For more on the surprise and desperation of front line troops, see the reports to headquarters from the soldiers shocked by the German attacks in Belgium on 12/16/44 from 0110 till 2340 that day near the bottom of this early post today. Its worth reading.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3237697/posts
mark for later.
I was listening to Hal Moore talk about the Battle of Ia Drang Valley in Vietnam. He talked of one guy on the left flank manning a machine gun by himself that saved the day(s).
A similar thing on one of the Pacific Island battles where two machine guns covered the flank and prevented a huge over-run.
It is easy for me to forget how important ONE person can be.