winning British Military Historian/Author/ Lecturer who's had the honor of reintroducing many US, British and German veterans to the WWII battlefields where they fought. He lives in Belgium near Antwerp where he spends his most of his time visiting European battlefields.

His voluntary work tracing individual histories has been a labor of love for almost 30 years. He speaks, and has a working knowledge of German Italian Dutch and French. Frequently in demand as a public speaker he has lectured at many British and US colleges, universities and military bases throughout the world. The History Channel hired Martin as a Historical Consultant on their series "Cities of the Underworld". In 2007 he began a new assignment working as a Historical consultant/writer on the hit series 'Greatest Tank Battles', currently the most watched military documentary in the US. Shortly thereafter he accepted an invitation to work as a Presenter/Historical Consultant on the series 'Narrow Escapes' with Bafta Award winning documentary makers WMR.

He is a frequent visitor to the prestigious West Point Military Academy. Widely regarded as a leading authority on European Military History, General Graham Hollands referred to him as the "Greatest living expert on the Battle of the Bulge". Steven Ambrose called him "Our expert in the Ardennes". Fellow writer and notable historian Professor Carlton Joyce said "He really is the best on the Ardennes". His campaigning work for World War Two veterans recently came to attention of some leading military personnel at the Pentagon who cordially invited him to present his latest work there. Awarded 'SERVICES TO EDUCATION' certificates by the USAF and NATO. In 2015 his documentary feature 'Searching for Augusta' received no less than 7 EMMY AWARDS for 'BEST HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY'. In 2017 his book 'THe Fighting 30th Division - They called them Roosevelt's SS' was nominated in the USA for the 'Prestigious writer Award'. He's also an Honorary Citizen and chosen Cultural Ambassador

Reviews

[Jeff M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative. But the author clearly dislikes Band of Brothers and the fact that it made only E Co famous. Never misses an opportunity to smack them down a little. It just because annoying and distracting.

[John Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Eagles of Bastogne, by Martin King with Michael Collins, Patrick Seeling, and Ronald Stassen; Casemate: Havertown, PA; $34.95 hardback
Six months after D-Day in Normandy, Allied commands believed Nazi Germany was finished. Troops even celebrated while on leave in newly liberated Paris! Then surprise and shock struck like iron! Utterly unexpected, a massive German armored assault through the Ardennes Forest in Belgium stunned Allied forces, sweeping American defenders before them. The pell-mell retreat was horrific, until a desperate, surrounded defensive perimeter was hurled together at Bastogne, Belgium.
British historian Martin King arrayed insights by today’s masters of the battle to jointly collate this elegant study. King cites poignant, astounding, heartfelt, and disturbing personal stories of actual combatants. He explains these against the strategic background. Thus we understand how the great military decisions affected actual soldiers in foxholes and blown-apart buildings. Remarkable episodes pierce the veils of time. Surgeons operated with barely any medications. A Belgian priest saved his small village, then celebrated an outdoor Mass while shells still blasted nearby. Weather’s inconstancy denied air cover to desperately dug in members of the 101st Airborne Division. Fog’s appearance and vanishing disconcerted both sides’ knowledge of the enemy’s emplacements, which caused random shootouts and friendly fire casualties. Whirling German forces and their American enemies slammed endless ordnance at one another, requiring Allied resupply by air when skies were clear. The Germans lack of aircraft and gasoline were unable to match even the limited Allied efforts. Time was crucial to German success in slicing the Allies’ armies in two. Normally, the German General Staff would bypass a difficult town. Bastogne however stood watch over critical crossroads which could not be left unconquered. Surrounded, starving, and low on ammunition, the Americans clawed food from dead animal meat, dug ever deeper to avoid the endless pounding of shells, and still gunned down German soldiers sent to slaughter them.
King’s colleagues are intent on preserving the history of a remarkable struggle. They hope to preserve for all time an appreciation of a Homeric fight to preserve a free people. They’ve achieved, through diligent terrain research, intense interviews, and comparative studies of written sources the actual flow of events. Moreover, they’ve accomplished a far more noble goal. They’ve expressed, through precisely appropriate anecdotes, telling, marvelous incidents, and sensitive actual survivors’ comments, what bravery and selfless courage could do against determined foes. These authors present a clear, well mapped and explained story of valor which we will admire for generations more. With this book we learn how focused soldier skills of average Americans fought for freedom, and liberated a people long held under by tyranny.

[Catherine Mustread · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Week on History Happy Hour (011225): "There are few names in the annals of military history that evoke such emotion as the small Belgian town of Bastogne. The 101st Airborne are the best-known defenders of Bastogne, but they only constituted one third of the eventual force that saved the city from total annihilation. Chris and Rick discuss the heroic defense of the city with historian Martin King, lead author of The Eagles of Bastogne, a story of sacrifice, dedication to duty, and honor in the face of terrible adversity."

[Joe Holman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very important story told from the viewpoint of those from both sides who fought it. It covers the entire battle from the time the Germans launched their counterattack right through January 1945 when, though the siege was lifted, the units still had savage fighting to do. The only things that prevent this from getting 5 stars is that is a bit disjointed in places and there needs to be additional maps so that, as the battle unfolds, people know where each area is.

[spencer wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredibly detailed and well-written tribute to the 101st airborne division during the Battle of Bastogne.

[Gary Allen, PhD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read and good coverage of the event.