Original subtitles

- This documentary, which I've had put together

from our own and captured enemy films,

is, for me, a sort of brief memorandum of the

progress of the war to date.

Here, in 1942, began the myth of Erwin Rommel,

commander of the Afrika Korps,

that clever and courageous desert fox,

on whom Hitler conferred a field marshal's baton

in a ceremony held before the men of the Wehrmacht,

who considered him a new Napoleon.

Rommel's extraordinary reputation seemed destined to grow.

He was given command of that ponderous line of

coastal fortifications known as the Atlantic Wall,

which was to prevent an Allied landing

after the Germans had abandoned

their plans to invade England.

But as you well know it did not succeed.

In June of '44, a colossal amphibious operation

without precedent in history was launched.

10,000 Allied ships set forth against the coast of France.

However, it wasn't easy even for this gigantic task force

to overcome enemy resistance.

The issue hung in the balance with heavy losses,

'til finally the hammering of our artillery

and air force bombing determined the outcome.

200,000 Allied troops landed on the Normandy beaches,

which became the theater of a relentless struggle.

The hopelessness of resistance soon became apparent.

The Atlantic Wall had been destroyed.

Rommel, himself, was wounded and called back to Germany.

The Nazis were beginning to learn the taste of defeat.

But Hitler would not face the facts.

He refused to surrender and he was still acclaimed

by those he kept in ignorance of what was really happening

at the front.

The German army, or what was left of it,

tried to defend the territories conquered in the Blitz

four years before.

But they had been forced back to where we find them today,

practically within the confines of their own

national borders.

Point, Rommel and other high-ranking officers,

faced with the Fuhrer's fanatical stubbornness,

resolved to eliminate him in order to save the country.

Unfortunately, their plot failed.

On our own Freiburg front, their resistance has held

us at bay for over two months.

Our attempt to outflank the enemy line of defense

at Zella Pass has failed.

This is the way things stand.

We must overcome their resistance and end the war.

The operation I've outlined can accomplish both objectives.

- I don't like your plan.

I'm not in the habit of playing with men's lives.

- Nevertheless, you've been lucky at this sort of thing

so far, Major Heston.

This operation must be carried out.

Understand?

Whatever the cost.

I would prefer to keep things friendly,

but if you insist,

I'll make it an official order.

- I'd like the order put in writing.

- I have no objection.

- This operation, as you call it, is a dirty trap.

I want to safeguard my honor.

- You'll get it.

Now, get out, Heston, and see to your men.

- They're not my men, General, they're yours.

- You picked the men.

- Yes, it's true, I did.

Well, here are their files.

Take a good look at them.

They're tops, every one of them.

Don't forget.

I want their death warrant in writing.

- Major Heston, you're going too far.

- Remind me to do you a favor sometime.

- Those written orders you asked for will be ready

in 20 minutes.

My men are already waiting for you

and I have not time to lose.

General?

With your operation wrong, what we stand to lose

a hell of a lot more.

Our lives.

Captain Agamemnon Geeves,

four missions into enemy territory, three landings.

A former medical officer that the war

has turned into a butcher.

There was Lieutenant Steve Bloom.

15 accredited kills, five forced landings behind

enemy lines, and never taken prisoner.

Two silver stars.

Engineer Captain Stuart Latimore.

Six landings, four in the first wave.

A civil engineer, decorations silver and bronze stars.

Spot promotion from merit.

Lieutenant Thomas Mulligan.

Famous professional baseball player.

Volunteered for two missions behind enemy lines.

DFC and special citation for valor.

And last, me, Major John Heston.

Graduated third in class at West Point,

first in special advanced course at War College.

According to military circles, a shoo-in

for a brilliant army career.

- The officer's quarters.

- If you're looking for the officers who just arrived,

Major, I'd better take you to the training field.

They're all veterans, aren't they?

- But the general ordered some testing.

Our instructors are the best.

- Come on, get going, and step on it.

There's going to be some trouble.

- Yes, sir.

- Go!

- A friend.

- Pretty nice.

- Yeah.

- A peach.

You're kidding.

- No, I ain't.

What do you think?

What do you think?

- She looks like a marine to me.

- Hold it there.

Gentlemen, I've been instructed to check your

physical conditioning.

Now these men are going to attack you as if

they were your enemies.

If, without meaning to, they should hurt you,

I'm sure you'll forgive them.

First exercise, use a knife.

Second exercise, use your feet.

Third exercise, with club.

Fourth exercise, full nelson.

Karate.

Be careful, sir, this can be fatal.

All right, go on.

Now, gentlemen, to remove a bit of surplus fat,

you have 40 seconds to complete this obstacle course.

- Here we go again.

- I don't know whether it interests you or not,

those who do not complete it, won't be chosen,

so get ready, go.

Now you have 30 seconds.

- Ah.

Congratulations.

Nobody has to be eliminated, as far as I'm concerned,

gentlemen, but just for laughs,

let's see you disarm these crutchers.

- I see you're enjoying yourselves.

- Are you the joker who organized all this, Heston?

- On behalf of General Moore, I bid you welcome.

And I trust you will forgive him

for not coming along personally.

Unfortunately the war is keeping him very busy.

And now I suggest you take a shower,

and in about 12 minutes, we'll meet in the assembly room.

You better make that 20, I still have another all to make.

Follow me, gentlemen.

At ease, gentlemen.

Please sit down.

Now if I were to tell you that you've been chosen

for your personal abilities,

you'd probably think that I was trying to put something

over on you, so let's just say that you were picked

because you all have excellent memories

and because you all speak German.

The mission's objective is to contact

the German military leaders who want to overthrow Hitler

and bring an end to this war.

Before I go any further, let me stress,

that this is a particularly dangerous mission.

More than we went through on the training field?

- Yeah, when I risk my life, I want

to know why I'm doing it.

- You're absolutely right.

But in this case, I can't tell you why.

I don't have the answer.

These envelopes contain the instructions

you're supposed to carry out.

Now, wait a minute.

If you open them, that will automatically mean

that you accept.

And that you commit yourselves never to reveal to anyone,

under any circumstances, what your instructions are.

Not even to each other.

- Sounds great, but I don't like it.

Something's fishy.

Look.

We're men.

Not a pack of cards.

- And you, Major Heston, what will you be doing

while we're risking our lives?

- I'll be going with you.

Here are my instructions.

But don't let that influence you.

Ah, then even you don't know the overall plan.

- No.

Just the general outline.

- A sitting duck, just like us.

All right, wither thou goest, there go I.

- Please.

Think carefully about it.

Once you've read these instructions,

you'll be obliged to see the mission through to the end.

So if you have any doubts at all,

now is the time to walk away.

And, look.

I have to confess to you that if I were in your shoes,

I'd refuse without any hesitation.

- Is this all part of General Moore's instructions?

You want us to refuse?

- You can think whatever you like.

I've said my piece.

Now it's up to you to decide.

- Thanks for the explanation, Major.

Now the surprise.

- When you have committed your instructions to memory,

put the papers in here.

Are there any questions?

- The marshal is in his villa on the Rhine,

convalescing from wounds he received in Normandy.

He knows we're coming and will find ways to contact us.

- Through one of his men.

Each of us will carry a message on microfilm,

but only one will contain the real message.

Doctor.

This is part of your instructions.

Now all of you please go into the next room,

and follow Captain Geeves' orders.

- Well, that fixes you, Major.

Send someone else.

- We leave tonight.

Not until you are on the plane

and airborne, will you know the sixth member of the group.

Allow me to introduce Hermann Traniger.

A major in the Wehrmacht.

- Did you know the sixth member was a German?

- Major Traniger is part of this mission.

That's all I can say.

- Why should I take part in any action with a Nazi?

That goes for me, too.

- This wasn't in the agreement.

You're trying to put one over on us.

I'm pulling out.

- All right, children, you were all warned.

There's no turning back unless you're prepared

to face a court martial.

- With the orders I got, I ought to kill you now.

You kill me, the mission will fail.

- You're lying to save your skin.

- If I weren't necessary,

why am I here?

- You don't convince me.

- Only one of us has the complete message for Rommel.

- Maybe.

- If you really have orders to kill him, Mulligan,

what are you waiting for.

- Careful what you do,

because I'll be watching your every move.

After 20 minutes flying time

proceed to pilot's compartment.

- I'm right at home up here.

Mills, Bob Mill, what are you doing here?

- Headquarters asked for me especially.

- You're kidding.

- Yeah, they asked for the best pilot and the oldest plane,

so here we are.

The truth is, I knew you were coming and wanted

to say good bye.

- Thanks a lot, so that's meant to cheer me up?

- Listen, Steve, what made you decide to become

a parachutist?

- Ah, another day.

And behind German lines, too.

- No, not this time.

The date's with a German field marshal.

Rommel.

- B 29 located, sir.

Heading five, zero, coordinates zero dash zero.

- As soon it's over the Rhine, let me know.

- I'm flying over the Rhine.

Don't worry, Steve, someone will survive

to tell all about this.

- Thanks, Mills, thanks a lot.

- Goodbye, Bloom.

- So long.

- And good luck.

- Thanks.

Kangaroo calling Swordfish.

Tell the boys happy holidays.

We're awaiting news of Uncle Mills, over.

- Swordfish received.

Over and out.

Your attention, please.

This is the pilot speaking.

Message received.

Happy holidays.

That is all.

- All right.

Hook on to the automatic parachute release bar.

Prepare to jump.

Fire!

Fire!

- Now!

Now!

Now!

Hey, wait!

Did you do that?

Go!

Before you jump,

push the red button to the right of the door.

- Hit on the tail.

Losing altitude.

The crew's safe, I'm going to jump.

Over and out.

On the ground, proceed to a point

marked X on the map to arrive at rendezvous point

at zero six oh five.

- Search the woods.

You two, take the hold.

- Down.

Mills!

Hit the dirt.

(bullets whizzing0

- Yeah, thanks.

For a moment I thought I'd had it.

- Come on.

- We really gotta move.

- Or be late.

- Come on.

- You could have chose something else to burn

instead of that church.

- Those were your orders, you agreed to carry them out.

Now leave me alone.

- Hey, you lousy Nazi.

Why'd you leave your parachute uncovered?

Who says it was mine?

Anyway, what I do with my parachute is my business.

Who are you to question.

- Oh, knock it off.

Where the hell is Bloom?

He should be here by now.

It's oh six oh nine.

- There is one more of us,

and six less of the enemy who are trying to capture him.

- You must be joking.

- We're here to carry out a mission!

Not to go around acting like a bunch of boy scouts.

If Lieutenant Mills has got nothing to do with us,

he'll have to go.

Let the Gestapo get him so they can torture him?

- You got no feelings at all!

- What the hell are we supposed to be, expendable bodies?

That you can dispose of as you please?

- This is something between you Americans.

I'm a German.

- It's a majority decision, friend.

Thank you, fellow citizens, but if I had a choice,

I'd rather spend the rest of the war

in a comfortable prison camp.

- All right, enough of this baloney.

Let's get out of here.

And that includes you, too, Mills.

And you do exactly as you're told!

Let's go.

- General van Gruber.

- Good morning, Wolf.

- Yes.

Still no news of the Americans?

- We have combed the area as far as Zella Pass

but have not yet found any trace of them.

However, I don't think that the crew of a plane

that has been shot down represents a military danger.

- Aren't you underestimating the fact you lost

several of your men?

Yes.

A church.

The parachutes abandoned.

It's a well defined mission.

- At any rate, sooner or later they would appear.

I have very few men, and I cannot take any of them

away from Zella Pass to aid in the search.

- Very well.

But that is not the only reason for my visit.

Would you like to go with me for a short drive?

- May I ask the reason for this unusual invitation?

- This is not the time or place for explanations.

Let's go.

We've just enough time.

Is this an order?

No, it's a polite invitation.

And I promise you will see something quite interesting.

Your men who have guarded Zella Pass

will have nothing to do until the day of our victory.

- One never knows where the enemy plans to attack.

- It will be on the other side of the Rhine.

The Hanover side of the Rhine,

where the Fuhrer will decide to use, at last,

our greatest war secret.

The weapons we are constructing at Peenemünde.

Uh, don't you think that way, too, General van Gruber?

- I consider it very dangerous to force our people

to resist desperately for some fantastic idea.

May I ask where we're headed for?

- The local railway station.

Why?

- Soon a special military train will be arriving.

(train whistle blows

- The power has to be cut.

You're on, engineer.

Right.

- Be sure to get Mulligan.

Geeves and Mills.

Come on.

Hey, you!

What are you doing down there?

- There's something wrong.

I'll have to cut the power, just for a minute.

- That's one I owe you, Heston.

- Get the generals out of the car,

and I don't want any more firing.

- Yeah, well enough.

- It's just a scratch.

- Let me see.

Come outside, gentlemen, please.

- Colonel Wolf, I don't like mysteries

and I don't like puzzles.

- Nevertheless, those arriving on the train

will be of interest to you.

I know you fought in the Afrika Korps with Marshal Rommel.

And you were on very friendly terms with him.

- It was a great honor for me.

We have discovered

that Marshal Rommel was implicated

in the plot to kill Hitler.

- I don't know what you're getting at with these

insinuations, nor do I know why we are here in this station.

- There are some important officers aboard

who will go on to their destination from here

in my armored cars.

May I ask who they are?

Those who tried to betray us to the enemy

by plotting with Rommel.

- You damn Nazi!

That guy recognized you, that's why you killed him.

- I was obeying my orders.

- And suppose he was one of Rommel's men.

You killed him to make the mission fail.

- Cut it out, Mulligan.

This is isn't the place indicated for the rendezvous.

You're free.

You may go.

- If this is a trick to shoot us in the back,

then shoot us now.

- It's no trick and I have no intention of shooting

you in the back.

Now here are your instructions and a map to show you

how to get through our lines, all right?

Now get going.

- We cannot accept that.

We would be traitors.

- Then stay here and be tortured by the Gestapo.

It's all the same to me, buddy.

- You'd better take care of that arm.

It looks pretty bad.

- Thanks.

When the train reaches the station, we'll have

the whole Wehrmacht on our tails.

- Come on.

Where's Traniger?

- Maybe he's got some orders to carry out.

- I'm getting sick of his mysterious orders.

- Well, let's not stand around here talking,

because if we give them time to get organized,

they're gonna--

Nice work.

- Stop the train! - Stop the train!

Get moving!

Find those Americans.

Bring them to me alive!

They have entered an area controlled by you,

if I'm not mistaken.

The only prisoner killed is General Niemann.

Who would have hated us to harass the others who plotted

the attempt on Hitler's life.

You have a grave responsibility on your shoulders.

If you are wounded and cannot

continue, relay your instructions to the second-in-command.

- I'm all right, keep moving.

- No.

If you go on with that bullet inside you,

you'll bleed to death.

- Yeah, but we can't stay here.

It will louse up the whole mission.

- All right.

You've got five minutes to get it out of me.

- Okay, Geeves.

This will have to do the job.

- Come on, hurry it up, we're wasting time.

Give me a cigarette.

Lousy cigarette.

You're risking the operation.

- Take one to relieve the pain.

- - Let's get out of here before they start looking for us.

- Do you know what this microfilm contains, Major?

- No.

I was only ordered to give

it to you personally, Herr Field Marshal.

- It gives precise instructions on leaving Germany,

and finding asylum in some neutral country.

- But staying here would be very dangerous for you, sir.

- I foresee the end in store for me.

But I prefer to confront it rather than abandon my country

when thousands of men are asked to die

carrying out a madman's orders.

This is my decision and it is irrevocable,

but must not influence the rest of the mission.

It is a difficult time for us all

and each one must act according to his conscience.

- But sir.

- The train was attacked by commandos,

defined by General van Gruber as a regular crew

of a plane shot down.

It's possible that our prisoners are with this

American commando unit.

I will accept all responsibility, Herr Hitler.

Heil Hitler.

He orders the area to be combed inch by inch.

- Hmm, to do that I would have to have

a thousand men available.

And I don't have them.

- You do have, at Zella Pass.

- That sector is of vital strategic importance,

and I refuse to withdraw any of my men!

- Unless the conspirators are found,

they'll want someone's head in Berlin.

And I'm very fond of mine!

- I have never doubted your bad taste.

- Are you refusing to cooperate

in the capture of the commando unit?

- No.

But only the men I have available will back up the action

of your armored cars.

It's stupid.

Nothing much, he was a bad shot.

- I'm happy to see you all alive and well.

- Yeah, we're happy we found you, too.

- You know you've got a lot of explaining to do.

- We were almost sure that you betrayed us.

- Marshal Rommel refuses to leave the country.

It was part of my orders to propose this to him.

- What else could you expect from a man like him.

I understand.

I'm sorry, but we have to go ahead with the mission anyway.

Come on, let's go.

Go!

- There.

The Zella Pass.

On the other side is the American army.

Well, that's where I get off.

In two hours I could be home.

- It's impossible to pass.

Two entire companies are guarding it.

- Come on, let's get off this road.

Spielberg Pass is less heavily guarded.

- Only a few men guard it because the road is heavily mined.

- Yeah, but our objective is Spielberg.

Let's go.

- Now, my friends, trying to take

that emplacement means losing our necks.

And I'm no hero.

- He's right.

Mills doesn't belong to the group and he didn't volunteer.

We can't force him to stay.

- He knows too much to be allowed to go.

- They'd make him talk in a minute.

- Sure.

- Sorry but he's got to stay.

- Nothing else I can do.

- Synchronize your watches with mine.

It's now five zero two.

We go into action in exactly three minutes.

Bloom, you cover us from up there.

- There's only one thing Mills can do for us.

That is, if you allow him to.

- Come on.

- I wonder what was on Heston's mind when he said

if you allow him to.

- I'm so damned mixed up

I don't understand anything anymore.

- Mills, don't waste any time.

Go on, get out of here.

No, I'm sticking with the mission.

- Even if we had a means of transportation,

you would need an anesthetic, too, right?

- Naturally, since they're forcing me to fight this war.

They could provide me with some comfort, too.

- There's your comfort.

- Thanks.

Hey, Major!

- I don't know a thing.

Lieutenant Robert Mills.

Serial number 45127.

- When did you give him the pentothal injection?

- 10 minutes ago.

He's beginning to go under the effect of the drug now.

- Speak.

You must know something.

You must have overheard.

Why did they come down?

- I don't remember.

- Talk!

Why?

- I don't know anything.

I only know name

Rommel.

Marshal Rommel.

Rommel.

I only know the name.

Rommel.

- The prisoner has spoken.

We are now certain that there is another plot

of the enemy with Marshal Rommel's help.

Yes, Herr Himmler, I will wait for your orders.

I'll be here.

- Yes, the moment has come to pay for the failure

of the attempt made against that maniac

who has brought or country to complete ruin.

However, we shall not give them the pleasure of

seeing we are afraid.

- Erwin, it's not possible.

Tell me it's only a nightmare.

- The whole of Germany is living through a nightmare

for which it will awake only too late.

Go now, my dear.

You have always been strong in difficult moments.

I must ask you to be strong now, too.

Go.

I'm on personal orders from Hitler.

- Make it brief.

A very fitting message from a tyrant.

- And a generous gesture to one who has plotted

against his life.

- The loss of your rank and execution

as a traitor.

Should you accept, you will be honored as the

greatest hero the Third Reich has produced.

- That dishonor is more infamous than the first.

Keep it for some other of your crimes.

Your weapon is unworthy of going down in history.

- Get out, Wolf.

- Huh.

Oh, it's you.

- Go get some rest.

It's time for me to relieve you.

It's all right.

Go on.

- Hey!

Okay, who were you signalling?

- I was just carrying out orders, Mulligan.

- Ask him.

- Don't ask me, I have my own instructions.

Like I said before, I don't know the whole plan,

nor do I know where the devil this is gonna lead us.

- What a rotten mess we've got ourselves into.

- I don't like being clobbered from behind

- Why you!

- No funny business with me.

I'm a doctor but I prefer to prevent a disease

before I have to cure it.

A free fire works display.

Courtesy of General Moore.

- Look!

Traniger!

Traniger!

Damn him.

He's gone!

A crowd skip.

- Now don't tell me he was following orders, too.

This whole thing is becoming a little ridiculous.

Yeah, it is, isn't it.

And your rocket flares.

Are they for Rommel or an invitation to the SS

to pay us a visit?

Yeah?

The signal's coming from the Spielberg emplacement.

Transmit the message to Army General Headquarters.

What?

Direct to Army General Moore.

- We have an order from the Army General staff.

I refuse to unman Zella Pass

to send reinforcements to Spielberg,

which is of secondary importance.

- Your attitude is tantamount to treason.

By capturing this commando unit we can learn

the extent of this obvious plot between

the Americans and Rommel against our beloved Fuhrer.

That is why Herr Himmler decided to liquidate Rommel.

Excuse me for listening.

But Marshal Rommel's death has been useless.

Major Hermann Traniger,

of the Secret Information Service.

I repeat, a useless death.

Colonel Wolf.

All the forces we have in the area must be sent

to the Spielberg emplacement.

- To capture a commando unit.

So?

To prevent a defeat on that front.

We are sure that the Americans will try to break through

that sector at dawn.

- Yes, in spite of what you think,

I believe there was some connection between

the Americans and Rommel.

But we are in agreement about the military action to take.

And it is necessary that the political objectives

coincide with the military ones.

See to it, General.

I will assume all responsibility.

- Good morning.

- Good morning. - Good morning.

- Colonel Wolf of the Gestapo calling the

second panzer division in the Black Forest, come in.

- The second panzer division here.

We are in the course of mobilizing our tanks.

- You have two hours to get to Spielberg.

You will work together with the men at the tail

and with General van Gruber's men.

And take a maximum amount of missiles.

- No, you didn't hurt me.

It's what I've done, betraying my buddies.

- It's not your fault.

Everybody talks after that injection.

I was unable to prevent it.

They had me watched.

We don't all look at things the same way in Germany.

- Leave us alone, please.

- With pleasure, Major Traniger.

- Get dressed.

- I don't take orders from a dirty traitor.

- I serve my country in my own way.

And you get dressed if you want to save your companions.

Berta.

Listen.

You mustn't judge me by appearances.

- We both know why you went to the other side.

What made you come back?

- Rommel is dead.

- I know you're troubled, Hermann.

But you shouldn't come back if he's dead.

You swore to me you'd resist 'til Germany's freed.

- You must trust me.

- The American officers did,

and now they'll die because of you.

- It has to be so.

That is war.

And there's no need for you to become so dramatic about it.

What are five lives compared to millions

who are put to death?

- You speak in a way that makes me feel

I don't know you at all.

Let me go.

I hate you.

- Time's getting short, Major Traniger.

Let's go.

We can't allow van Gruber to lose the game for us now.

You've no idea how stupid he is.

- There are some who lost everything

before the game started.

Major?

Looks like the whole Wehrmacht is coming at us.

Tanks.

And you know what?

I'm clearing out.

- We won't be able to hold out.

Not for very long.

- Right.

What are we waiting for, anyway?

- Wait a minute, wait a minute.

Now let's not panic, boys, until we see

the whites of their eyes.

Don't you think it's time we had a little talk?

Try to put the pieces of this puzzle together.

The plane was supposed to have crashed because

it had been hit.

That's why I blew the plane up.

According to my instructions.

At that exact moment, shortly before,

I was to tell Mills, "Rommel is the object of our mission."

Then it was planned that he be taken prisoner,

and made to talk.

The order to start the train moving could only

have been given to tip off the German command

about our mission.

- That's true, and that's why the attack on the train

and the liberation of the generals was ordered.

It was just to make the Germans think that Rommel

was the key to the whole operation.

- No, no.

The telegraph signal sent by Latimore

would eliminate this spot as a contact point

with Rommel's men.

- They could have been for our side, not for the Germans.

- That's it, you got it.

Boy, that's it.

And this thing about Rommel was just a

smokescreen.

- There was nothing on them.

Except maybe on Traniger's.

- That Kraut's the part that's hard to figure.

What's he up to?

- That's impossible to know because he's not

here to complete the puzzle.

But one thing is certain.

We were supposed to bring every German in the area

to this point.

And, dammit, boys, we've done it.

We've made our objective.

Now you guys get the hell out.

All of you.

And that's an order.

- Uh- huh.

What if our mission was not only to draw them here

but to keep them pinned down with our fire?

- Well, I've got more than enough weapons and ammunition

to take care of that.

Superman doesn't want us to bother him.

Yeah, he has no further use for us.

- Yeah, he wants all the glory for himself.

So he can win the Congressional Medal of Honor.

What do you think of that?

- All right.

All right, all right, all right.

I brought you here not knowing how this was gonna

turn out.

But now I want you to get the hell out of here

so that my conscience is clear.

Understand?

- What if I still got a secret instruction?

One ordering me to keep you company.

So you won't get bored.

- Oh, what a coincidence.

And I'm supposed to watch to see that the fever

doesn't go up on the war horse.

- Yeah.

And I'm supposed to see that he doesn't destroy

any more works of art.

A C.O. with no one to yell orders at is like an umpire

without a ball game, so start yelling.

- All right.

Stubborn bunch of bastards.

We'll try to keep them busy for as long as we can.

Now, listen, there's not gonna be any lack of discipline,

you hear that?

And from now on, nobody dies, you hear me?

Nobody dies without orders from me!

We'd save time if we offered the prisoner

in exchange for their surrender.

- We don't have the time.

- He's right.

And he needs the time.

- That you brought up too many of our forces for five men.

And you've left the Zella Pass unguarded for the enemy.

- May I invite our attention,

General van Gruber, to the fact that the Americans

have tried and failed to carry the Zella Pass.

I don't think they will try again,

but they will attack here next.

I am in complete agreement with you, Colonel Wolf.

In any case, I shall stand behind you

if you decide to add prudence to wisdom.

- Bring the prisoner.

- Come here!

- Look, they're sending a messenger.

That's great for our side.

We gain some time.

- Either he's shaking with fear or he's lame.

It's both.

It's Mills.

You guys go on with the preparations.

I'm stalling as long as I can.

Okay.

- They sent me.

They say surrender and they'll spare your lives.

- Yeah.

Take it easy, Mills, take it easy.

I got plenty of time.

- You only have a few minutes.

And I mean only a few,

and then they'll attack with all they've got.

- That damn Nazi Traniger.

- I see.

Did they torture you to make you talk?

- I tried to keep my mouth shut.

Then they gave me an injection.

I'm not tough like the rest of you.

- Mills.

Listen, why don't you stay here.

There's a place for you with us.

- Thanks, Heston, but I've got more modest ambitions.

All I wanted to do was to sell hot dogs on 32nd Street.

- Yeah, well, that sounds great.

Anyway, good luck.

- Yeah.

- Mills!

Anyone of us would have talked after an injection.

Why don't you go into the bunker.

Sit there and rest.

You'll be okay.

- Thank you.

- Your idea has not only lost our prisoner,

but Dan, as well.

And you know we don't have much.

Move the tanks in with the assault troops.

- Looks like the whole Wehrmacht.

- Get to the bunker and take a machine gun.

(shouting military orders in foreign language)

The show is about to get underway.

Let 'em have it!

Give 'em everything you've got!

(guns fir

- Try to cover Latimore until he gets to the bunker!

Start pitching, Mulligan!

Hit 'em!

Nice pitching, champ.

They're all strikes.

I, myself, would love

to come out of this attack.

- If you want to share with Colonel Wolf the glory

of wiping out the few remaining men, go ahead.

- The official position is they'll take them.

You will answer to the Fuhrer.

- We can do it.

Second unit!

- I'm hit.

- Mills!

Come out here, you idiot!

- Look, Major, he's the only one who didn't know.

You got him into this.

You and Moore and the whole friggin' army.

You got me to help, even.

- You go out there and I'll put a bullet in your butt!

- You better not waste a bullet.

You might need it.

- Bloom, Bloom, come back!

Geeves!

Geeves!

Explode the mines!

Latimore!

Let 'em have it!

- Bloom!

- I'm too far gone.

Poor bastard.

He's the only one who didn't know.

Yeah, yeah, I know.

- Urgent message for General Moore.

The boys are burning hot at Spielberg.

- General Moore, a message.

The boys are burning hot.

- That's the signal.

Order the attack.

- There's your victory, General Moore.

I hope.

You stupid old bastard!

Latimore!

Let 'em have it on the left.

Latimore!

- General, the American forces are attacking.

- Order the retreat to everyone in trucks.

If they want someone's head in Berlin,

it will be yours now, Colonel Wolf.

My report will be very specific.

- If you have time to make it.

- To Zella Pass!

- Major, Major.

- The last piece of the puzzle is in pretty bad shape.

- I would have preferred to die with the rest,

a similar death for a different ideal.

- If our forces get through the Zella Pass,

a lot of the credit will go to you, as well.

Where are you going?

- Going back.

Is right.

A different way.

I would be a traitor to my people if I

left now.

There's a lot of work still to be done for Germany.

When the war is over, my country will be in ruins,

my people will be defeated.

We will have to dig ourselves out of the rubble

and rebuild the whole country.

And I must do what I can.

I've got to help.

- Good luck.

Major.

- Thanks.

And good luck to you, too.

Major.

And was the mainstay

of the successful mission.

His actions were an inspiration to his American companions,

displaying magnificent leadership and conspicuous bravery.

Although wounded, he never relented

in his determined effort.

And Major Heston's courage and resourcefulness

in the face of overwhelming odds were in keeping

with the highest traditions of military service

and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit

and the United States Army.

- Congratulations.

- By direction of the President of the

United States and under the provisions

of the Act of Congress approved 28 August, 1944,

the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism

in action is awarded posthumously to the officers

as follows.

Captain Agamemnon Geeves.

Captain Amos Bloom.

Lieutenant Thomas Gavin Mulligan.

Lieutenant Stuart Latimore.

Lieutenant Robert Mills.

- And congratulations once more,

Lieutenant-Colonel John Heston.

Your promotion is well deserved.

- So is yours, Major General Moore.

- We may have had our little differences

at the beginning, but the mission was successful.

And it was certainly worth it.

- Of course.

Two promotions, six medals at the cost of only five lives.

- I know that war is hell, it's a dirty business.

- War is death, General.

- But as I still have to say,

there are ideals worth fighting for.

- There will always be different ideals, General,

and, I suppose, men who will die for them.

At least, 'til they stop giving medals

and promotions in exchange for men's lives.

With your permission, sir.