“To the German commander.
Nuts!
From the American commander.”

— Anthony McAuliffe

His famous reply to the German demand for surrender of the surrounded US 101st Airborne Division at Bastogne in the Battle of the Bulge (22 December 1944), as quoted in Bastogne : The Story of the First Eight Days In Which the 101st Airborne Division Was Closed Within the Ring of German Forces (1946) by Colonel S. L. A. Marshal, Ch. 14 http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/Bastogne/bast-14.htm; delivering the message Colonel Joseph H. Harper was asked "What does that mean? … Is this affirmative or negative?" and replied "Definitely not affirmative."

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Anthony McAuliffe 2

American general 1898–1975

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