That day Capa accompanied tanks and infantry of the 4th as they made their ultimate assault on the besieging Germans on the outskirts of Bastogne. Within a matter of hours, in spite of fierce German fire, the lead tanks of the attack had met up with the 101st within the town.Capa recalled of the later stages of the battle: “The Germans were tough in their well-prepared fortress, but not so tough that they fought to the last German – only to the first American that got close enough to be dangerous. Then they threw up their hands, shouted ‘Kamerad!’ and asked for cigarettes.” [Robert Capa 1913-1954, ICP Library of Photographers, 1974]Ultimately – the failure of the German counteroffensive allowed the Allies to focus on their push West, toward Germany. British prime minister Winston Churchill described the Battle of the Bulge as “the greatest American battle of the war”.