Original subtitles

If war breaks out does Lieutenant Suleyman have to go?

Of course he will go. He is the one they really need.

...he will be one of the first to go. - And you?

If the division wasn't in the city there is no doubt that...

...those murderers, the Tashnak guerillas'd have killed Dr. Kirkor in our own house.

...and us as well...

Stay away from that!

Haven't all these separations been enough?

How many more people will I have to cry for?

If it were me, I would go, Mehmet!

That night, we experienced the darkest moments of our lives

One side were thousands of soldiers waiting hopelessly for ammunition at the front.

Lieutenant Suleyman... Every house had a Lieutenant Suleyman.

...left without ammunition in the middle of the war.

In every house a son, a father.

On the other side those who had not yet had their fill of childhood...

...the young saplings that had not yet experienced spring.

I could do nothing...

...half of my heart was pleading, screaming "Don't go boys, don't do this..."

While the other half was shouting "Don't hesitate! Run! Go right now!

My duty is to protect you, not to throw you out on a dangerous journey

Is it not our duty sir to make sure that...

...the enemy does not trample the graves of our brothers?

Yes, yes, this is our duty, yes...

That's my father!

Well, if it is your father, so what nephew? What are you frightened of?

What's all this! This isn't a barn you know!

- Is he here? - He's here.

Come and get him if you think you can.

Ok, ok, Ferit go home. But you, come inside!

Ferit! Come boy.

You go home son. Your dad and me are gonna have a talk!

Look here! I'm just gonna say this once; leave the boy alone!

Don't interfere with him!

He has made his decision and he is going with his friends!

He's not going anywhere!

Look here sir!

I'm telling you this for your own good and this is the last time I will tell you...

How can he go? He's still just a child.

We are all small in your eyes man.

You think you are the only great person in the universe, you and Allah...

If you still believe in Him that is!

Then you go with him!

Stay with him! I'll give you whatever you want!

Money, it's always money with you!

Is it not enough that you made people fall out just for the sake of money...

...so that you would get rich?

I haven't done anything brother, really. I've done nothing!

Stop driveling brother! Now you remember who your relatives are!

What were you thinking when you sold that Tashnak filth weapons...

...for a few pennies?

Now those weapons are aimed at our children!

- See what your greed has bought you! - What weapons? What money?

Say your prayers you wretch! Say your prayers.

Brother.

Are you still trying to fool us? Where did you get all that money?

Where did you get all that money?

I swear brother I didn't sell them any weapons!

Brother, I swear I didn't know the weapons were going to them!

I swear on my children, I didn't know brother!

If I had known would I have done it? Would I brother?

- Get out of here now! - Ok brother!

Leave the boy alone! Let him do whatever he wants!

If I hear even a whisper of something...

If I even suspect... I will rip you apart with my bare hands, got it?

Now get out of here!

Ferit! My son!

My life! Don't leave me, son, don't leave me!

Now! This is a very difficult and serious patriotic duty...

Those who are willing, of their own accord, to volunteer, take one step forward!

My children! My boys!

Any rights you may owe me, any effort I have made I relinquish them.

Bless you!

Bless you!

That day with a unified desire on the part of our students...

120 boys were chosen for this great journey. 120 children between 12 and 17.

First we turned to dressing them for the weather...

...because this was to be a long journey...

Long and arduous. For days and nights, they would be crossing snowy mountains...

Those families that could gave sheets, curtains, blankets, whatever they had...

32 children who were 15 or over were given rifles and were quickly trained.

Plans were made for our children on this long journey. All details were considered.

The governor appointed some soldiers to provide extra security.

"Our children need these more than we do" they said and gave them to the convoy.

May Allah make it complete!

120 children...

...as if missing you is not enough, now the worry of our children...

...has settled in our hearts. Our prayers are with you.

Allah keep my Suleyman safe... Keep all of you safe. Your Munire.

Sister!

Could you give this to Reyhan?

With Allah's will we will deliver the munitions and in the same way...

...I will deliver this letter, to Lieutenant Suleyman, inshallah.

- 110! - Here!

- 111! - Here!

- 112! - Here!

- 113! - Here!

- 114! - Here!

- 115! - Here!

- 116! - Here!

- 117! - Here!

- 118! - Here!

- 119! - Here!

- 120! - Here! I am the last one Sergeant!

Children! My sons! Your journey is long and treacherous!

You will cross impassable mountains!

Once you have started on your way it will not be possible to turn back!

Be careful! My boys...

You older boys look out for the younger ones...

...you younger ones, listen to the the older boys.

Try to keep hold of each other as much as possible and do not leave the line.

If you have any difficulties inform Sergeant Musa right away!

Now my boys! Now my brave ones!

May Allah make your way clear. May he bless our war effort.

- My little soldiers! - Brother, please don't go.

Now lads! Forward march!

The most glorious army, the most glorious soldiers...

...on to victory. The most glorious army...

...the most glorious soldiers, on to victory.

In one hand a shield, in one hand a dagger...

...on to the front. Oh glorious soldier!

Even on the sea, all is victorious...

Allah's name on our lips, Allahu Ekber!

May our army always be victorious!

- 39 Idris! - Here!

- 41 Abdullah! - Here!

- 43 Izzettin! - Here!

- 44 Muharrem! - Here!

- 45 Ali Kemal! - Here!

- 47 Ferit! - Here!

Come on lads. Come on.

- I think the time is right. - Not yet be patient!

Let them get a bit more tired, and then we'll pick them off, one by one!

Let's get to the horses!

The Tashnak guerrillas were seen near the Abadan village, sir.

Along the route the children are walking...

- There were many of them. - When were they seen?

Two days ago!

What a state we are in!

They call us a division, but we don't have enough forces for anything...

Our ammunition is spent, desperately we wait for a handful of bullets carried...

...on the back of our children, that will only help for a few days.

This is what happens if you go to war on the promises of the Germans...

Our own neglect, our own lack of will, and own incompetence means that...

...our own innocent children have to undergo...

...these difficulties in the spring of their lives...

Put together a detachment of the strong ones, but hurry...

Yes sir!

Yes sir?

Be careful!

- 116 Bahattin! - Here!

- 117 Selim! - Here!

- 118 Abdullah! - Here!

- 119 Ramazan! - Here!

- 120 Hakki, son of Enver? - Here!

The students brigade with 120 students is ready for your orders sergeant!

Thank you! At ease!

- Attack! - What're you doing?

Get down!

Get down!

Attack!

Give me that.

Down! Down!

Agop! Agop! Go! Go around them!

Quickly!

Stay down!

Soldiers!

Forward!

- Is anyone wounded? - We are fine, sir.

- Sergean Musa! - My Suleyman!

My sister's fianc� is here. They saved us.

We have been saved thank God!

Attention!

Now, lads. Head for the front.

Those are our men!

Our men!

Suleyman...

They were in Abadan on the 23rd, and they passed Tadan on the 24th...

They are coming my dear, they are coming...

To make the route shorter, they have left the main road...

...and are taking a shortcut through the mountains.

Thank god!

They will come much faster now they are carrying less...

The governor says they did remarkably well, to cover eighty kilometers in two days.

Our little brothers were lucky those days as the weather was so good...

No one was worried in Van anymore. I'll never forget that evening...

...the evening of 24 January.

We experienced the first night of peace of mind in ten days...

Come on lads. Forward march!

Mehmet, the weather is turning. Don't let anyone separate from the line.

Everyone stay close.

- Pass it down the line. - Yes sir Sergeant.

Friends! Everyone stay close...

Link arms!

Don't stop! Everyone stay close.

Come on lads. Come on.

Go! Go! Go!

Papa! Papa! Papa!

- Papa. Look outside! - What's the matter dear?

Papa. Look outside!

Slow down, dear. Don't be so quick to worry.

Papa, where are you going?

To the governor's office; perhaps they have some news.

It's not long to morning now.

I can't let you go on your own in this weather! I'm coming too.

- Is the governor in? - He's upstairs.

Please come in Miss, I'll take that.

- Teacher Jemal is here, he wants to see you. - Show him in.

- Headmaster, welcome. Please come... - Thank you.

...and sit down. My dear, come sit here please.

Do you have any information about the children?

I have been trying all night but...

...the telegraph lines are frozen... It is impossible to get in touch with nobody.

We must pray that the storm hit there earlier...

...and that the children saw it and did not leave their places, inshallah.

There is nothing we can do, but be patient and wait right now.

If you look at the matter from a positive aspect, Headmaster...

...at least the children aren't carrying anything!

Come on lads! Come on.

Those who are in the rear, hold on to those in front of you.

Papa... Papa, let's go.

Munire!

We waited. We waited the whole day for some news...

All through the day, with the hours seeming like centuries, we heard nothing.

My father and the others wanted to go up in the mountains and look...

However, the governor refused to let any parent leave the city...

Until we receive news about our children no one is to leave the city!

Where will you go? Where will you look?

Perhaps they don't even know where they are...

Only Allah knows where they are.

Get up. Get up.

Mehmet...

Get up. Get up.

My boy!

Where is my son?

Come on!

Where is my lamb?

Where is my love?

120 of our children set out on the journey, however, only 40 managed to return.

Selim. Ferit. Sait, Abdullah.

Sergeant Musa... They left, but they did not return.

- Hussein, son of Riza. - No change!

- Ismet, son of Rahmi! - Improvement!

- Izzettin, son of Muharrem. - Improvement!

- Idris, Son of Sadullah! - No change!

Cezmi, Son of Talat!

Uncle, wait, Headmaster, it is you. Pass.

Improvement!

- Ali Kemal, son of Ilyas! - No change!

- Fahreddin, son of Mahmut? - No change!

- Omer, son of Sadik? - Improvement!

- Ismail, son of Ethem! - No change!

- Ibrahim, son of Ihsan! - Improvement!

- Ibrahim, son of Ihsan! - Improvement!

Hakki, son of Enver!

Hakki, son of Enver!

Hakki is my grandson, his father is in Yemen!

Granddad, come over here! Make way, let him through, make way!

Granddad, your grandson has passed away.

May Allah grant those who remain a long life. Condolences.

What are you saying? What are you telling me?

Believe me my dear, nothing will happen!

Don't worry Munire. With Allah's will we will deliver the munitions...

...and in the same way I will deliver this letter to Lieutenant Suleyman, inshallah"

What do you think? For Mehmet to give him heart, a present?

Take this, a present from me.

Of the 120 children who left Van in January 1915, only 22 remained.

98 died martyrs and they were honored with eternal life...

...among the honored annals of our national history.

My Suleyman... You went along with your brothers.

May you be in heaven.

We commemorate with gratitude all these heroes...

...even though we do not know their names...

...who gave heroically of their sweat, blood and lives without hesitation...

...to protect our country, our future, for our children, securing a peaceful...

...healthy and bountiful life in Turkey.

Those self-sacrificing heroes should know that none of their efforts were in vain.

And as long as the world lasts they will not be in vain.

May they rest in peace and light!

Subtitles by LeapinLar