In the south-western area of Belgium, on the edge of the Ardennes Forest, near the quiet village of Dinant, a rocky ridge stretches across the lush landscape. Where the rocky ridge reaches the Meuse River, one notable formation stands out: Bayard Rock.
Bayard Rock is a geographic icon that has a rich history dating back to medieval times. Legend has it, the four sons of Aymon rode their mythical horse, Bayard, to flee Charlemagne’s wrath by leaping across the Meuse River. It is said that Bayard’s hoof split through the solid rock to clear a passage so they could find refuge in the nearby Ardennes Forest. Therefore, the namesake. It is also here, in this peaceful village where fierce battles of World War II reached their pinnacle and where Allied troops stood triumphant, overpowering and outsmarting ‘the bad guys’. During the ‘Battle of the Bulge’ of December, 1944 to January 1945, Hitler’s commanders mapped out a sneak-attack on Allied forces in this region. Using the uniforms and dog tags of captured American soldiers, English-speaking German spies, dressed as Americans, were planted among the Allied troops. They waited for the signal from Nazi commanders to fight the Allies from within their own line of defense, which would allow Nazi troops to advance. It represented a swelling bulge of force. It took on the namesake, ‘Battle of the Bulge’. But, because of the intelligence of the Allied forces, who figured out the devious tactics in the nick of time, Hitler’s self-fulfilling plans to ruthlessly rule the world were put to a halt. The ‘good guys’ not only won the battle, they won the war.
The lessons learned from World War II are etched in history. Imagine if the Allies had not discovered the German spies and stopped them in their tracks? The world would be a very different place.
“Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it.” ― Edmund Burke
Much the same way Nazi commanders used their soldiers as spies to infiltrate allied forces on the line of defense, modern criminals use sneaky tactics to hide in plain sight to launder money and jeopardize the security and financial stability of establishments around the world.