Alamo in the Ardennes tells the powerful yet little-known story of the bloody delaying action fought by the 28th Infantry Division, elements of the 9th and 10th Armored Divisions, and other, smaller units. Outnumbered at times by as much as ten to one, outgunned by Hitler’s dreaded panzers, and with no hope of reinforcement, they bore the full fury of the Nazi onslaught for five days, making the Germans pay for every icy inch of ground they gained.
Another division was even tougher in its views. ‘We have never been benefited by treating prisoners well . . . We are here to Kill Germans, not to baby them.’ Some soldiers in the 30th Division exacted their own revenge when they captured Germans wearing American combat boots taken from the dead. They forced them at gunpoint to remove them and walk barefoot along the icy roads.
John C. McManus is a prolific and respected historian of the American experience in World War II, known for his ability to blend strategic overviews with vivid, ground-level accounts of soldierly courage and sacrifice. In Alamo in the Ardennes, McManus turns his attention to one of the most iconic episodes of the war: the Battle of the Bulge and the defense of Bastogne. However, as the title suggests, his aim is not to retell the famous story of the surrounded 101st Airborne Division. Instead, he seeks to shed light on the crucial, yet often overlooked, actions of various American units that fought desperately to delay the German advance in the days before the “Band of Brothers” arrived and dug in around the town.
The book’s central thesis is compelling: the celebrated defense within Bastogne would not have been possible without the sacrificial stand made by disparate and often unprepared American forces along the approaches to the town in the initial days of the Bulge offensive. These units, including Combat Command R (CCR) of the 9th Armored Division, elements of the 28th Infantry Division, engineers, artillerymen, and various rear-echelon detachments, found themselves directly in the path of Hitler’s surprise thrust. Outnumbered, outgunned, and frequently cut off, these soldiers fought isolated, desperate battles at key crossroads and villages – actions that collectively bought precious time for the 101st and other reinforcements to reach Bastogne and establish a perimeter. McManus argues that these initial skirmishes, though often resulting in tactical defeats, were strategically vital and constitute a true “Alamo” – a forlorn hope whose sacrifice enabled a later, successful stand.
McManus excels at bringing the chaotic reality of these early battles to life. Drawing on archival sources, after-action reports, and crucially, veteran interviews and memoirs, he navigates the confusion of the rapidly collapsing front lines. The narrative focuses heavily on the experiences of individual soldiers and small units, detailing their fear, determination, and often brutal fighting conditions. Chapters are devoted to specific, critical flashpoints, such as the defense of St. Vith (though primarily focused on the American defenders delaying the German 5th Panzer Army moving towards Bastogne), the stand by CCR/9th Armored near the Wiltz River, and the piecemeal efforts to form a coherent line against the relentless German advance.
The strengths of Alamo in the Ardennes lie in its passionate advocacy for these forgotten heroes and its rich, human-centered detail. McManus successfully argues that the history of the Bulge at Bastogne has often started with the famous “Nuts!” reply, neglecting the vital prelude that created the conditions for that defiance. He captures the grim reality of facing elite Panzer divisions with limited anti-tank weapons, the challenges of communication breakdown, and the sheer physical and emotional toll of continuous combat in brutal winter weather. His prose is accessible and often moving, conveying the bravery shown by ordinary men in extraordinary circumstances.
However, the book is not without its areas for critical consideration. While the focus on the “untold story” is its primary strength, one could argue how truly “untold” these actions are within specialist Bulge literature; historians have previously documented the crucial delaying actions of CCR/9th Armored and other units, though perhaps not with the same singular narrative focus or popular reach. McManus’s strong emphasis on the American perspective, while understandable given the book’s premise, means the German side of these engagements is less explored, particularly the tactical decisions and constraints that sometimes slowed their advance beyond the American resistance itself.
Furthermore, while the individual accounts are powerful, the sheer number of small-unit actions covered can occasionally make the overall strategic picture feel fragmented. Keeping track of the numerous companies, battalions, and varying timelines across different sectors requires close attention from the reader. The “Alamo” metaphor, while effective for the title, might slightly overstate the tactical outcome of some of these initial stands, many of which were delaying actions that ultimately resulted in withdrawal or capture, rather than a fight to the absolute last man holding a fixed position (though the spirit of resistance against impossible odds is certainly captured).
In conclusion, Alamo in the Ardennes is a valuable and necessary corrective to the popular narrative of the Bastogne defense. John C. McManus successfully shines a deserved spotlight on the American soldiers whose desperate, often unheralded battles in the opening days of the Battle of the Bulge were indispensable to the eventual holding of Bastogne. While specialists may recognize some of the ground covered, McManus brings these stories to a wider audience with his compelling narrative skill and unwavering focus on the soldiers’ experience. It is a moving tribute to the courage of those who bought time with blood and sacrifice, making it essential reading for anyone interested in the Battle of the Bulge, small-unit actions, or the vital, less-glamorous facets of military history. It serves as a powerful reminder that iconic victories often rest on the forgotten struggles of those who held the line when everything was on the brink of collapse.