The Battle of the Bulge commenced on the morning of December 16, 1944. The Allies were ill-prepared for this last, desperate offensive from the Germans, and the campaign might have succeeded if a few things hadn’t gotten in their way, including a single, green, 18-man platoon who refused to give up their ground to the Nazis.
Alex Kershaw shares the story of these men in his book, The Longest Winter, and with us today on the show. He first explains the background of the Battle of the Bulge and how an Intelligence and Reconnaissance unit that had never seen combat ended up in the thick of it. And he describes the platoon’s 20-year-old leader, Lyle Bouk, who was determined to carry out his orders and hold their position despite being massively outmanned and outgunned, and how his men fought until they were down to their last rounds. Alex then shares how what Bouk thought was a total failure — being captured as POWs after just a day of combat — turned out to have been an effort that significantly influenced the outcome of the Battle of the Bulge, and how an unlikely platoon of heroes who initially went unrecognized for their valor became the most decorated American platoon of WWII. You’ll find such an inspiring lesson in this show about living up to your duty and holding the line.
Resources Related to the PodcastHow Eisenhower Led — A Conversation with Ike's Granddaughter
Developing Your Personal Uniform
Anxiety Is a Habit — Here's How to Break It
Beyond OODA — Developing the Orientation for Conflict and Violence
Declutter, Downsize, and Move Forward with Your Life
The World of the Transcendentalists and the Rise of Modern Individualism
A Playbook for Modern Dating
Becoming a Hybrid Athlete
How to Shift Out of the Midlife Malaise
We Need a P.E. Revolution
How to Make Life’s Big Decisions
Get on Top of Collaboration Overload
How Long Does It Take to Make Friends (And How Does That Process Work, Anyway)?
The Rise and Fall of Athens
Philosophical Tools for Living the Good Life
The New Science of Narcissism
The Code of the Warrior
Become a Focused Monotasker
Fat Loss Made Simple
The Tiny Habits That Change Everything
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free