Quote Originally Posted by tibilicus
What is the greatest last stand ever? And if so why is it?
Leonidas stand is probably the greatest example of sacrifice in history.

I think also to the old guard in waterloo, that covered the routing of the imperial army, most of them died in this occasion.

In february 1916 in the wood of caure, the two battalions of chasseur à pied commanded by Driand fought during two days against two prussian armies at the start of the battle of verdun. They blocked the progression of the invaders and probably saved the french army of a disaster. Of 1500 men at the start, a few dozen came back alive.

In september 1942 in stalingrad, the 13 th division of fusilliers of the guard landed on the west shore as the nazi's armys where storming the city and that the resistance had almost been shattered. They immediatly assaulted and repulsed the krauts that had almost reached the docks. In the day that followed, they where the only organized soviet force in stalingrad and managed to keep the city out of nazi's grab. In the two month that followed, they fought, among other soviet troops, the worst battle in history. When the german's 6 th army surrendered about 50 of the original 10000 fusilliers where still alive.

And even if this was not their final stand, i think the defense of bastogne by the american 101 th airborne has it's place here, as at the time Mc Auliffe answered 'nutsl' to the german's offer of surrender he was completely surrounded, very outgunned and ignored how things could evolve in the coming days.