The Siege of Bastogne occurred during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944. The town of Bastogne, located in Belgium, was surrounded by German forces, cutting off supply lines and isolating the American troops stationed there. The defenders, primarily from the 101st Airborne Division, held their ground despite harsh winter conditions and limited resources. General Anthony McAuliffe, the acting division commander, famously responded "Nuts!" to a German demand for surrender. The siege lasted from December 20 to December 27, 1944, until the arrival of General George Patton's Third Army, which broke the encirclement and relieved the town.