Bastogne is a road and rail junction in heart of the Ardennes forest thirty kilometers north of Arlon, with a population of 13,000. It is famous for the part it played in the Battle of the Bulge, 1944. When the advancing Germans demanded surrender from the American forces garrisoned there, the response of General Anthony McAuliffe was terse -- "Nuts!"

The ensuing siege leveled the town, but Bastogne never fell, and as a result the Germans were slowed enough for allied reinforcements to arrive and deny them their ultimate objective of Antwerp. A museum commemorates the battle.

I was fortunate enough to be able to spend two days in Bastogne in February of 2005. It was cold, and the wrong time of year for tourism. However, since the Battle of the Bulge also took place during the winter, it gave an eerie feel as we drove around looking for the various sights and monuments. These pictures are basically all from the museum and other military sights.