December, 1944.
British and American armies were on the threshold of victory.
Stretched across half of Europe, the Allies gathered themselves...
... for the final assault on Germany.
To the north stood Montgomery's Eighth Army...
... to the south, Patton's Third.
In the center, along an 88-mile front...
... a few battle-weary American divisions rested in a quiet sector.
To them, the war seemed already won.
This is their story.
We've been flying over these woods all week.
There's nothing but trees. Let's turn back.
- Getting hungry, Joe? - The war is over.
I hear GHQ is cutting orders to ship us home for Christmas.
The German army still has 6 million men carrying arms.
I haven't heard they're going home for Christmas.
Hey, there it is...
...the German army.
Let's go down and have a look.
- Buzz him again. I wanna get a picture. - Okay.
This time, gun your engine. Make him look up.
It worked.
Swing around. I wanna get another one.
Conrad.
I am ashamed of you.
Get up.
They could have killed us, sir.
If you'd taken the pains to have looked carefully...
...you would have observed it was an unarmed reconnaissance plane.
You would stay in the car if it were a fighter plane shooting at us.
I did not lose a war to die in the back seat of a car.
Does the colonel think any of us has a choice where we will die?
I know where you'll die, Conrad, at home, in your own bed.
Is the colonel trying to get rid of me?
I think that the world is going to get rid of both of us.
Pick up your cap! Put it on.
Try to look like a soldier!
What good is a soldier anyhow?
He wins, he loses.
What's he good for anyhow?
Conrad, I've told you before...
...never leave the motor running. Petrol is blood.
I'm sorry, sir.
It won't happen again.
Looks like something on the ground at 10 o'clock. Let's take a look.
Nothing.
Let's go home.
Herr Oberst Hessler is here.
- Colonel Hessler, sir. - Yes.
Well, Hessler.
It has been a long time.
How good it is to see you again.
You look the same.
Little...
Little leaner perhaps.
The Russian front does not put meat on a man's bones, general.
Ah, yes. War is hard on all of us.
- Central heating. - Yeah.
Crystal chandeliers.
You have a nice cellar.
Field Marshal Göring gave me that painting.
Lovely, isn't it?
I imagine he found a bargain in Paris last year.
My corporal's waiting. He's had a hard drive.
Do you suppose there's somewhere in these ruins he can find a bed?
Sit down, Hessler.
You have too little faith in the genius of the German people.
A few stones have been knocked down...
...but our country's strong, united, determined...
...and more productive than ever.
The Allies think that their constant air raids have undermined our morale.
- This they'll never do. - Why have you sent for me, general?
You are our finest panzer commander, Hessler.
You will lead us to victory.
Our Germany is now like an iceberg.
Only a fraction of it can be seen on the surface.
Let me show you some of the results...
...of what Germany has produced underground.
You will discover a new Germany...
...and will take a new pride in being a German.
Our latest airplane.
A jet.
It flies at more than 900 kilometers per hour.
Within six months, we will have enough jet fighters...
...to shoot down every Allied plane in the air.
Our V-1 rocket destroyed 20 percent of London.
The V-2 will utterly smash the city.
The new 70-ton King Tiger tank.
It has two-and-a-half times the firepower...
...and double the armor of the American tanks.
Our Germany is far from finished, Hessler.
It's a very beautiful model, general.
It proves that the Germans are still the world's best toy makers.
The toys we are making these days are not for children.
Let me show them to you.
Hands up! Get on over.
Hold it! Put them up! Stand against the wall. Put them up, general.
Well, boys...
...looks like we've caught ourselves a couple of big fish.
- One nice, fat Kraut trout. - That's enough, now.
Sorry, general. We are just rehearsing a commando raid.
Very good.
Not bad, Hessler, huh?
Had you fooled, didn't they?
Completely.
Unfortunately, I am beyond playing games.
Oh, this is no game.
These are German soldiers, all of them.
Trained German soldiers.
Diepel commands the panzer grenadiers attached to the 1st Tank Brigade.
These men will work with him.
Major Diepel, kindly explain Operation Transit to the colonel.
The soldiers will be parachuted behind the American lines.
Their mission: To disrupt enemy communications.
We have organized many such teams.
Each will be led by a man who has actually lived in America.
Schumacher here lived in Texas for 12 years...
...before returning to the fatherland.
Tell me, lieutenant, who is your favorite baseball player?
- Lou Gehrig. - Because he's hit the most home runs?
No, sir. Babe Ruth hit the most home runs, 60 in 1927.
And what's your opinion of Adolf Hitler?
As an American, my opinion would be offensive to these gentlemen.
Come, lieutenant. As an American officer, you care nothing for German opinion.
Adolf Hitler is a crazy, Austrian housepainter.
He's a madman who thinks he knows more than the whole general's staff.
And he's leading Germany to complete, total destruction.
Perhaps you are going too far.
To carry off this great deception, even their reflexes must be American.
Your reflexes are to be congratulated, lieutenant.
Insolent man.
Let him have his fun now.
If he is captured, he will be shot as a spy.
And if he survives, he can be shot as a traitor.
You must admit, we are very thorough.
Even a pass won't get you through here.
We will attack through the Losheim Gap.
It's defended only by a single battalion.
The American division on the Schnee Eifel will be cut off.
Then the Our River Bridge will be in our hands.
From there, on to Amblčve, with its road network.
In four days, we will be across the River Meuse.
The strategic objective?
Antwerp.
By taking Antwerp, we split the enemy forces in two.
It will take them 18 months to recover.
By then, we will have air superiority with our jet engines.
And we will have even more significant weapons.
Weapons which can destroy an entire city with a single blast.
You have forgotten one important detail, general.
With their present control of the air, the Allies will smash our tanks...
...machine-gun our troops, bomb the bridges...
...and cut our communications.
Suppose I tell you there will be no Allied planes.
Another secret weapon?
From Spitzbergen, Norway...
...the northernmost weather station in the world.
We have been waiting two months for this report.
"A low-pressure area over northern Europe, starting December 16th.
Low clouds and fog which will ground all aircraft. "
- How long? - Long enough...
...if we keep strictly to our timetable.
Unusual clock, isn't it?
It has only one cycle.
Fifty hours.
We have the resources for 50 hours, full-scale attack.
Maps, clocks, toys.
But with what will I fight?
Colonel Hessler...
...I'm putting you in command of our armored spearhead.
It can be done.
This came in from SHAEF.
I got a Christmas cake from home today.
- Think I'll still be here to eat it? - Send this right through.
Develop this. Bring me the prints as soon as they come out.
- Yes, sir. - Hello, Kiley.
Find any Germans under your bed this morning?
Marching around under there all night. Couldn't sleep a wink.
That's an order.
I want every item on that menu delivered to every soldier in the division...
...especially those in the forward positions.
And I want them delivered in time for Christmas dinner.
Counterintelligence picked this up from an enemy agent.
Dated November 29th.
"From Field Marshal Keitel. Most secret.
Officers and men who speak English are wanted for special mission.
Volunteers will report to General Kohler's headquarters. "
- What do you make of it? - You know my opinion.
This is one more confirmation. They're going to attack.
Oh, come on, Kiley, not that again.
They're probably preparing a fifth column to drop behind our lines.
Were you in the State Department too, Kiley?
I thought your experience was limited to police work.
Having been an inspector of police doesn't disqualify me from thinking.
All cops aren't flatfoots.
Your limited military experience...
...doesn't inspire confidence in your conclusions. If you think...
Why do you keep saying they're mounting an offensive?
I spent 20 years before the war asking questions.
Ever since D-day, you've had me doing the same thing...
...interrogating prisoners.
I can only report what I've learned.
The German soldier facing us is still an undefeated enemy.
He can still fight. His leaders know that.
As long as he can fight, they'll attack.
I have 10 other officers in my section.
We see the same information, get the same facts as you, Kiley.
All of us come up with one answer, you come up with the complete opposite.
When 10 men tell you you're drunk, you'd better lie down.
Colonel Pritchard, you may be my superior officer...
He is.
Excuse me. Here are the prints you wanted.
Thank you.
Look what showed up on this one.
I took it over the Ardennes.
Is this a Tiger tank, or isn't it?
So it appears.
One tiger doesn't make a jungle, sir.
I expect tigers in jungles. When I discover one in a peaceful neighborhood...
...I recommend all of us take a good look under our beds.
Excuse me, sir.
Step outside.
With your permission, sir.
This is from headquarters, Kiley. Top-secret.
The Third Army has been ordered to attack the Germans in the Saar.
General Patton is launching the offensive in two days.
Does it seem possible...
...headquarters would commit an entire army to an offensive in the south...
...if there were any possibility of the Germans attacking in the Ardennes?
With all due respect to headquarters, they could be wrong.
Send this to headquarters anyway.
There seem to be new features on that tank.
- Yes, sir. - Anything else?
Yes, sir. I'd like a rundown on this German officer.
- All right, send this along. - Yes, sir.
Get up to the line and tell them to grab some new prisoners.
- I'm interested in any fresh information. - Yes, sir.
One thing more. What are you doing in a reconnaissance plane?
We're not paying you to be a combat soldier.
- Trying to shorten the war by yourself? - No, sir.
Just wanna make sure I can enjoy that nice Christmas dinner you ordered.
I see the colonel's in fine appetite again.
I am.
Join me in a glass of wine.
Thank you, sir.
- Sit down. - Thanks.
Conrad.
Speak.
What does the colonel wish me to say?
Speak your mind, the truth.
Don't be afraid, Conrad. I must have someone to tell me the truth.
I've always been fortunate to serve under brilliant men...
...who know everything.
From them, I've learned one thing:
When all was lost, these brilliant men never lost hope.
I admire that.
What else do you admire about these men?
The illusion.
Maybe I'm not using the right word, colonel.
I'm not an educated man.
The hope that there is always one more chance.
That is the illusion.
Go on, Conrad. Yes, that's very good.
It's not my place to speak of such things.
Go on.
I order you to.
Colonel...
...this new command is an illusion.
Give it up.
I am Martin Hessler.
Four years ago, my panzers overran Poland in one week.
That was no illusion.
In 39 days, my tanks smashed all the way to Paris. That was no illusion.
I conquered the Crimea. That was no illusion.
Today...
...I was given a brigade of Tiger tanks.
When I have a brigade of tanks...
...that is reality.
And who will drive your tanks?
The men you led were soldiers. Veteran soldiers.
Are there any left?
What will they give you now?
I was by your side in Poland, France, Crimea.
Look at me, colonel, I'm not the same man.
I jumped in a ditch today at the sight of an unarmed reconnaissance plane.
My two boys remember me as a good soldier.
They wouldn't believe it.
But, colonel, I am not the only one.
How sure can you be of the men who will drive your tanks?
Major Diepel?
- Diepel. - Yep.
I want to see my tank commanders. Have them assembled at once.
Conrad, my boots.
Your commanders, sir.
Boys. Too many boys.
The first battle will turn them into men.
In the old days, I lived six months with my men...
...before going into action. I knew them, they knew me. These are strangers.
Too many boys.
They have never tasted defeat.
Do they know what is expected of them?
They are ready to die for you.
Can you ask more?
Sing.
Louder.
Hold it. Hold it.
Pull up. We got brass on our tail. Take it...
Pull it forward, you idiot!
Drop dead. Pull it forward, you idiot!
Just a little bit. Hold it.
Hold it! Hold it!
You're dropping my merchandise!
Barrel and Eddie, come on out of there.
Come on, Cortland.
Disaster.
Solid. Some driver, huh? Lucky thing for you nothing's busted.
- Complain to my union. - Yeah, go ahead, tie it up.
- We near enemy territory yet? - Too near.
- Give me a cigarette. - I don't smoke.
Sarge, when will we see some Germans?
- Barrel? - Smoke your own.
Got a cigarette, Eddie?
- You kidding? - You cheapskates.
Reach into my bag, get me a carton of cigarettes.
What's with you and the Germans?
Nothing. I just ain't never seen one.
You know, I've never even seen a German plane.
Sarge, when are we gonna get in the action?
What are you, some kind of a nut?
What kind of replacements they sending us, huh?
"I wanna see action. "
- What's this? - Put that back. That's merchandise.
Don't tell me there's women where we're going.
- Who are you gonna give these to? - Guffy don't give nothing.
- He's peddling them. - You keep tying it up.
- Peddling them? To who? - The boys in the front.
They're gonna need that in Germany. There's lots of broads there.
- French perfume. - Champagne.
That's gonna bring me 30 bills a bottle where we're going.
Because there's nothing, nothing too good for our boys.
- Yeah. What's in here? - That's the mail.
Are you gonna charge them something for that too?
- No, they wouldn't sit still for that. - Just kidding, sarge. Just kidding.
No. When you get these thoughts, tell me anyway...
...because one thing I'm not going back home again is poor.
Keep thinking, kid. Very nice.
Germans?
This is the up-front front.
Wide awake bunch of boys.
- Don't you people ever post a sentry? - I'm sorry, sir. I came in for a second.
What's the matter? Close the pneumonia hole.
- What were you born in, a barn? - Oh, sorry, sir.
We didn't know it was you.
- Major Wolenski? - He's over there, sir.
Hello, colonel. I wasn't expecting a visit or I'd have had my men smarten up.
How are you? Hot coffee for the colonel.
Come over and get warm.
You run a pretty loose outfit here.
That radio's been yakking between Christmas carols we're all going home.
Here, sit down.
It's tough keeping discipline when the only action...
...is sitting on your butt to keep warm.
What are the Germans doing?
Same damn thing, except they don't have any heat.
They gotta exercise to keep from freezing.
Well, I got a little exercise for your boys.
I wanna patrol tonight, try to pick up some prisoners.
Well, there they are.
- Hey, sarge, put those blankets back. - Come on, shut the window.
What do you wanna do that for, sarge?
They're out of range. They'll shoot back with something heavier.
It's you or them, dogface. I need practice.
That's enough, sergeant.
If you wanna play with that popgun, you can go outside.
What do you say I take the men out for a field drill, lieutenant?
In this weather? What for?
Because they're drilling, that's why.
I'll let you know when I want a drill, sergeant.
Yes, sir, lieutenant.
I'll take that sergeant.
All right. That's all right. But I'll pick the rest of your volunteers.
Here you are, colonel.
We got about three hours before dark. How about some half-and-half?
Just sweeten it.
You are Colonel Hessler?
Who are you?
How did you get in here?
General Kohler's signature is magic.
You will excuse us, major.
Before you give orders, may I ask your rank?
Courtesan, first class.
Compliments of General Kohler.
I think we have covered everything, colonel.
General Kohler did not tell me you were so handsome.
What did General Kohler tell you about me?
Nothing.
Whatever I want to know...
...I'll find out for myself.
I'm very good at that.
Aren't you going to offer me a drink?
Or have you been at the front so long you have forgotten your manners?
What shall we talk about?
Your wife perhaps.
Won't you join me?
I am told I'm an attractive woman.
You are not paying much attention to me.
Very little has escaped my attention.
General Kohler did tell me one thing.
What he admires most about you is your reputation with the ladies.
I regret that is the opinion of my commanding officer.
I have worked very hard to achieve a reputation as a soldier.
Do not the two go together?
Give the general my compliments. Tell him, "Thank you.
I appreciate his gesture. " And good night.
You can make your own way out.
Zero minus two hours.
All units ready to attack.
Repeat. Zero minus two hours. All units ready to attack.
- Come on. - Put them down, dummkopf.
Hello, Kiley.
I was curious to see how you interrogate your prisoners.
My other officers may be asking the wrong questions.
I'm afraid you won't hear any new answers.
Sometimes it's more important what you see than what they say.
Could we get a little more light in here?
How's that, sir?
So this is the face of the undefeated enemy.
It looks like you've captured a Sunday school class.
This all they have left to put in the front lines? Where are the weapons?
Here, sir.
What's this?
Still has grease in the barrel. It's never been fired.
- Did they put up any fight? - No, sir.
Just gave up.
Well, I'm not surprised. They're only children.
Take a good look at them, Kiley.
They're not even tough enough to be classified as delinquents.
Go ahead and question them. Ask if Germany's gonna win the war.
Go ahead, Kiley.
They could be plants put in the front lines to mislead us.
I want to talk to you alone, Kiley.
Escort these prisoners to the rear for proper interrogation.
Yes, sir. Move them out.
- Let's go, move it out. - Go!
These prisoners were carrying these rubber hoses.
Send them along, and anything else you found.
Yes, sir.
Do you actually still think the Germans are preparing a major offensive?
Yes, sir, colonel, I do.
You mean those kids are replacements for more seasoned troops...
...sent to the rear to re-form for the big attack?
Yes, sir, colonel, I do.
Kiley, you're crazy. Facts mean nothing to you. Evidence means nothing.
The only thing you can see are your own cockeyed hunches.
Well, that doesn't work in the Army.
I'm recommending you for transfer to a desk in Washington.
You can tell the president how to run the war.
Major.
You make coffee as bad as my wife.
She always told me I'd never get along in the Army.
I never had it so easy in the police force.
I've just been counting up how many times I've been wrong.
But never this wrong.
All the signs point to only one thing.
Is it possible they mean something else?
Maybe this war is beyond me and maybe Colonel Pritchard's right.
Runner brought this from headquarters. It's for you.
Open it.
Well, it's a picture of a Kraut colonel and his service record.
I wanted that.
Well, there it is again. Panzer officer. Fine fighting record.
Last reported in the Russian front commanding a tank regiment.
What's he doing here?
I'd say that proves my point.
Colonel Pritchard would probably say he got fired for losing the war in Russia.
I don't know. What do you think?
Well, sir. I'm regular Army. I don't get into beefs between colonels.
But I'll tell you what some of my stir-crazy men think.
They think we got a great opportunity here.
We got a chance to wipe out Germany.
Just wipe it clean off the map. Knock everything down...
...every city...
...every castle, all the bridges, all the roads. Everything.
Don't leave two stones standing together. Just wipe the slate clean.
Turn Germany into a prairie, then ship over a few buffalo...
...and let them start from scratch.
Now, what do you think of that, colonel?
I think your men ought to wash their socks and take a shave. It stinks in here.
- Speak English. Only English. - Okay, lieutenant.
Let's get this stuff out of here.
Operation Transit parachuted behind enemy lines.
Repeat. Operation Transit parachuted behind enemy lines.
What the...?
What's that noise?
On your feet! Everybody out!
- Sounds like a thousand of them. - Hey, Charlie, get battalion.
- Get battalion. - On the double! On the double!
Sergeant, haul everybody out.
- Everybody out. Come on. - Bazooka men, report to me.
The line's dead, sir.
Go! Go! Go!
What's that?
"What's that?" And you wanted to see Germans, right?
Come on! On the double!
On the double!
Turn them over! Turn them over! Let's go! Let's go!
Come on, let's get this baby moving.
Colonel Hessler reports panzer Tiger moving to the attack.
No enemy activity.
Northern front reporting panzer Eisen entering Losheim Gap.
No enemy opposition encountered.
Southern front reporting.
All elements of panzer Eisen linking up at road junction 0-2.
Stay on my tail.
Soldier.
Did they give you basic training?
Here, you do it this way.
They're green, never seen action before. What do you expect?
Sergeant, you're the anchorman here. Nobody moves without orders.
Yes, sir.
Stay here. One more man won't make a difference.
- I need to look inside one of those Tigers. - All right, come on.
Relay to Standard O-bay. I've made contact with enemy.
Meeting weak resistance.
Take cover! Make a stand. Take cover! Make a stand.
Make a stand.
Load.
I said, load!
Tiger to Tank 104. Tank 104, you're blocking the road.
Get off the road at once!
There's your Tiger.
Wait a minute.
You're gonna need this.
Take the greaser.
Tiger to Tank 104, what is your condition?
Tank 104, reply at once.
This is Colonel Hessler.
Button up!
Tigers at 11 o'clock.
Hit them hard, Eddie.
They got Blondie.
Forget it. It's like hitting them with tennis balls.
Come on, let's get out of here!
Get down and stay down.
Crawl, you dummy! Crawl.
Lieutenant, keep those grenades coming.
Fall back!