Deflating the Bulge An interview with World War n veteran Arthur Fox By Chris S. Hodge David Brandt February 24,2007 Table of Contents Interviewee Release Form page 2 Table of Contents page 3 Statement of Purpose page 4 Biography page 5 Contextualization page 6 Interview Trmiscription page 15 Interview Analysis page 32 Audio Indexing Log page 38 Works Consulted page 39 Statement of Purpose The purpose ofthe Oral History Project is to better understand the views ofthe American soldiers who were involved in the Battle ofthe Bulge and World War II. The interview of Arthur Fox allows the reader to comprehend the intensity and importance of the Battle of The Bulge. The memories mid stories shared by Mr. Fox are an incredible insight to the events and battles the soldiers ofthe United States army witnessed. Biographv Arthur J. Fox was bom in Brooklyn, New York on September 19, 1923 to Arthur J. Fox and Mary L. Fox. Fox lived in New York for most of his childhood. He went to school at Manhattan College in New York City, where he enlisted in the United States Army as an engineer. He courageously participated in World Wm II and more specifically, the Battle ofthe Bulge, as an engineer and an infantry soldier. He returned to Mmihattan College after the war mid continued his studies as a civil engineer. Throughout Fox's life, he has been a dedicated and important figure in his occupations. For forty years. Fox was a engineering news mid record mticle author for McGraw Hill Company and for twelve years he was the managing director for Round Table construction company. Today, Fox resides in Potomac, Maryland with his wife Lorraine and often visits his three grand children when he is not busy volunteering or traveling. Contextualiz ation "NUTS" was the American general Anthony McAuliffe's response when the Germans asked for his platoon's surrender. This phrase would be the attitude that helped motivate the American soldiers while they deflated the bulge. The Battle ofthe Bulge was one of the final mid most crucial attacks that Adolf Hitler made on the United States front line. This battle was the height of Hitler's attacks, where he poured his best soldiers, tanks, and planning for what would be the end of a fascist leader or the start of Hitler's new reign Therefore, in order to understand the perspective of someone who participated in the Battle ofthe Bulge, it is important to first examine the importmice ofthe battle, the views of each side, and the effect the war had on the soldiers fighting it. Hitler's attempt for domination originated when he signed the "Pact of Steel" treaty in May 22, 1939. This treaty between Hitler, and Italy's Dictator, Benito Mussoloni, was the primmy action t^en to conquer all of Europe. Adolf Hitler's main point of view was that Germany was a weak country that could only be salvaged through war. This idea of war would later be known as World Wm II. Germmiy had been crushed during World War I. The morale ofthe citizens and industrial value ofthe country were in ruins. Hitler saw this weakness in the Germmi people mid used it as his advantage to gain their support as a leader. Hitler promised the German citizens that he would make Germany strong once again and that he would do this by gaining more and more power and territories through warfare. These ideas of gaining large sums of power were ideas inspired by the Italian dictator, Mussoloni. Benito Mussoloni was a fascist dictator who agreed with Hitler's desire to create a larger empire by annexing smaller border countries. 7 While viewing Hitler's advancement on countries such as Austria, Great Britain and France chose the best action they thought appropriate. This decision was to allow Germany to minex such countries as Austria, in hopes that Germany would be satisfied with its new territory. The Allied powers did not receive the results they had hoped. Hitler continued to expand his nation by breaking the borders of Czechoslovakia. This reach for more land led the Allied powers into making the "Munich Agreement" which allowed Hitler to rule part of Czechoslovakia. These futile attempts to stop Hitler's expansion only gave Hitler more of what he wanted. The Allied Powers saw Hitler's vast desire as a threat that could only be realized through war. The Allied powers consisting of Great Britain and France declared war on Germany when Hitler invaded Poland on September 1, 1939 (Ambrose). Hitler's goal of having Germany become an incredible world power was now being threatened. This threat called for serious action by the Axis powers. Hitler found Japan to be a suitable addition for his forces. Japmi was a positive candidate for Hitler's ideas because Japan was currently fighting for the same ideas that Germany was. Japmi felt as if they were not being treated fairly by other world powers. The Japanese prime minister and emperor agreed that force was the necessary action in gaining respect from other countries. The reason Japan felt they were not obtaining the proper respect was that they were dependent on other countries. Japan was a country with an incredible population but a limited supply of Imid and raw materials. This limiting supply crippled Japan's ability to grow and become a great independent power. Japan decided to end their reliance on other countries by taking what they needed to become independent. When Japmi attacked and annexed China, the United States saw this invasion as a threat to the European and American continent. The United States stopped all trade with Japan and China, which further limited Japan's supply of raw materials. This infuriated the Prime Minister who decided that if Japan did not attack the United States and restore the shipments of materials, Japan would become a third class nation (Kershaw). Hitler understood Japan's frustration with the United States and took advantage of their anger to create the Second World War. Germany and Italy agreed to support an attack on the United States if the Japanese would initiate it. On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked the naval base in Pearl Hmbor, Hawaii. This attack on Pearl Hmbor was expected at some point but not obvious to the Americans of when and where it would be. Therefore the Japanese attack was very effective because the United States did not have time to mobilize troops for a counter attack or even a defense. Many ships, plmies, and submmines had been destroyed in the attack along with the country's morale. Japmi and the other Axis powers officially declared war on the United States throughout the following few days. The United States was outraged by this sudden attack by the Japanese and declaration of war from the Germans and Italians. "Remember Pearl Harbor!" are the words that ran through the streets ofthe United States. These words represented the desire for revenge that Americans held. The American people wanted to support their country in any way possible. Millions of men enlisted in the war departments, some even lying about their age so that they could fight for their country's honor. The attack of Pearl Harbor weakened the United States for only a short period of time and then made the men eager with revenge and victory over the Axis powers. 9 The United States became a wm nation joining on January 1, 1942 (Ambrose 1) but the preparation and organization of developing such a large mmy in a small period of time would be a challenge for the United States. Young men felt the obligation and desire to fight in the name of their country. They enlisted by the millions, giving the Armed forces a total number of 10.4million enlisted soldiers in 1945 (Ambrose 14). This new army was made up of every kind of man, from fmniers to engineer students, who all had the same idea that would win the wm. In order to win the war, all aspects of manufacturing were manipulated by the United States Government so as to benefit the fighting cause. Tire compmiies created and produced a new type of synthetic rubber that did not rely on a natural source of rubber. This allowed the United States to create thousands of tires for the military vehicles that would be used across the seas. United States' car companies also changed their operations. Instead of feeding the civilian's needs for new cars, the companies built military vehicles such as tanks and jeeps. All other government time and funding was given to training the massive amounts of men for the heavy combat they would face in the adverse weather conditions in Europe. The United States also set up a program called the Naval Reserves, which sent Navy officers to the Pacific Ocean. The American soldiers and US culture was heavily submerged into the focus of war and in this focus they would see their future accomplishments. The Allied powers had a steady grasp on the war for the next few years leading up to the unexpected battle or series of battles that would surprise mid cripple the Allied forces and the United States Army. The Battle ofthe Bulge was a surprise attack organized in secret by Adolf Hitler in late 1944 (Ambrose 62). Hitler had stationed his troops along the Siegfried Line in the Aachen Area, which was west of Bastonge 10 (Goldstein 38). Hitler had strategically chosen this placement of German troops because it was the weakest sector in the American line.