"NUTS!"
When I was a youngster, this word was used instead of swearing to register disgust with something.
It achieved stardom in the "Battle of the Bulge."
Go back to December of 1944; The Germans had surrounded the American army in Bastogne during the Ardennes offensive in World War II. 800,000 allies and 500,000 Germans, with the Germans trying to split the British and American armies in order to capture Antwerp and encircle us to force a peace treaty in the Nazi's favor.
They had us surrounded in Bastogne, and having killed 19,000 Americans, the German General von Luttwitz sent a written request to the American commander demanding his surrender.
When the 101st Airborne Commanding General Anthony McAuliffe heard the demand, his immediate response was; "NUTS!"
When his staff told him that he needed to reply to the German demand, Lt. Colonel Harry Kinnard said to them that General McAuliffe's initial response would be "tough to beat," so McAuliffe wrote on the paper to return to the Germans, as a morale booster for his men; "NUTS," nothing else.
Naturally the comment had to be explained to both the Germans and the American Allies. They interpreted it for them as "go to hell!"
The word "NUTS" has never sounded so good since!
"Lest we forget those who sacrificed, so we could be 'home for Christmas.'"
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