Alamo in the Ardennes

John C. McManus, PhD, is a Curators’ Distinguished Professor of US military history at the Missouri University of Science and Technology and a leading historian of World War II. His critically acclaimed books include September Hope, The Americans at D-Day, and The Dead and Those About to Die. McManus is completing a major three-volume history of the US Army in the Pacific/Asia theater during World War II with the first two books, Fire & Fortitude and Island Infernos, receiving major acclaim. In his 2008 book Alamo in the Ardennes, McManus reveals that the original German battle plan allowed only two days for the capture of Bastogne. Standing in the way of the Germans were a smattering of Luxembourg towns (including the tour’s home base of Clervaux) and the battle-weary 28th Infantry Division. Had the Germans achieved their objective on time, Hitler would have gained a vital foothold in his quest to split the Allied armies in two. For five days the 28th held at all costs, bearing the full fury of the Nazi onslaught, making the Germans pay for every icy inch of ground they gained.

Born in Diekirch, Luxembourg, Roland Gaul has collected Battle of the Bulge artifacts since childhood. Growing up with the remains of one of history’s largest land battles in his backyard, Roland developed a keen interest in military history at a young age. A graduate of the Diekirch “Lycée Classique,” Roland continued his studies at the Royal Military Academy (ERM) in Brussels, Belgium. In 1982, he founded the Diekirch Historical Society and the Diekirch Historical Museum, which became the National Museum of Military History in 1993.A scholar, lecturer, historian, consultant, and author of several books, including the field guide Battle of the Bulge in Luxembourg, Roland has led many tours in the Ardennes over his 25 years as a guide for international audiences. He has also served as a consultant on many Battle of the Bulge films and documentaries.

For more than 25 years, Edwin Popken has studied World War II and visited the battlefields throughout Europe, both well-known and lesser-known. His main interests are the operations in Northwest Europe between September 1944 and March 1945. A regular guide on the Museum’s Easy Company: From England to the Eagle’s Nest tours, Popken has escorted guests from all across the United States to sites of Operation Market-Garden, the Hürtgen Forest, and the Battle of the Bulge. Popken holds a Master’s degree in military history from the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom, and is a member of the International Guild of Battlefield Guides with guild badge number 93.

A Trip Advisor 2017 Travelers Choice property located in the center of Clervaux, in the heart of the Luxembourg Ardennes, Le Clervaux Boutique & Design Hotel provides its guests the highest level of service in a stylish, boutique environment.

This all-suite property offers multiple dining venues, a spacious spa with numerous treatment options, as well as a fitness room, a swimming pool, and a sauna. Guests may take advantage of a wide range of cultural and recreational activities, including golf and cycling.

The 22 large, uniquely designed rooms offer handcrafted queen beds with comfort mattresses, spa-style baths with exclusive Fairtrade bath products, bathrobes and slippers, flat-screen TVs, iPhone docking stations, and complimentary WiFi.

Offering access to Brussels Airport’s terminals, this contemporary hotel features vibrant artwork and soundproof windows. The sophisticated rooms are equipped with free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and desks. There’s a sleek restaurant and a lobby lounge, as well as a 24/7 fitness center. The Sheraton Airport Brussels offers convenient access to the city center through the train station underneath the airport.