World war ii memorial hosted the event. Mr. Kershaw good morning. On behalf of the friends of the National World war ii memorial, it is my tremendous honor to welcome you to the magnificent world war ii memorial. My name is alex kershaw, i am a member of the board of directors at the friends of the National World war ii memorial. I have written several books about world war ii, including 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 of 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 by the u. S. In its entire history. Friends of the National World war ii memorial is a Small Nonprofit OrganizationWhose Mission is to honor and preserve the National Memory of world war ii and to create the next greatest generation of tomorrow. This mornings ceremony is part of the friends of the National World war ii memorials fouryear world war ii 75th anniversary commemoration, which kicked off on pearl harbor day 2016 and will continue to the 75th anniversary of vj day on september 22, 2020. I should stress that friends are the only organization hosting a full four year 75th anniversary commemoration. Marking every single major battle in which american 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. Anthemed States National ] right shoulder. March. Mr. Kershaw Lieutenant Colonel tammie crews will now give the invocation. Lt. Col. Crews 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 preserver of our nation. Between them 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 present 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 of their tomorrows that we might have all of our todays. President truman rightly recognized our debt tohe heroic men and women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifice. And so today we thank you especially to those who are here, who were part of this great series of the battles in world war ii, and to their families. We remember those voices now silent who rest from their labors and sacred fields of honor throughout this land on foreign soil. Especially, we hold 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 in arms. They died together, and now they sleep side by side. To them, we have a solemn obligation. We pause in a moment of silence to remember the fallen at the battle of the bulge. They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary 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 failed to forget the families of our fallen comrades who have equally sacrificed by giving up their fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and children. We pause to think of those who are deployed in harms way today. Protect them and be with their families. Be that our vision, a ruler over all, that we might be faithful to the task of being instruments of peace in our day. Let freedom ring. Amen. Mr. Kershaw on december 16, 1944, today, 75 years ago, German Forces launched an sorry, an i am ambitious counterattack against allied positions in the ardennes forest. Their goal was to thwart the allied advance into germany. Instead, in this decisive sixweek campaign that 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, dr. Roberta nolan, daughter of First Lieutenant james oboyle lyons, who was taken prisoner of war during the battle of the bulge on december 21, 1944, and who died on may 15, 1945. Less than a month following his release as a result of conditions during his imprisonment. Doctor nolan, 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 that 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. Kristof pale. And defensive attache, Brigadier General george fonshon. From the embassy of canada, Canadian Forces military attache, colonel patrick robicheaux. From the embassy of france, representing the French Defense mission, the major. From the embassy of luxembourg, the deputy chief. And from the british embassy, assistant naval attache, commander jim morley. Finally, im tremendously privileged, very honored to introduce to you our world war ii veteran here . Our world war ii veteran. 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 here today, sir. George armstein served with the u. S. Army 76th reconnaissance troop. It was mechanized in the european theater, including the ardennes campaign, during the battle of the bulge. Thank you, sir. Our final speaker today, army with tenant general andrew poppas. The general is the director 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 poppas previously served as the commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division at fort campbell, kentucky. 101st airborne as you know, sir, played a wonderful role today in world war ii. Deputy chief of staff of operations for operation resolute, support in afghanistan. Please welcome. I would like to give you a great welcome, general poppas. Thank you. Gen. Poppas thank you for that introduction. And thank you very much everyone for coming out on this day. Chaplain, i want to thank you personally for providing the weather on this wonderful backdrop as we reflect back 75 years ago and pay tribute to those who had served, fought, and sacrificed in this exact weather. And we were able to introduce a number of very important people. I thank you all for coming. But i really want to focus on our world war ii veterans and the doctor whose father was there and captured in the battle of the bulge. Those that have served before us are the shouldered a tremendous sacrifice, the burden of the fight, and gave us our freedoms today. Thank you very much for what you have done and you have been an inspiration as the years have gone forward. Thank you. [applause] i also want to thank for the friends of the national were moral to memorial National World war ii Memorial Team for ensuring their legacy lives on today and into the future. For me, personally, it is an honor to stand before you. As he identified, 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 saw them, and i understand those sacrifices they made, personal stories of heroism they did every single day. So to stand before you today, im humbled and honored. It is 75 years ago today that hitlers launched 30 divisions of combat power in a surprise counteroffensive to recapture the port of antwerp. It is in the netherlands. It was an effort to turn the tide of world war ii. He knew he was losing and that he had one last bold effect to try and drive into negotiations. The one thing his whole plan depended on was the weather. Because he had to deny and we the american capability and the ally capability where we had air supremacy, and as you can see the weather didnt cooperate , with his operation and it deprived us of that single strategic capability that we had. So it was a bitter winter storm and snow covering the ground, freezing temperatures he launched forward into three separate armies, two panzer armies and a line infantry army, over 400,000 german soldiers committed to the fight, over 500 tanks, and all the aircraft they could muster for the entire front committed against an element of the allies. And this is an allied army prepared that was preparing for their own offenses. It had taken us by surprise, as we were blind, we didnt have our own air capability for reconnaissance. It was over the next six days this german army pushed back the allied troops further into belgium, deeper into luxembourg, creating the bulge, which was known as the fight. It was 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 leaders and the commanders at the time knew that needed to take bold action. They committed over 60,000 troops, who went over 100 miles in a single day in order to thwart this offensive moving forward. The 10th Armor Division and pushing the division into the salient, seizing the crossroads which were critical to move to move forward and get into antwerp. By holding them, here is where the mettle of the allied, the american troops, was tested. Under continuous artillery pounding, two divisions committed against them, fighting day and night, without respite, forcing them to survive from handtohand combat, holding the line, never wavering, and they did withstand. And 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. And under this pounding, supplies running low, unable to take care of their own wounded, the germans came forward and demanded the surrender of the force that was there. And you heard the 101st commander at the time, actually Deputy Commander mcculloughs it always shows you have to be he sent step up back a oneword response. Nuts. It is because of that, it boldened the resolve of the forces fighting and continued to push forward and they held on for four additional days, denying the success necessary to push forward, holding them, making them vulnerable. An early Christmas Present that opened up the onslaught of al i capability when the air came in. They brought the allied bombers to attack and destroy the logistical line, pounded the front lines of the nazis, and broke the back of their attack. By Christmas Day and the day after, the third army led by general patton, broke through lines and ended the assault by nazis and linked up with the 101st, ending the german attack. As the commander of the 101st, i got to know many of the soldiers who fought there. Those brothers of mine will tell you they did not need to be safe as they had a bayonet around. They would get pushed off. That is the attitude of the soldiers that fought, and it was that resolve. It is a battle that the identified that Winston Churchill called the greatest American Battle of the entire war. It is not just the story of american victory in battle, but the story of the grit and tenacity of the greatest generation. It is their legacy that lives on today in the fighting men and women on freedoms frontier as we speak today. As the soldiers fought in the ardennes,oods of the the soldiers who fought are true patriots. The children of the great depression. They are from the california coast. They are from from the farmlands of the south, the midland, even out of new york city galvanizing the nation to go forward and fight. They are the ones that stood forward and proved in the crucible of combat. Despite those grueling conditions that i described, the relentless barrages, continuous attacks of the germans and not knowing if that day would be their last, they had an unwavering clarity of purpose , and that was the destruction of fascism. It was a purpose they knew was worthy of their sacrifices. And it was after the war, as they came home, their lives changed forever, their experiences through this endeavor, but they sought neither recognition or praise. Instead, they committed themselves to bettering this nation. And it was their instilling of these values and the appreciation for freedom, and it was their children, those who fought in korea and vietnam and the wars from 9 11 forward, it was your actions today, sir, that i will tell you it is 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. As i look at the crowd today, and i stand with the warriors of that greatest generation, and some may carry the memories of that battle, and remember those that gave all so we could live prosperous and free. Our nation can never thank you enough, sir. 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 died for, would be passed on to the next generation of americans. It has truly 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 the germans launch their surprise and ultimately unsuccessful attack on the allies in the ardennes forest, we are gathered here today to remember and honor all of those who sacrificed during the battle of the bulge. Over 19,000 fatalities, tens of thousands wounded, and many more thousands psychologically damaged for the rest of their lives. It is now time to present the wreaths in honor of the more than one million allied Service Members who took part in the campaign and to remember the more than 22,000 allies and civilians who were killed. They are not forgotten. Presenting the wreath for the United States of america and the friends of the National World war ii memorial are general as, lt. Col. Andrew popp tammie crews, retired Army Major General john herling. Dr. Roberto nolan, 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 arnstein. Presenting the wreath for canada are colonel patrick robichaux, Canadian Forces military attache, embassy of canada. Presenting the wreath of france, adrian, Defense Mission embassy of france. Presenting the wreath for luxembourg, deputy chief embassy of mission and charity affairs, embassy of luxembourg. Last but not least, presenting the wreath did you mention that . Ok. Oh, here it is. Ok. Thank you, holly. Presenting the wreath for the kingdom of belgium are mr. Kristof, deputy chief embassy of general and brigadier attach,defense embassy of belgium. As i was saying earlier, last but not least, presenting the wreath of the United Kingdom are commander jim morley, assistant naval attache british embassy. Now, please bring the appropriate honors for playing of taps by the u. S. Army band. [ taps playing ] this concludes our ceremony. Thank you again for joining us today. Thank you very much. [applause] be christmas. [indistinct conversations] American History tv is on social media. cspanhistory. Ashley we are at the speedway, home of the indianapolis 500. Next to me is the car that won the first indianapolis 500 and 1911. Up next, we learn more about indianapolis. [cars speeding by] tomorrow, the speedway will be quiet, waiting for the next