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(GUNSHOT FIRED)

Looters? Yes, sir.

We're abandoning the base anyway, sir.

We might as well let them have the stuff. We'd only burn it.

All right, let's go.

All set? Okay. No trouble.

The loaded drums of gas are all stacked.

You want to try for the big cigar, Major?

Okay, Prince

Collins, get the jeep over there, will you?

There's a twist to it, Major.

You hit the top drum with the first shot, see.

It's got ordinary low-octane in it.

And if it don't burn the first shot, you give it a minute

maybe two, to leak, see. I see. I see.

Those fumes, they fill up the shed.

Then, you cut loose with your second shot

and those fumes, they're in there and whammy!

the whole thing goes. Okay.

Once at Hengyang, wasn't it, Niergaard?

We blew off the whole roof with the second shot.

Yeah the whole roof. Wham!

That was before you came into the outfit, Major. Uh-huh

(GUN COCKS) You, uh, got it, Major?

The fumes, then the second shot. Yeah, yeah.

I got it, Prince.

That's a cigar, Major.

You wanna try for the whole box?

Or a Kewpie doll for the little lady?

Give the man the Kewpie doll.

I'd rather see gasoline go than anything.

Last year, in Kunming I okayed plans for these installations.

Now, I'm blowing them up.

All right, back to the alert shack.

We're gonna blow the field.

Then a little sleep, then out, huh?

Out where, Major? Back to Kunming? That's right.

We fly or truck back?

I'm gonna check with General Loomis now.

Oh, I'd sure like to fly, Major.

Well, you just be back at the alert shack at 1600 hours.

And be careful. The base's crawling with looters.

Come on, come on, come on, let's go.

What do you think, Prince? You think this Baldwin knows what the score is?

You think he'll make as good as demolition officer as McNeil was?

It'll be tough for us if he don't.

How close are the Japs? I mean, from here?

About 40 miles.

Demolition's always the last guys to leave, all the time.

How are you, sir? Hi.

Bombs all in? Yes, sir. 60 of them.

That ought to give us good big craters scattered all the way across the field.

How long before the Japs make the field operations again?

I estimate a week, sir.

Message for you. From Kunming.

It's the last to come in. Read it to him.

"Direct you attempt withdrawal westward via road stop."

"At your discretion, repeat, at your discretion"

"achieve maximum delaying effect on main motor supply route."

"Maximum use available explosives"

"with due concern safety your men at your best judgment."

"Signed, Hutcheson for Chief of Staff."

You don't have to do it.

Sir? LOOMIS: I can countermand those orders.

I'm going out off the taxi strip in the morning.

You have until then to make up your mind.

Is blowing this field your first demolition job, Major?

Yes, sir. You were with an engineering firm

before the war, weren't you, Baldwin?

Laury and Moody.

A bit different handling men than handling papers.

Oh, I'm aware of that, sir. I asked for this assignment.

Asked? Why?

Well, to have a command, sir.

Even for a few days. Even during a retreat.

You know what command is, Major?

Well, sir, the book says...

LOOMIS: Command is power.

Pure, simple, unlimited.

You have until morning to make up your mind.

Yes, sir.

When are you set to blow the last strip?

Oh, we're all set to blow the main strip right now.

We were gonna plan to blow the taxiway as soon as you take off.

All right.

You pushing off now, sir?

Yep. How about you?

Well, sir, I've decided to go out by truck.

Now, we'll blow this remaining strip

as soon as you get off the ground.

Are you sure?

Yes, sir, I'm sure.

You know, if the Japanese come up this road

isolate our main base at Kunming, you know...

Well, I... I'd, uh... I'd just like to get a crack

at cutting the road, sir.

Good luck on the road. Thank you, sir.

All I know is the Major said load up and wait.

So, you're waiting.

So, I'm waiting.

That's initiative for you. Look, Prince.

Don't needle me.

I've been out on the road with this circus

since last summer so don't needle me.

Mike, you got any atabrine? I feel lousy.

You look lousy. No, honest, Mike.

Well, what am I, a drug store?

Look in the medical kit.

All right, at ease.

We had a message last night

from our main headquarters in Kunming.

Last night? That's right.

Now, what they want us to do

is to stay out on the road for a few days

and see what we can destroy on our way to Kweiyang.

We gonna do it, Major?

Headquarters said after this job

we barrel right back into Kweiyang with no stops.

Ain't that right, Prince? That's what they said.

BALDWIN: I'm in command now.

(HORNS HONKING)

(SPEAKING MANDARIN)

(SPEAKING MANDARIN)

(SPEAKING MANDARIN)

Yeah.

(SPEAKING MANDARIN)

Uh, he says that the Chinese Command Post

is up this road, sir, up there in that temple.

He doesn't know if the CO's up there or not.

Okay. Let's go.

Hey, uh, give me... Give me the...

(HORN HONKING)

Pull over there.

Go on, go on.

I'm gonna get an okay from Chinese Headquarters.

You wait here.

Okay, come on.

(SPEAKING MANDARIN)

(DOGS BARKING)

Please, sit. Thank you.

(SPEAKING MANDARIN)

America is China's best friend.

Today is sad. Today we eat bitterness.

But the final victory will be ours

because China and America are friends.

Yes.

Has Major Baldwin been long in China?

One year, Colonel.

And I want to thank the Colonel for the tea.

I'm sorry we don't have more time to enjoy his hospitality.

But I have something very important to speak to the Colonel about.

What is this important thing, Major?

Well, Colonel, we are the American Engineers Demolition Team

of the East China Task Force.

Now, we've been ordered to delay the advance of the Japanese from Liuchow.

Now, down here in the valley there is a small bridge.

We wish to destroy that bridge.

What does the Major wish me to do?

Well, the Colonel is in command here.

I can't blow up the bridge until the Colonel agrees.

(SPEAKING MANDARIN)

The Japanese will go as far as Tushan.

I am Colonel Kwan.

Tushan.

Tushan? That's where the railroad ends, isn't it?

About 120 miles from here. Yes, sir.

No, it is not the railroad.

At Tushan there are ammunition dumps.

The Japanese know this. They will go to Tushan and they will stop.

Tushan, the dumps, to blow them up.

That is all right.

Yes. Tushan, that's all right. No, no, no, no.

No, Colonel. I'm not making myself clear here.

Now, Tushan, that's way at the end of the line.

We'll think of that when we get to it.

Now, how about this bridge? This is what

I'm concerned about. Excuse me, sir,

may I speak with you just a moment?

Excuse me.

What's the matter?

I think Colonel Li is afraid of us, sir.

Well, afraid of what?

Afraid we're gonna blow everything up.

Well, what does he think I am? Attila the Hun?

Come on, come on.

I'm sorry. Uh, you sit over there, will you?

Now, Colonel...

Colonel, the war is sad.

The war is a bitter thing.

Uh, America and China are friends.

But the Colonel must understand,

we have orders to delay the Japanese.

My men are anxious to get to Kweiyang.

We wish only to destroy this one little bridge.

Here, in Ishan.

Only this one little bridge we wish to destroy.

Nothing more. Nothing.

Only the bridge? Right.

The bridge is all right to destroy.

Fine. All right. Now, if the Colonel will... Oh, yes, yes.

I will put my seal on your pass.

Thanks, Colonel. Thank you, sir.

Are you drive all the way to Kweiyang now?

Yes, that's right.

Colonel Kwan will go down to the bridge with you. Fine.

He will talk to my soldiers.

He will show my order to them. Fine.

And then, he will go to Kweiyang with you.

What? Kweiyang now?

In ten minutes.

Perhaps, Major, you like to see the courtyard while you wait?

Well...

Now, what's the matter here?

Major, is this the first time

you've had to negotiate a deal with the Chinese, sir?

Yes. Why?

Well, sir, uh, the thing to remember is that they're running this country.

Uh, not that that's so bad, mind you.

And I'm not making a moral judgment but...

Well, sir, that's just the way the country is

and that's the way they have to run it.

And it's kind of interesting once you get to know what's going on.

You like China, don't you?

Yes, sir.

After the war, when I go back to school

I was thinking maybe I'd take a couple of courses in Chinese history.

What school is that? Columbia.

Uhuh. Majoring in Government.

I've only got two years to go.

Uh-huh.

I wonder who she is.

Colonel Li's wife, or daughter?

Maybe just his woman.

Well, I'll never understand this country.

Women and temples and TNT.

(SPEAKING MANDARIN)

Yeah. Yeah.

Please be seated. You must eat before you go.

Oh, well, I thank the Colonel, but we're in a great hurry.

Now, if Colonel Kwan's ready, we'd like to leave immediately.

But you have not eaten today.

Colonel Kwan has not eaten today.

China and America are friends.

It is together, friends eat. Yeah, yeah.

Please a little, it is not much.

Well... One cannot eat TNT.

Okay. All right, all right, Colonel, just a bite. Come on.

(SINGING IN MANDARIN)

Say, I arranged to take Colonel Kwan only.

The lady is Madame Hung.

She is the wife of General Hung.

General Hung was killed this summer.

She has friends in Kweiyang.

Yeah, but...

Okay, Collins, come on, come on, let's go.

(SPEAKING MANDARIN)

To the end of the road, peace and safety.

Collins. Yes, sir?

The, uh, lady in back...

Yes, sir?

Well, explain to her that this is gonna be a pretty rugged trip.

Yes, sir.

(SPEAKING MANDARIN)

Yeah, we sleep out of doors, we're soldiers.

The Army has regulations about women.

(SPEAKING MANDARIN)

Ask her if she wouldn't like it if we put her on a Chinese bus?

You know, we could trade some gasoline

for a passenger ticket or something.

(SPEAKING MANDARIN)

Thank you.

Please don't worry about me.

I know you don't want me, Major

but I'll try not to be a bother.

(HORN HONKING) Hey!

Ain't that a dame with them, Mike? In the back seat?

(HONKING)

We thought they might have picked you off, Major.

Oh, we had a little trouble up at headquarters,

getting the bridge cleared for the blow.

Colonel Kwan. Yes, Major?

Uh, tell those sentries down there to clear the road.

What do you think the bridge will take, Sergeant?

Oh, half a dozen charges tied to the beams. That'll do it.

All right, let's get at it.

MIKE: All right, let's get moving.

Blow the bridge.

Who's the dame?

How do I know?

Is she the Major's private stock or do we draw cards?

Shut up!

Let's get this stuff planted.

(INDISTINCT TALKING)

(MAN SHOUTING IN MANDARIN)

Come on, come on! Everybody off the bridge.

Let's go, Miller! Come on!

(MAN YELLING IN LOCAL DIALECT)

(CHILD CRYING)

Okay.

(CRYING)

This is far enough. Stop right up there.

(CHILD CONTINUES CRYING)

Okay.

(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

CHILD: Mama!

Okay, Mike.

Fire in the hole! Major!

Fire in the hole! Hold it! Hold it! Hold it!

(INDISTINCT TALKING)

All right, I'll wait.

(INDISTINCT TALKING)

Do you think they'll understand, Collins? What?

Do you think they'll understand why I'm doing this?

Blowing the bridge.

Well, sir, they can come through that gorge later on.

Uh-huh.

Unless they're sick or old.

(MAN YELLING IN MANDARIN)

Give it again, Mike!

MIKE: Fire in the hole!

(ALL CLAMORING)

MIKE: Fire in the hole!

Fire in the hole!

(MAN SHOUTING IN MANDARIN)

(MAN SHOUTING IN MANDARIN)

Collins!

(ENGINE STARTING)

How about something to eat. The pot's full.

Thank you.

You can use my mess kit.

You eat American food?

Yes. In Shanghai we used to eat American all the time.

I have my own bowl, thank you.

That's enough, Prince.

Here.

Thank you.

(CLANGING)

Is it good? Yes.

Hmm. Pork and gravy. I know.

Miller, he... Every once in a while he cuts up some Chinese vegetables.

Uh, that is when he can get the Chinese vegetables.

Was he a cook?

Well, I mean, in... In America?

Who, Miller? Mm-hmm.

BALDWIN: No. He was an electrician. SUE-MEI: Really?

BALDWIN: Yeah. And the others were mechanics,

and students, foundry men.

Prince was a race track bookie.

And you?

Well, before the war, I designed bridges.

Now, I blow them up.

Uh, Madame Hung,

don't you think you'd be more comfortable

if we put you on a Chinese bus, and...

If you want to put me on a bus, do it.

Well, now, I don't want to sound harsh.

But we have two or three days' work before we get to Kweiyang and...

It just isn't a good military idea

to have a woman with the outfit for that long.

And we could put you on the bus,

you could go right straight through to Kweiyang.

Have you ever been on a Chinese bus?

No.

After Changsha fell, my husband's officers

put me on a bus going to Hengyang.

We went only ten miles.

Then the driver stopped the bus and asked everyone for more money.

I paid him.

He threw a woman and a child off

who had no money and made them walk.

Well, I... I thought there were trains for officers' families.

I took a train also, but it was not an officers' train.

It was a... A train for refugees.

They build special platforms on those refugee trains.

A woman had a baby on the platform on which I was.

But it was better than being on the roof.

There were people on all the roofs.

And they held on with their fingers.

Then the train went through a tunnel.

Just before we come to a grading.

And when the train came out of it,

the engineer stopped the train and everyone went out for some air.

When I looked up, there was an old man

still lying on top of one of the cars.

He hadn't been completely scraped off.

Then I saw a student lift the old man's head up

by the hair and looked at his face.

Then he pushed the old man off the roof

and lay down in his place.

And then?

And then when I arrived in Liuchow,

I sold my watch to get food.

It was an American watch.

Then I found Colonel Kwan.

Kwan was a student of my husband's at the military academy.

Then he took me to Colonel Li's regiment.

Well, I don't understand this place.

You don't like China, do you? No. I...

(STUTTERING) I don't understand it.

I don't understand the brutality.

Why?

Hmm. We're... We're just a different people, that's all.

Anyway, you shouldn't be traveling like this, a General's wife.

My husband was shot.

Yes. Colonel Li told me.

He was executed.

Yes.

Major Baldwin?

BALDWIN: Yes?

The Japanese have entered Liuchow, Major.

When? This afternoon.

Patrols are reported coming up the road.

Excuse me.

(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

Well, let's see if we can get a few hours rest.

We're going to have to move fast in the morning.

(VESSELS CLANGING)

(ENGINE CHOKING)

Oh, trouble.

Sounds like the distributor, Mike.

Nah, I don't think it's the distributor.

Well, get the tool kit and maybe we can find out, huh?

Oh, Miller, will you get this out of here?

Mike! I'm sick.

I don't think it's the malaria, though.

I'm hot, I'm dry and hot and my bones ache all over.

I think the doctor ought to look at me.

I'll tell the Major.

When, Mike?

Oh, listen, for Pete's sake, Lewis, turn it off.

Baldwin's running this outfit, not me.

I'm a sergeant, not a wet-nurse.

Oh, sure, Mike, only the way I feel, the way everything hurts...

Okay, it hurts. I'll give Baldwin a memo.

(COUGHING) Ballo! Get the Major quick.

(CONTINUES COUGHING)

All China to get sick in,

you gotta pick my truck.

(COUGHING)

(HONKING)

(YELLING INDISTINCTLY)

(HONKING CONTINUES)

(YELLING INDISTINCTLY)

(HONKING CONTINUES)

Now what?

Relax, Mike. We ain't never gonna make the first race.

What's holding this up?

Where's the Major?

(INDISTINCT TALKING)

Hey, Santa Claus, you finished?

I like their kids, Mike.

Someday one of them's gonna knife you.

Well, suppose we get invaded, Mike?

Illinois could look like this.

Oh, save the big-picture stuff. What's holding us up?

Well, it's a truck up there that belongs to a gent who picked some

cotton out of Guilin or Liuchow.

Anyway, he's trying to get it up north.

If he does, he'll make a small fortune,

provided he gets it there. His truck conked out.

All right, let's shove him off the road.

We can't! The guy's got a gun!

(SPEAKING IN LOCAL DIALECT)

He says you'll push his truck up the hill, or no one will go past.

Okay. Mike, come here. Come here.

Now, this is a fast one. Now, listen.

We're going to push this fella's truck off the road,

but it's going to have to look like an accident, you understand?

Well, then, nod like you understood and smile.

Mike, we don't want any shooting.

Now here's what we're going to do.

(SPEAKING IN LOCAL DIALECT)

He says that his truck will go or no one will go.

All right. Now, explain to him that this fellow's my mechanic

and he's going to see if he can fix the engine.

(SPEAKING IN LOCAL DIALECT)

Ow!

No dice, Major.

All right. Now tell him we're going to push his load up the hill

with one of our trucks, try and get the engine started.

And tell him, I'll get in there and drive the truck.

I'll steer his truck. Go ahead, tell him now.

(SPEAKING IN LOCAL DIALECT)

Me. Me. I... I'll get in your truck, drive, okay?

All right, come on, let's get this road cleared. Come on.

(YELLING IN MANDARIN)

Hurry up! Hurry up!

(INDISTINCT TALKING)

Let's go. We're gonna push it. Let's go, Miller.

(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

Come on, come on, come on, come on.

All right, easy there, easy. All right, come on, come on, come on.

Let's go. Here we go.

(SHOUTING IN MANDARIN)

(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

Get in fast!

(INDISTINCT TALKING)

All right, come on, let's go.

(HONKING)

What's the trouble, Miller?

I think I got a flat.

Ah, it's a fine place you picked to get a flat.

All right, pull up around there and fix it.

Oh, Major Baldwin!

Major Baldwin!

(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

Something I didn't tell you last night. What's that?

Colonel Li has gone into the hills.

BALDWIN: Gone into the hills?

But he was... He was dug in.

I saw the machine gun emplacements.

He had... Why, he had orders to hold off the Japanese.

Colonel Li is a very brave man.

He was wounded twice in Shanghai.

But his soldiers are from this province, and they have lost hope.

To Colonel Li, it was better that they go now

into the hills and wait for the next offensive.

Gone into the hills.

All right.

How long have they been using this road, Colonel?

KWAN: Since the days of the Emperors.

Peasants build it with their hands.

Machines could do it just like that.

China has no machines.

After the war you'll have them.

We'll give you the machines to fix up roads like this.

Roads that have to be closed because Colonel Li went into the hills.

How will you close it, Major?

I'll close it with TNT.

Now, if I could just find a bend, just a horseshoe bend.

Like that?

Yeah, like that.

(MACHINE DRILLING)

Well? Why aren't you and Ballo working?

We got the road holes dug, but we can't figure out

how to get into those pockets up there in the rock.

Mike said you were the engineer, Major, you could figure it out.

Yeah, suppose we loosen something up there. We could get brained.

Yeah, all that loose stuff up there, you know, Major?

Did anybody ever call you fellows stupid?

Like who, Major? Like anybody.

Maybe once. On a show parlay. Both horses won.

Uh-huh.

I'm gonna take a look up top.

Get that truck up here.

Ballo, tie the hammer on this line.

All right, haul it away.

Are you into it, Major? It works?

Yeah, it works.

That's tough going in there, Major.

I'll take over if you want.

I got a dull bit here.

See if there's another one down in the kit, will ya?

Yes, sir. I'll get one right away.

Can I get you something?

Can I get you a drink of water?

How about I get Miller to make you some coffee, huh?

I want a glass of milk.

Lewis, we're in China, there's no milk, you know that.

I want a glass of milk.

Now, come on. Listen.

Now, we're up in the mountains

and I'm going to try and break this road, you understand?

If I blow this road open,

we may be the ones that hold West China together. You see?

I want a glass of fresh milk.

Didn't you understand what I said?

There isn't any fresh milk. And we're going to blow this road.

I need a doctor, a hospital.

Now, take it easy.

I don't want to die in China.

You're not dying!

Now stop it! You're a soldier! Act like one!

I ain't gonna die just so you can get a lousy medal for blowing up a road.

(SOBBING)

Here, uh...

Come on, Lewis. Now...

I'll get... I'll get Miller to open a can

of condensed milk when we break to eat, huh?

Okay?

Okay, Lewis?

(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

There you are.

Is everything all right?

Everything except Lewis.

I got tired sitting in the jeep, and I felt so useless.

I've been sitting here and wondering how

all this must look to an American.

Why?

I've become so used to it.

I was with my husband for four years at headquarters.

And now, watching you I...

I wondered how all this must look to someone like you.

Because in America,

when the roads are crowded, it's always for fun.

That's what an American road is for, but

here, when people are on the road, it's...

Well, this is a war.

Yes. Or a flood, or a famine.

We have all the natural disasters.

And I was thinking how different this road is

from the road that goes from Boston to New York.

Uh-huh, it's quite a road.

You ever been on it?

Many times. I went to school at Radcliffe.

Oh. I was born and raised in Boston.

Are you really going to cut this road today?

Yeah.

Is it dangerous? I mean, demolition?

No. Not if you know what you're doing.

We know what we're doing.

That's so American.

Well, it's just simple efficiency.

And the people?

What do you mean?

While the road is being cut, how will you...

How will you stop the people on the road from getting in your way?

Well, uh...

That's Kwan's job. He's along to handle the Chinese.

Besides, there's just foot traffic along here now

and we'll cordon off the road and then we'll set out some cigarettes

and some food and a little sugar,

and that'll hold 'em long enough for us to make the blow.

See? You mean,

leave some food for them as a decoy?

As if they were animals you were baiting.

Well, now what do you people want me to do?

Hold back the Japanese with a couple of

polite bows and a bowl of chop suey?

Colonel Li quit.

That... That glorious 212th regiment,

they're up in the hills, safe.

Uh, this... This road's wide open.

It's like a door, all the way from here to Kweiyang.

Now, somebody's got to shut it or try to shut it.

Colonel Kwan!

Colonel, I'm going to blow up this road.

Now, how can we keep the people off?

Off?

Well, I... I need them stopped for about ten minutes.

Can you do it? How?

Well, uh...

How about, uh... How about if we get a couple of empty gasoline drums,

put 'em on either side of the road, stretch a rope across?

They'll go under the rope.

Well, then we get some Chinese soldiers to explain to them.

Explain to them that we're cutting the road. How about that?

The soldiers will want to get through themselves.

Well, could we give them something?

What? Well, money?

They cannot spend money here.

Well, food? How about food? We've got K-rations.

Cigarettes? How about cigarettes?

Uh, what will they take for the job?

Mei you ban fa.

I don't speak Chinese, Colonel.

There is no way.

Do you also object to me trying to bribe your people, Colonel?

Or would you rather have me blow up the road under them,

like some Chinese generals?

If you wish, I will try.

How about it?

The boots convinced them. All right, come on.

They will warn the people to wait ten minutes.

Come on!

You go on ahead, Collins, keep your eye on Lewis.

Okay.

(WHISTLES)

All right, come on. Come on.

(INDISTINCT TALKING)

All right, give it the call.

BALLO: Fire in the hole!

Fire in the hole!

Fire in the hole!

Let her go, Major.

(INDISTINCT TALKING)

(ALL CLAMORING)

Boy, I wish we had a picture, huh, Mike?

A whole summer's work, and we ain't even got a picture to take home.

Yeah. Next war bring your camera. (CHUCKLING)

Now who's gonna put that together?

Nobody. Never.

Hey, look at them!

Boy, if they could steeplechase.

(ALL LAUGHING)

All right. That's enough.

Come on, let's get out of here.

(HONKING)

(HONKING CONTINUES)

So, listen, there I was, I was laying there, and I was sick,

sick as a dog.

And my Aunt Esther comes into the room and she says,

"I don't hold with these new doctor's." (CHUCKLING)

Atta boy.

How are you feeling, Lewis?

Lousy.

The milk okay?

Yeah, thanks.

Well, maybe we'll be in Kweiyang tomorrow.

You'll be able to rest up in Kweiyang.

KWAN: In China, before the war,

every man had an exact relationship to every other person.

The son to his father. The wife to her husband.

The teacher to his student.

The soldier to his officer.

A Prince to his people.

It's what we call the Old Learning.

Oh, Madame Hung.

Say, I want to ask you something.

I bought this in a bazaar in Kunming.

And, I was going to send it home.

Is... is that... is that anything special? What is that, anyway?

It is KwanYin. KwanYin is mercy.

She's the Goddess who hears all the crying and prayers.

And she's never angry,

and she always forgives.

Oh, I see.

Well, my father always said

that mercy was better than justice.

No. China is too big.

There are too many of us for mercy.

What China needs is unity.

First, you must have unity

and then, you can have mercy.

Madame Hung. I...

Please don't call me Madame Hung.

My name is Sue-Mei.

Sue-Mei.

Sue... Major, can I talk to you for a minute?

Yeah.

Suzie!

Excuse me. Suzie! Front and center.

She's going into Kweiyang, too.

She says she has a brother

that works for an American in Kweiyang.

How about giving Suzie a lift, Major,

when we pull out in the morning, huh? Nothing doing.

Well, uh, Suzie's not so big.

And if nobody'd look, you wouldn't even notice her.

The answer is no.

She's not going to get in the way up there in the cab.

The answer's still no.

All right, Suzie, start walking.

It's a long way to Kweiyang.

See, baby? Why weren't you born a General's wife.

Excuse me.

Major, you want some more coffee? No, thanks.

(KIDS SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

(SPEAKING IN LOCAL DIALECT) Good morning.

Morning, Major. Hi, Mike. The men set?

Well, they're up and moving.

What's the deal for today?

Uh, I don't know yet.

It depends on the Japs and the roads.

Sure, could stand a day of rest.

Yeah. What about Tushan?

You mean those ammunition dumps?

We blowing 'em? Like Colonel Kwan wants?

I'm running this outfit, not Kwan.

Yes, sir.

That's a Chinese job ain't it?

Tushan's their cookie, ain't it, Major?

Well, we'll see.

Look, Major Lewis is, uh, sick. Real sick.

We got to get him to a hospital soon.

Lewis is a weak slob.

Okay, Major.

I'm sorry. Sure.

Forget what I said. No, it's true.

Lewis is a slob. I'm a slob.

You're either a big wheel or a slob.

I learned that when I was a shop steward in the foundry.

Now cut it out, Mike.

You know I couldn't run this outfit without you.

Well, that just makes me a helpful slob, that's all, Major.

What do you want, a public apology?

No, I don't want nothin'.

Well, suggest something.

Slobs ain't got the brains. I said cut it out!

Now, wait a minute, wait a minute,

now let's uh, let's go over this again calmly, huh?

Now what would you suggest that I do, Sergeant?

Your orders said, "At your discretion."

So?

So we're eight guys and four trucks.

Is eight guys, one of 'em sick and four trucks

gonna save China?

Somebody's kiddin' somebody if they think so.

What we ought to save,

while we've got the chance, is ourselves.

Because if we don't, Major...

Major! Colonel Kwan just picked up a Chinese infantryman, sir.

BALLO: Hey, out! Out! Out!

What outfit's he with?

(SPEAKING IN CANTONESE)

He's not with any outfit now.

(SPEAKING IN CANTONESE)

He was ordered back.

(SPEAKING IN CANTONESE)

The Japanese are comin'. When?

(SPEAKING IN CANTONESE)

He does not know.

(SPEAKING IN CANTONESE)

He was in Liuchow. The Japanese came there.

(SPEAKING IN CANTONESE)

He was in Liuchow and the Japanese came there.

(SPEAKING IN CANTONESE)

Now they're coming here to Hochih.

(SOLDIER SPEAKING IN CANTONESE)

KWAN: He's seen their cavalry.

Uh, how many divisions there?

(SPEAKING IN CANTONESE)

He says two.

(SOLDIER SPEAKING IN CANTONESE)

KWAN: He says he heard an officer say two.

(SPEAKING IN CANTONESE)

He's only a soldier.

(SPEAKING IN CANTONESE)

He knows when he's hungry.

(SPEAKING IN CANTONESE)

He knows when he's wounded.

(SOLDIER SPEAKING IN CANTONESE)

KWAN: That's the only positive information that he knows.

(SPEAKING IN CANTONESE)

He also says Americans are lucky.

Major, you'd better take a look at Lewis.

He's boiling, he's real sick.

BALDWIN: Kwan, give him some cigarettes.

And tell him he's lucky, too.

Deserters are shot.

(KWAN SPEAKS IN MANDARIN)

I think he has pneumonia.

Ain't there a doctor in this town someplace? He needs a doctor.

What makes you think it's pneumonia?

The fever and the way he's breathing.

I saw pneumonia in hospitals in Shanghai.

Have you any sulfa?

Yeah, I think there's some in the medical kit there.

There ought to be a doctor in Kweiyang

if we ever get to Kweiyang. All right, shut up!

Shut up. Mike, come here.

All right. All right, we're going to move out of here.

The trucks ready? Yeah. They're all gassed up.

All right. Now, get... get Lewis in Niergaard's truck.

See that he has plenty of water.

Right.

Japs, heat and pneumonia, that's a combination for ya.

Fellas, help out with Lewis, will ya?

Yes, sir.

Major! Are we going to take this stuff with us, sir?

Sure. Why?

Well, I was thinking, sir.

We've got enough rations on the trucks to last two or three weeks.

And well, the people out there in the village are starving.

I thought maybe I could pass some of this out to them.

Now, Collins, now, how many...

How many bellies could this stuff feed out there?

Only a few.

Well, I know, sir, but...

All right, all right. Okay.

Fine. Well, here, here.

Thank you, sir.

Where's Collins going?

Oh, he's just giving some of our rations to the people in town.

Collins! (SHOUTS IN MANDARIN)

What's the matter?

Call him back, it's dangerous.

What's dangerous about giving people food?

Well, you see... I mean, you were talking

last night about the Goddess of mercy.

Well, isn't that what Collins is doing? An act of mercy?

Oh, please. Don't you understand?

Leave the food here. Let them take it.

(ALL CLAMORING)

(GUNSHOT)

Collins! Come on, kid.

He's...

He's dead.

I don't get it.

Collins, he liked the slopeys.

Come on, let's get him inside.

You keep the street covered.

(ALL CLAMORING)

(SHOUTS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

This one town I'd like to burn, with pleasure.

Right down to the lousy ground.

Major Baldwin, I suggest we go now and quickly.

There are bandits who are hungry as the people outside.

And they have guns.

All right. Now...

Now, I want you to put Collins in the ammo truck.

And I want all of you to keep your trucks close together as we move out.

And if a Chinese gets in between,

just keep going, don't stop.

Mike, I want you in the jeep with me.

All right, now, come on.

(HONKING)

How far is it to Tushan?

150 li.

That's about fifty miles, isn't it?

Yes.

How many lis is it, from Collins to Tushan?

I'm going to have to write his family.

They'll want to know how he died.

What will you say?

I'll tell them he was murdered by a bunch of Chinese

while he was doing an act of mercy

in a dirty, filthy little town in East China.

They'll understand.

No one will understand.

They'll understand. I'll explain it to them, carefully.

But you can't explain it to Americans.

Can't I?

I can try.

I can send them a carton of C rations

and show them what their son died for.

Now, everything is falling apart.

Now, there has to be something that takes care of people.

There has to be an order somewhere.

And the invasion has left no order anywhere in China.

They're going to die.

Everybody back there in the village is going to die.

If any of them live, it will be by accident.

Life shouldn't be by accident.

Dying should be something that

that you can avoid only by trickery, or by being cruel.

We have law, we have government,

but it can't function on this road on account of the disorder.

That's what happened to Collins.

Things were falling apart right here, and they fell on him.

You are Americans, so go back to where the roads are safe.

You can't help us either.

Don't you understand? Don't you see?

But if... If we can't help China, what am I doing here?

What uh...

What am I going to do tomorrow?

At... at Tushan? If nobody can do anything,

what difference does it make whether I blow up the dumps or not?

What...

What, I, uh, I...

I don't know.

I can't think.

I, uh, but I've got to decide.

I've got to decide.

I've got to believe that what I'm doing means something.

But I can't...

I can't think.

I can't...

You can leave us here on the road.

Colonel Kwan and I will go on to Tushan alone.

Well, Collins is dead. You...

I'll need an interpreter.

You'd better get some sleep now.

You talk to him, Mike?

Yeah.

Well, what's the pitch, Mike?

When are we getting into Kweiyang?

We ain't.

We ain't? What do you mean we ain't?

I thought the Major... We're going into Tushan.

You volunteered for this lousy outfit, didn't you, Ballo?

You don't like the army,

write a letter to your Congressman.

We're going into Tushan, see?

You want to know why? I'll tell you why.

I'll tell you the way the Major told me.

He says he's paid for the next card.

He's going to stay for one more round

because he's already paid to look!

So now he's playing poker? And he's holding us for a hand.

Yeah, well what do you want me to do? Change the deck?

(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

Say something to me so I can translate.

Why?

The General doesn't like having a woman here.

Oh. I'm Major Baldwin of the American Engineers.

Here's my pass.

(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

All right. Now tell him that

we're on our way from Liuchow to Kweiyang.

And we've heard that there are ammunition dumps here,

and that the Japanese are going to Tushan.

Now, ask him courteously

what he would like us to do.

(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

Please sit down.

(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

This pass carries the seal of Wang Ta Kung of Kwangsi war zone.

(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

Tushan is not part of the Wang Ta Kung's command.

Well, what's that mean?

It means you have no authority to operate in this area.

Fine. Tell him it was nice meeting him.

(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

Oh, please sit down.

(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

Will you have some tea?

Oh, now, let's cut the formalities.

If he doesn't want our help, then he doesn't want our...

(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

He said he would be very pleased

to have the honorable American General instruct him.

I'm a Major.

He knows it. He means he wants your views on the situation.

Huh. Well, you tell him

he's the General. I want his views.

(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

The Japanese have no trucks.

And it takes them about two days of hard march to approach Tushan,

so there's no immediate danger.

(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

Chungking ordered him to wait and the Americans want him to fall back.

This is his difficulty.

Yeah well, that's a helluva way to run a railroad.

Please, don't say that. The General isn't afraid.

It's just that he has two sets of orders.

That's how my husband died.

Yes, yes, I know. You told me.

He obeyed one order and disobeyed the other.

Yes. All right. Now, I'm...

I'm just interested in the ammunition dumps.

Now, does he want me to blow the dumps

or doesn't he want me to blow the dumps?

(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

He said, "What is the honorable American General's opinion?"

I'm a Major.

Well, he, he has promoted you to his equal.

All right. Okay.

All right. I... It...

It's best and it's wise to blow up the ammunition dumps,

before the Japanese get here.

(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

And now, tell him, that he is, oh, the General here,

he's older than I am, he's seen more of the war than I have,

so, now ask the General what he'd like me to do.

You're learning to speak Chinese. Just ask him. Go on.

(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

The American General is young, but very wise.

And he's very glad that the American General has decided to explode the dumps.

I didn't decide. I suggested.

In his opinion, you've decided.

Okay. I've decided.

All right, now, if the General will put his seal on there,

I'll assemble my men.

(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

Thank you, sir.

(SPEAKING IN MANDARIN)

So long, General. Zai jian.

Mike, come here.

Now, we're going to have to send Lewis on ahead to Kweiyang

and get him to a hospital.

Well, how about letting Miller take him? He'll get 'em there.

If he barrels right through, he can get Lewis to Kweiyang tonight.

He could take Collins, too.

And if we blow the dumps, we can all be in Kweiyang tonight.

All right.

How are you feeling, Lewis?

All right, now, now, listen to me.

You're moving out. We're going to get you to a hospital.

You'll be in Kweiyang tonight.

Is Collins going on this truck, too?

That's right.

Then can I ride up front? I don't want to ride in back with a dead man.

You're going to ride back here with Collins.

You're look, it'd... it'd be better back here.

You you'll be able to take it easy.

Miller'll be up front. You like Miller, don't you?

Yeah. I like Miller.

Major,

you think I'm going to be all right?

Lewis, you're going to live to be an old man

with forty grandchildren and all the fresh milk you can drink.

Yeah. That'd be somethin', wouldn't it?

Sure. Okay. Okay, now.

Miller!

Okay, take off.

To go home, you gotta be sick or dead.

Boy, how do you take something like this apart?

Well, it sure ain't going to be easy.

But at least when we blow it, that's the end of it.

Right, Major? The job's finished.

That's right.

Look at the size of this.

This is quite a collection, ain't it, Major?

You mean, we're going to blow all this now?

This is the last job, huh, Major? For real?

You want me to tattoo it on your butt?

All right, come on now,

let's spread out, see what's in these sheds.

Come on. Come on, let's go.

Niergaard, take that section. The one in the middle. Ballo!

Come on, let's check these sheds.

All right, on the double.

The way it looks to me, Major

we bring our main lines in from there,

and there, the whole thing ought to go.

All right, that's the way we'll set it up, Mike.

Now, you put your charges in the...

In the sheds with the high explosives and the bombs,

the artillery shells, start way back there in the corner

and work up from there.

Come on. We're ready.

Get the box.

I'll do that, Mike.

You get the trucks up the road and take cover.

Where are you going to fire from?

Well, just as far out as that wire'll put me.

Now, look, when you get up there and get all squared away,

give me a couple of shots as a signal.

And I'll let her go. Got it?

Got it.

All right, now, clear the area. Everybody.

MIKE: All right, let's go.

All right, take cover.

Well, what do you think you're doing?

You ought to be down with the trucks.

This is the last job for me, too.

I would like to see how it ends, with you.

When it goes, there will be nothing left?

The artillery pieces, maybe.

I told the men to destroy the mechanism.

They'll all rust after the fires are gone.

Rust. That's all that will be left of us. Rust.

We lost a campaign, not a war.

(GUNSHOTS)

It's time, now.

Fire in the hole!

Fire in the hole!

Fire in the hole!

(EXPLOSIONS CONTINUE)

(EXPLOSIONS CONTINUE)

Sue-Mei. Yes.

Don't be afraid, Sue-Mei.

I'm not afraid.

I'm glad I found you.

Are you?

How do you say "yes" in Chinese?

Dwayluh.

Baldwin, I think that was an American.

What?

I think I saw an American. Where?

Back there on the side of the road.

We just passed him. It was a body.

Something wrong, Major?

No. You stay where you are.

Mike!

Come on down here a minute.

They must have been jumped, huh, Major?

They wouldn't dump him.

Huh, Major? Somebody must have jumped Miller.

Get back! Get back or I'll blow your head off.

Where's the truck, Collins?

Where's Miller?

Where's Lewis?

Collins, where...

I'd get Ballo to help me carry him.

We searched the area, Major.

Nothing. Not a sign.

All right, we're going to turn around

and try and find them back along the road.

And then we're going to try and find the truck.

And then we're going to look for the Chinese who did it.

And what will you do then?

They were my men and I was responsible for them.

Now, come on, let's go.

(SNIFFLING)

They must have stood over Lewis in the truck

and fired straight down into his face.

Miller must have been jumped when his back was turned.

And then they stripped both of 'em,

threw 'em down here on the rocks.

What do you think, Colonel?

What do you think? Did they have a chance?

Either one of 'em? Miller, Lewis?

They came a long way to fight in your war.

Do you think the men that shot them gave either one of 'em a chance?

KWAN: I do not know, Major.

Look. Look, they traded.

A dirty pair of straw sandals for a couple of pair of G. I. boots.

Only they left the sandals.

Why did they leave the sand... That was...

That was very generous of them, wasn't it?

They could have taken the sandals, too, couldn't they, Colonel?

Yes, Major.

Well now, you... You're a military strategist, Colonel.

Educated in the Academy.

Who do you think shot and robbed those men

and threw them down there in the rocks?

I think soldiers. Whose?

Nobody's. Deserters?

Soldiers. Of no regiment who are far from home,

who will die on the road because they are sick and hungry.

No, no. No, that's where you're wrong, Colonel.

That's where you're wrong.

That's not the way they're going to die!

Come on, Mike.

Help get this...

Ballo! Niergaard!

What are you going to do now?

I told you I'm going to find the truck.

They'll be where the truck is.

Please. All you want is revenge.

It's too late for revenge.

They were my men. And this is my command.

And on this road, I'm the only justice there is.

All right, you coming?

It's revenge. It will change nothing and mean nothing.

Shut up! I don't want any more advice from any Chinese!

There's the truck. Our truck.

Yes. Mike!

That's Miller's truck.

Whoever jumped Miller is right down there with it.

What do we do, Major?

All right.

We'll go around the town, pull up on the far side.

Right over there. Right over there.

All right. Now, who's got the BAR?

It's in my heap. All right.

Now, Prince, when you get over there, set it up

and cover us if we need it. Mike! Yeah?

We'll go down to the Inn.

Why take a chance, Major?

We had to destroy other towns.

That's right, Major and they didn't kill Miller or Lewis.

You hold your fire.

Mike, take the convoy up above. Right.

The Inn is there.

All right. Meet me over at the Inn. Okay.

You'll need someone who speaks Chinese.

That's right.

(TALKING INDISTINCTLY)

Major!

(GUNSHOTS)

(SOLDIERS SPEAK IN MANDARIN)

What are they saying?

They shouted, "We are bandits."

They're saying, "Kill them!"

Go on, Mike!

We got a gasoline drum ready to roll. What do you say, Major?

All right.

All right. Tape a pound block of TNT on the drumhead

set the fuse for about 30 seconds.

Ballo!

Baldwin, don't! Baldwin, don't! Don't!

Baldwin, don't!

Baldwin, please don't do it! You'll be just like them!

Don't you hear me?

They killed Miller.

They killed Collins!

And they killed Lewis!

And whom will you kill? The homeless? The starving?

Here they come!

Are they all dead yet? Not yet.

You'll see to that. Simple efficiency.

It's in a book. An army book, isn't it?

Baldwin, don't! Baldwin, don't! Don't!

I beg you, don't!

Sue-Mei!

Stop it! Don't! Do you hear me? Don't!

Baldwin! Baldwin!

Baldwin, you don't care about the truck.

You want someone to pay for what you think is your guilt.

Because you didn't protect Collins or Lewis, or Miller.

Get out of here.

Don't! Baldwin!

Stop it! Stop it!

Wait a minute, Ballo, stop! Stop! Stop everybody! All right, stop it!

Stop it!

Stop it!

(HONKS)

We have contact with Kweiyang, sir.

Fine.

Colonel Masterson of the American Liaison is waiting.

This is Major Baldwin. Base Engineers. Who is this? Over.

Masterson here. What's your message? What's your message?

Masterson, Sixth Liaison to Baldwin Base Engineers. Over.

Uh, Roger. Request you relay

the following message to the Commanding Officer, Base Engineers, Kunming.

Report bridge blown on outskirts of Liuchow.

Also extensive demolition on the road 20 miles south of Hochih.

Repeat, Hochih.

Uh, also destroyed ammunition dumps Tushan. Over.

MASTERSON: Repeat about Tushan.

Were the dumps blown? Over.

Roger. That's correct. Uh, dumps at Tushan blown at 1500 hours. Over.

We've had an order out for 48 hours to get that job done.

Do you know who did it, Baldwin? Over.

We did it, sir.

Good work.

Roger. Out.

Thank you.

Shall we finish this together?

Finish what?

The trip on the road.

It was finished back at the village.

Sue-Mei please, I...

Please, listen to me. I...

I don't know whether this is something I can explain or not.

But it's about this power that was in my hands

and using it because...

Because they were Chinese. Because...

No! No!

You weren't just killing. You were stepping on something.

No! But I asked for this job.

Now, listen to me. Listen.

I asked for this job.

And with it came this power.

And, I don't know,

I guess maybe I've always been afraid of it,

afraid of having power, of using it.

But then here on the road, I found out that it was easy.

It was easy as long as it was between me

and the Japanese and the road.

But then yesterday in the village,

it just reached out and possessed me.

It just walked in and took over and I...

The gasoline drums and the explosions...

I had the power and I could use it.

And it wasn't because they were Chinese.

It wasn't because I was an American and they were Chinese.

Power has no face. It has no country.

What is it you want from me?

I want you to understand.

I understand.

You're trying to say, if you live with the beasts

you become a beast.

No, no.

You're trying to tell me what happened at the village happens over and over again.

With Americans, just as it does with us.

I'm trying to tell you what I've learned.

I'm trying to tell you what the road taught me.

That being strong isn't enough.

That one has to be responsible oneself

for the power that falls into your hands.

And I know

I... I know now

that, that I had more power than I knew how to use.

It doesn't matter now.

Sue-Mei, please, I don't want to lose you.

We've already lost each other.

And you won't come to Kweiyang with us?

No. Colonel Kwan and I will go on alone.

Well, I reported in to Kunming.

And they think we did a good job.

And I... And I want to thank you.

Okay, let's... Let's...

Major, you think you could get us some slug of leave when we hit Kweiyang?

I mean, now the job's over.

That's a real good idea, Mike.

We'll get some leave.

Ain't she coming?

No.

To the end of the road,

peace and safety.