     Thirty pairs of eyes peered out from the darkness of the copse towards the lonely farmhouse. Thirty shivering soldiers exchanged determined glances. They were tired of freezing in the open. The ground was frozen so hard, they couldn't dig a proper hole. On nights like this, they couldn't sleep, and shivered miserably all night long. They saw that farmhouse and imagined the warmth and coziness inside, the protection from the biting wind.
     They were going to take that farmhouse.
     Silently they slithered across the snow. Spreading out, they inched their way forward, slowly, patiently searching for the pickets. When all were in position they rose and threw themselves on the guards, bayonetting them before more than a grunt could escape their lips. Simultaneously, the others rushed the farmhouse, bursting in and slaying all inside with bayonet and pistol. Only a few stray shots, only a few screams broke the silence.
     Now the prize was theirs. Even with no fire, the warmth of the tiny room was a thing of joy. But first there were spoils to distribute: the fabulous clothes that their dead American victims would no longer need. Boots made of real leather, not cardboard. Overcoats that didn't fall apart. Real wool blankets, and mittens, and scarves. Each man got his fair share. Then pickets were posted, and the victors lay down for a night of genuine sleep. Twenty men curled up in a tiny room, laying one on another like kittens in a litter. In three minutes all were fast asleep as their comrades stood guard outside.
     Outside, all was peaceful and quiet on this Christmas night.
/Winter Cold
     The Battle of the Bulge was fought at an average elevation of 2,000 feet during one of the coldest winters in that part of Europe. During the first week, nighttime temperatures hovered around the freezing mark; in the second week, nighttime temperatures plunged into the low 20s. The pressures of combat forced soldiers to remain outside almost constantly under these conditions. Their clothing was not heavy enough to keep them warm. They spent long periods of time lying in the snow or mud. This posed special problems that taxed the endurance of all the soldiers.
     There were many tricks of the trade to master. They quickly learned to stuff their boots and clothing with newspaper. They learned to keep two shirts and to change them whenever one became wet. They cut off the fingertip of their mitten so that they could leave the mitten on and still have their trigger finger free. The fastest way to free up a frozen rifle, they learned, was to urinate on it.
     Even so, the cold inflicted great suffering on all. Wounded men left outside would freeze to death in less than an hour. Trenchfoot, caused by feet kept in soaking wet boots for extended periods, hit some 25% of all troops. Frostbite took its toll, too, although most of the losses were amputated toes.
     The cold also affected equipment. Engines wouldn't start, guns froze solid, signal equipment broke down.
     The cold added to the overall misery of the battle./