I think if the paras were kept supplied, they could have held out. The Germans could not attack Bastogne and move ahead at the same time. Patton's counterattack achieved two things, it put pressure on the German's left flank, threatening to cut them off and secondly, after the withdrawal of the German forces, relieved the paras.

Now, the soldiers in the pocket could not have held out much longer had the weather not broken and allowed supply drops. I don't know what kind of heavy weapons they had but it would not have been enough to hold out for much longer. My opinion at this point.

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American by birth, TEXAN by the grace of GOD!