Belgian civilians killed by counter-attacking Nazis.

Belgian civilians killed by counter-attacking Nazis. Dead women and children lie in a heap in Stavelot, Belgium, mute evidence of Nazi brutality. U.S. Army officials said the civilians were bludgeoned to death by rifles and guns wielded by Nazis thrusting to the west on the First U.S. Amry front. American troops drove the Nazis from Stavelot December 23, 1944, at the end of the first week of the enemy counteroffice, which U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Expeditionary Force described as Germany's supreme effort to break out of a deperate plight. In the first nine days of bitter fighting, 13,273 prisoners were taken by U.S. forces and hundreds of Nazi planes, armered vehicles, rail cars and locomotives were destroyed by American aircraft.