What military officer replied "Nuts," when asked to surrender during WWII?

– Brig. General Anthony C. McAuliffe

Brig. General Anthony C. McAuliffe was Acting commander of the 101st Airborne Division during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. He was in charge of the defense of Bastogne on December 22nd 1944 when the garrison was called on by advancing German forces to surrender. McAuliffe’s initial response was ‘Aw, Nuts!’ When he came to compile a written reply he could think of nothing more appropriate: ‘To the German Commander: NUTS! The American Commander.’ Bastogne was successfully held by the Americans and Anthony C. McAuliffe became immortalized for a single word “NUTS!”.