Why Patton Turned His Entire Army 90 Degrees — In Just 48 Hours

Discover the incredible true story of General George Patton's most remarkable military achievement during World War Two: the relief of Bastogne in December 1944. When German forces launched their massive Ardennes offensive, trapping the 101st Airborne Division in the Belgian town of Bastogne, Patton made an impossible promise at the Verdun conference on December 19th to attack in just forty eight hours with three divisions of his Third Army. This documentary reveals how Brigadier General Halley Maddox and Third Army staff had secretly prepared contingency plans a week before the crisis, enabling Patton to execute a ninety degree pivot of approximately one hundred thousand troops and over one hundred thirty thousand vehicles while actively engaged in combat. Follow the dramatic race north as the 4th Armored Division, led by Lieutenant Colonel Creighton Abrams in his Sherman tank Cobra King, fought through fierce German resistance to break the siege on December 26th at 1650 hours. Featuring detailed accounts of the Verdun conference, the challenges of winter logistics, the famous Nuts reply by General Anthony McAuliffe, and insights into the staff planning that made this unprecedented military maneuver possible, this video explores one of the most significant operations of the Battle of the Bulge and a defining moment in American military history.