National world war ii memorial. I have written several books , including war ii one called the longest winter, which is about the battle of the bulge and americas most decorated platoon from world war ii. It is my great honor to serve today, as your master ceremonies. Thank you all for joining us on this chilly, Beautiful Day as we mark the 75th anniversary of the battle of the bulge. The largest and bloodiest single battle fought by the United States in world war ii. In fact, the largest fought in the u. S. Of its entire history. Friends of the National World war ii memorial was a small Non Profit OrganizationWhose Mission is to honor and preserve the National Memory of world war ii and to create the next greatest generation of tomorrow. This morning ceremony is part of the friends National World war ii memorial fouryear world war ii 75th anniversary commemoration, which kicked off on property in 2016 and will continue towards the 75th anniversary on the september the 2nd 2020. I should stress that friends of the or only organization hosting a full four year 75th anniversary commemoration. Marking every single major battle in which america troops participated during world war ii. Now, if you are not already doing so, please stand at attention and render appropriate honors for the presentation of colors and the playing of the national anthem. Halt. [indiscernible] [indiscernible] tammy cruise will now give the invocation. Let us pray. Gracious god you have ordered our lives in the compassion of your will. Here in our nations capital, we are reminded of washington and lincoln. One the 18th century father and the other the 19th century preserve our nation. Between then we honor those who took up the struggle for liberty and justice, freedom and peace in europe in the battle of the bulge. In this great series of battles, general eisenhower commented the president situation is to be regarded as one of opportunity for us and so it was. Today, we remember the struggle, the bravery and the tenacity, the acts of heroism of those who fought in the battle of the bulge. Those who survived and those who gave all their tomorrow is that we might have all of our todays. President truman rightly recognized our debt to the heroic men and women in the service our country can never be repaid. They have heard our and dying gratitude. Our undying earned gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices and so today we thank you especially to those who are part of this great series of the battle in world war ii and to the families. We remember those voices now silent and rest from their labors and sacred fields of honor throughout this land on foreign soil. Especially, we held sacred the memory of those who gave their lives in the struggle of peace symbolized by the 4048 gold stars on the freedom wall. They shall shine like the sun in the kingdom of their father. They fought together as brothers and arms and die together, now they sleep side by side. To that we have a solemn obligation. We pause in a moment of silence to remember the fallen at the battle of the bulge. They should grow not old. Age shall not where we them, nor the years condemned. At the going down in the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. We would be amiss if we fail to forget the families of our fallen comrades who have weekly sacrificed by giving up their fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and children. We pause to think of those who are deployed in harms where today. To protect them be with their families. Be that our vision that we might be faithful to the task of being instruments of peace in our day. Let freedom ring. Amen. On december 16, 1944, today, 75 years ago. German forces launched an amphibious counterattack, sorry, and ambitious counterattack an ambitious counterattack against allied positions in the ardennes forest. Their goal was to thwart the allied advance into germany. Instead, in this decisive six we ek campaign, they became known as the battle of the bulge, American Forces resisted and overcame the german assault. Delivering a huge, fatal blow, to German Military capabilities and paving the way for the final push into germany. Before we continue, id like to acknowledge some very special guests with us today. First, doctor robert and nolin, daughter of First Lieutenant james who was taken prisoner of war during the battle of the bulge on december 21st 1944. And who died on may the 15th 1945. Less than a month following his release as a result of conditions during his imprisonment. Doctor nolin, thank you for being here. We are proud to join you in honoring your fathers service and sacrifice. Next, i am pleased to introduce representatives of the allied nations. The took part in the battle of the bulge 75 years ago. We should remember that it was not just an american victory, not just as churchill said, the greatest american victory of world war ii. From the embassy of belgium, deputy chief of mission and affair mr. Christophe pale. Defensive attache, Brigadier General george hansen. From the embassy of canada, Canadian Forces military attache, colonel patrick roby show. From the embassy of france representing the French Defense mission, idea. From the embassy of luxembourg, deputy chief missed pharaonic. And from the british embassy, assistant naval at the commander jim. Finally, im tremendously privilege to introduce to you our world war ii veterans, do we have a world war ii veteran here . Thank you sir for being here. We arranged earlier on for the majority of world war ii veterans to be warm and safely ensconced inside on this Beautiful Day. They will be with us later. Thank you for being with us today sir. Today, sir. George served with the u. S. Army 76 recognize since troop. Recognizing the european theater, including the forest of ardennes, during the battle of the bulge. Our final speaker of the day, andrew. The general is the director of operations j three for the joint chiefs of staff. He served as the Principal Assistant to the chairman of joint chiefs of staff for global integration initiatives. General populous previously served as the commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell kentucky. 101st airborne played a wonderful role today and world war ii. Deputy chief of staff of operations for Operation Resolute support in afghanistan. Please welcome us, id like to give you a great welcome general the general. Thank you. We reflect back 75 years ago and pay tribute to those who had served, fought, and sacrifice in this weather. We were able to introduce a number of important people. Thank you all for coming. I want to focus on our world war ii veterans and the doctor whose father was there and captured in the battle of the bulge. A tremendoused sacrifice, the burden of the fight, and gave us our freedoms today. Thank you for what you have done and you have been an inspiration. Thank you. I also want to thank the team to ensure their legacy will live on today and in the future. It is an honor to stand before you. I commanded the 101st. As part of that formation of the years that have gone through, i have gotten to meet and engage with those who have fought in this fight. I understand those sacrifices they made, personal stories of heroism they have every day. Im humbled and honored to stand before you today. Today thatars ago hitlers launched 30 divisions of combat power in a surprise offensive to capture the support an effort to turn the tide of world war ii. He knew he was losing and that tohad one last bold effect drive negotiations. The one thing this plan depended on was the weather. It the weather. The weather didnt cooperate with his operations and deprive us. A bitter winter storm and snow covering the ground, freezing temperatures he launched forward into three separate armies and an infantry army, over 400,000 german soldiers committed to the they and all the aircraft could muster for the entire front committed against an element of the allies. This is an allied army prepared for their own offenses. As we didntrise have our own air capability for reconnaissance. The next six days this german army pushed back the allied troops further into ,elgium, deeper into luxembourg creating the bulge. 50 miles wide and 70 miles deep, penetrating american and allied lines. This is where it shows the allies are the most adaptable and most tenacious. The commanders knew that needed to take bold action. Over 100 miles in a single day to sort this offense of moving forward. Key to the commitment the time, pushing the 101st airborne andsion right into that him that, seizing what was critical to move forward. Here is wherem, the metal of the allied, is american troops, was tested. Under continuous artillery pounding, two divisions committed against them, fighting respite,ight, without forcing them to survive from hand to hand combat, holding the line, never wavering, and they did withstand. When the nazis couldnt push them out of position, they surrounded them. The intent was to bleed them out and hemorrhage them, force them to capitulate. Running low, unable to take care of their own wounded, the germans came forward and demand the surrender of the force and you heard the , bet commander of the time prepared to step up. He sent back a oneword response. Nuts. It bold in the resolve of the forces fighting and continued to push forward and they held on for four additional days, denying the the success necessary to push forward, holding them, making them vulnerable. An early Christmas Present that opened up the onslaught of al i ability when the air came in. Bombersught the allied to attack and destroy the logistical line, pounded the nazis, and of the broke the back of their attack. Day and the day after, the third army broke through lines and ended the assault by nazis and linked up with the 101st, ending the german attack. I got to know many of the soldiers who fought there. My the brothers of mine will tell you they did not need to be bayonetthey had a around. The is the attitude of soldiers that fought, that resolve. It is a battle that the identified winston churchill. Of the entire war. It is the story of the grid, and. He tenacity men and women on freedoms frontier as we lay today. The soldiers who fought are true patriots. The children of the great depression. From the california coast. From the farmlands of the south, the midland, even out of new york city galvanizing the nation and notrward and fight knowing if that they would be their last, and unwavering clarity of purpose. The destruction of fascism. It was a purpose they knew was worthy of their sacrifices. After the war as they came home, changedes lives forever, but they sought neither recognition or praise. Instead, they committed themselves to bettering this nation. It was during the us the instilling of these values and appreciation for freedom, those who fought in korea and vietnam and the wars for 9 11 forward, it was your actions today that i will tell you as your example in the war, that we emulate. It serves an example to inspire us in the most demanding of combat that we face and it is because of you that we continue to fight for the freedoms that make this country great. Today,ok at the crowd and i stand with the warriors of the greatest generation, and i remember those that gave all so we could live prosperous and free. Our nation can never thank you enough. We can only make a solemn promise to continue to stay on the watch so that all that you fought for and that many of your brothers die for, would be passed on to the next generation of americans. It has been my privilege and honor to stand before you and address you. Thank you. [applause] thank you, general, for those wonderful remarks. 75 years after they launch their surprise and unsuccessful attack on the allies, we are gathered honoroday to remember and all of those who sacrificed for the battle of the bulge. Tens of thousands wounded, and many more thousands psychologically damaged for the rest of their lives. Time the more than one million who took part in the the 22n and remember allies of civilians who were killed. They are not forgotten. Present in the wreath for the United States of america and the friends of the National World war ii memorial are general andrew, tammy cruise, retired army general retired Army Major General john , daughter of First Lieutenant james who was taken prisoner of war during the battle of the bulge. Ok. And of course, world war ii veteran mr. George presenting the wreath, colonel patrick Canadian Forces and the sea of canada. Presenting the wreath of france, Defense Mission embassy of and presenting the wreath , deputy chief embassy of luxembourg. Last but not least, presenting the wreath did you mention that . Ok. Thank you. Chiefistof, deputy embassy of belgium, and general , of belgium. As i was saying earlier, last but not least, presenting the wreath of the United Kingdom are commander jim, kurdish embassy. Appropriate honors for playing the taps the u. S. Army band. Playing] this concludes our ceremony. Thank you for joining us today. American history tv is on social media. Follow us at cspan history. In this threepart program, we look back to the 1998 and 1999 impeachment of president bill clinton. Alexis covered the impeachment for nasher National Journal and is now National Political correspondent for the hill newspaper. Segments include portions of the House Judiciary Committee debate , the house floor debate, in the 1999 Senate Impeachment trial. Here is a preview. The gentleman may proceed. Im even more depressed today than i thought i would be yesterday. I believe Bob Livingstons resignation, while offered in good faith, was wrong. [applause] it is a surrender to a developing sexual mccarthyism. Are we going to have an new tests that someone wants to run for public office, are you now or have you ever been an . Dulterer were losing sight of the distinction between sins, which are to be between a person in his family, and crimes, which are the concern of the state and society as a whole. On one level, we could say, i suppose, that you reap what you sewed, but that gives us no joy, it gives me no joy, and i wish mr. Livingstone would reconsider think, on thet basis of what we know, that he should resign. [applause] the time of the gentleman has expired. Are yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds. Thank you. The impeachment of the president is even worse. Again, were losing distinction, losing track of the distinction between sins and crimes. We are the standards of impeachment. With the president has done is not a great and dangerous offense and the safety of the republic. It is not an impeachable offense. We are not simply transmitting ,vidence transmitting a case as evidenced by the case he should resign, god for bid he should resign, he should fight this. Learn more about the impeachment of president bill here onthis sunday American History tv detailing the logistics of wounded theiers during and after dday invasion of france june 6, 1944. From the National Archives collections, the film was marked restricted because of graphic wounded and was ginally intended for audiences only. England before