The reason we're pinned down is we're not getting air support.
Hell, nobody is!
Put some fire into this battalion,
or I'll get somebody who can.
Major!
You the executive officer here?
Yes, sir. Walker, sir.
You're now the commanding officer.
You got four hours to break through to that beachhead,
or you're fired.
There are 50,000 men on this island
who'd like to shoot that son of a bitch.
Please take me home. Take me home.
There he goes, "old blood and guts."
Yeah. Our blood, his guts.
Where are you from, uh, Gomez?
California, sir.
Me, too.
Where were you hit?
In the chest, sir.
Well, this might interest you.
The last German I saw didn't have any chest.
Didn't have any head, either.
You get well quickly, son.
[Whispering]
[Crying]
What's the matter with you?
I...
I guess I just can't take it, sir.
What did you say?
It's my nerves, sir, I...
I just can't stand the shelling anymore.
Your nerves?
Well, hell, you're just a goddamn coward.
Shut up!
I won't have a yellow bastard
crying in front of these brave men
who've been wounded in battle.
[Crying]
Shut up!
Don't admit this yellow bastard.
There's nothing wrong with him.
I won't have sons of bitches
who are afraid to fight
stinking up this place of honor.
You're going back to the front.
You may get killed,
but you're going up to the fighting,
or I'll stand you up
in front of a firing squad.
I ought to shoot you myself.
God damn you, bastard! Get him out of here!
Send him up to the front!
You hear me?
You goddamn coward!
I won't have cowards in my army.
I had to kick a few butts up there,
but Truscott finally broke through
to those people on the beach.
Have you seen the casualty lists?
Yes, I've seen them.
What's the word from the coast road?
The 3rd Division is heading toward Messina.
Good, let's get over there.
I want to go in with the troops.
You go ahead, George. I'm not very good at that.
General Bradley, it's time to consider
how many casualties we'd have
if we were still down there
crawling along that goddamn road.
Forward, march!
Don't smirk, Patton. I shan't kiss you.
That's a pity.
I shaved very close this morning
in preparation for getting smacked by you.
[Bagpipes Play Traditional March]
Forward, march!
[Band Begins Stars And Stripes Forever]
You wanted to see me?
I got a letter here from Ike.
I, uh...
was rereading Caesar's Commentaries last night.
In battle, Caesar wore a red robe
to distinguish him from his men.
I...
was struck by that fact because...
"Despicable." That's the first time
anybody ever applied that word to me.
Well, at least it's a personal reprimand.
It's not official.
The man was yellow.
He should have been tried for cowardice and shot.
Have we forgotten about those
who've taken worse than a kick in the pants?
I ruffled his pride. What's that compared to war?
When we took Palermo, they called me a hero.
Said I was the greatest general since StonewallJackson.
And now they draw cartoons about you.
Dirty bastard.
They got me kicking a G.I. With an iron boot.
You see that... what's on my boot?
A swastika! On my boot!
An iron boot with a swastika on it!
"You'll apologize to the soldier you slapped,
to all doctors and nurses who were present at the time,
to every patient in the tent who can be reached,
and last but not least to the 7 th Army as a whole,
through individual units,
one at a time."
God, I...
feel alone.
Oh, God.
Thou art my god.
Verily will I seek Thee.
My soul thirsteth for Thee.
My flesh longeth for Thee
in a dry and thirsty land,
so as I have seen Thee in the sanctuary.
My soul followeth hard after Thee.
But those that seek my soul,
to destroy it,
shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
They shall fall by the sword.
They shall be a portion for foxes.
But the king shall rejoice in God.
Everyone that sweareth by Him shall glory.
But the mouth of them that speak lies
shall be stopped.
Ten hut!
At ease.
I thought I would stand up here
and let you people see
if I am as big a son of a bitch
as some of you think I am.
I assure you, I had no intention
of being either harsh or cruel
in my treatment of the...
soldier in question.
My sole purpose was to try and restore in him
some appreciation of his obligations as a man
and as a soldier.
If one can shame a coward,
I felt,
one might...
help him to regain his self-respect.
This was on my mind.
Now, I freely admit
that my method was wrong.
But I hope you can understand my motive...
and will accept this...
explanation...
and this...
apology.
Dismissed.
Ten hut!
Good evening, General.
My report on a private poll I've been taking.
What poll?
The fan mail.
11% con. 89% pro.
And that 11% of protest
in most cases is both obscene and anonymous.
The pro letters are mostly from relatives and servicemen.
"We're proud our son is serving in your army.
From the newspaper accounts,
we're not clear exactly what you did and why,
but we want you to know we're for you.
Keep going, and God bless you."
Keep going, huh?
Where?
I thought you might like a sip of wine, General.
It's New Year's.
You didn't celebrate at all last night.
I'm sick of sitting around this... royal doghouse.
We've taken Sicily.
I'm ready for a new assignment.
Well, maybe you've got it.
Here's a radio message, just came in.
Cod...
I've been relieved.
They've relieved me
from command of the 7 th Army.
I don't believe it.
Happy New Year.
Just a minute, sir.
Since they're sure to give you another command,
isn't it logical
that they'd relieve you here first?
You mean command of all the American troops
going into Europe?
It's possible.
The logic of it is so obvious,
it couldn't mean anything else.
Sir, I'm going to open this bottle of wine.
No, but if you find a bottle of cognac,
I'll help you drink it.
[Door Opens]
How are you feeling tonight, General?
Not bad at all.
Get me some writing paper.
Yes, sir.
Your wife ever give you the devil
for not writing?
All the time, sir.
I don't write as often as you do.
Don't seem to get around to it.
Lucky thing for us we've got them.
Who wants to marry
two old broken-down horse cavalrymen?
My wife says that to me
whenever I come home, sir.
What are you doing up so late, George?
Thought you might like a hot bath,
glass of milk, or something.
I got you sleeping pills from the doc, sir,
just in case you might need them.
Sleeping pills? What's going on here anyway?
We all heard tonight's news.
They announced it on the radio.
- What news? - About General Bradley, sir.
How they gave him the top American command
for the invasion.
Oh.
Oh, yeah.
I... Well, I just thought
you might be feeling kind of low, sir.
Your writing things
are here on the desk, sir.
Yes. Thank you, George.
One little dogface. One measly little slap.
That's what done it.
Oh, George.
I wish I'd kissed the son of a bitch.
[Martial Music Plays]
[Applause]
[Patton Speaking French]
He's paying tribute
to the Free French forces
under De Gaulle and LeClerc.
[Speaking French]
Also to the brave men and women of the Resistance
who risked their lives to destroy the Germans.
[Speaking French]
France will be free again. I give you my word.
[Speaking French]
Just as Free French troops landed here in Corsica
to liberate Napoleon's birthplace,
I will someday land in France
to liberate Lafayette's birthplace.
General,
the reporters would like a word with you.
Good afternoon, gentlemen.
General, what's the purpose
of this visit to Corsica?
General Eisenhower ordered it.
Did you write the mother of the boy you slapped
saying, "The yellow rat should have been shot"?
No comment.
General Alexander suggested you take over
General Mark Clark's Italian campaign,
but the slapping incident killed that chance.
No comment.
Where are you going, sir?
General Eisenhower's ordered me to Malta.
But that's off the record. Interview concluded.
You plan on slapping any soldiers there, General?
In 1528, these forts were defended by 400 knights of Malta
and 800 mercenaries
against a force of 40,000 Turks.
Oh, uh, Codman.
Still no word from General Eisenhower?
No, sir.
Not even about those two turkeys
I sent him at Christmas?
No, sir.
Go ahead, gentlemen.
Take a closer look for yourselves.
Well, looks as if you boys have
hitched your wagon to a falling star.
Pass the word.
If anybody wants out, I'll understand.
Sir, I can speak for the entire staff.
We want to stay with you,
no matter what duty you're assigned to.
Up in London, they're planning
the invasion of Europe.
That's what I've trained
my whole mind, body, and spirit for.
What in God's name am I doing here?
All right.
Let's get on to Cairo,
see if the pyramids are still standing.
[Air Raid Siren Wails]
This place is for me?
Yes, sir. This way, sir.
Whoever found it
has a genius for cloak-and-dagger.
Who picked this cathouse?
I believe it was General Smith, sir.
He did it to spite me, the son of a bitch.
Welcome to London, Georgie.
Bedell, how are you? Is Ike here?
He asked me to brief you.
Excuse us, please.
First let me put you straight
about Ike.
We hear a lot about you
criticizing his decisions.
Nah. Not really. I'm just an old fool.
Sometimes I do wonder
if he isn't a limey at heart.
George, this is the toughest coalition
ever attempted in history.
Ike is trying to hold it together
and lick the Germans as well.
- It's one hell of a job. - I appreciate that.
We have an important assignment for you
in connection with the Normandy invasion.
I've studied the overall plan.
It has a number of flaws.
Not the least is its dependency
on Monty taking Cannes by D day.
I've drawn up an alternate plan
for landing in Calais following an air bombardment...
Will you just listen for a change?
Remember, Ike stood by you when everyone
wanted Patton with a rope around his neck.
We'll let it leak out that you are here undercover,
that you're preparing to invade at the Pas De Calais.
We hope to pin down the German 15th Army there
so they can't hurt us at Normandy.
That's all you think I'm good for?
We're building an army of 12 divisions
around you.
All fictitious, of course.
Dummy troop concentrations,
dummy landing craft,
simulated radio traffic.
See, the Germans are convinced
that you are going to lead
the main invasion effort.
Their agents will spot you here.
Then we'll move you to Knutsford.
- What will I do there? - Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
Frankly, George, you're on probation.
You take my advice, you'll behave yourself.
Remember,
your worst enemy is your own big mouth.
[Band Plays]
Look at this nasty-faced son of a bitch.
Ready for combat!
I'm calling him William, William the Conqueror.
General. Leave him in the car.
No, it's all right. Good afternoon, ladies.
[William Barking]
Watch this, Cod.
He'll kill that dog.
No, he won't.
I'm terribly sorry, General.
Did Abigail frighten your dog?
That's quite all right, madam.
This way, sir.
Your name isn't William.
It's Willy.
[Applause]
My dear friends,
General George S. Patton Jr. Has accepted our invitation
to say a few words
on the occasion of this inaugural ceremony.
General Patton is not here in an official capacity,
and I have assured him most earnestly
that nothing he says will be quoted.
May I present General Patton.
Remember, sir. Watch your language.
Mmm. Yeah.
My dear ladies, until today
my only experience at welcoming
has been to welcome Germans and Italians
to the infernal regions.
At this I have been quite successful,
since the troops I've had the honor to command
have to date killed or captured
some 170,000 of our enemy.
[Yelping]
I feel such clubs as these
are of very real value
because I believe with Mr. Bernard Shaw
that the British and the Americans
are two peoples separated by a common language.
And since it is the evident destiny
of the British and the Americans
to rule the world,
the better we know each other,
the better we will do it.
The Russians. Don't forget the Russians.
A club like this is an ideal place
for promoting mutual understanding.
As soon as our soldiers meet the English ladies
and write home and tell our women
just how lovely you truly are...
the sooner the American ladies will get jealous
and force this war to a quick termination.
Then I'll get a chance
to go to the Pacific and killJapanese.
[Applause]
[Band Plays Stars And Stripes Forever]
In cities all over the nation,
mass meetings protest
General Patton's statement
that Britain and America will rule the postwar world,
that Russia will have nothing to say.
Congressional leaders like Senator Foss are quick to react.
This man has insulted our Russian allies,
implying Anglo-American world rule.
He should be severely disciplined.
I didn't do a damn thing.
They promised me there wouldn't be reporters.
I just made a few remarks
off the record.
Ike told you to keep your mouth shut.
Don't you realize how suspicious
the Russians are of us?
I was only trying to be polite.
If there'd been any Russians there,
I would have mentioned them.
I don't like the sons of bitches,
but I would have mentioned them out of politeness.
I don't know anything about politics.
I have no political ambitions.
All I want to do
is command an army in combat.
It's out of our hands.
Ike sent a message to the chief of staff.
General Marshall will decide
whether you stay here as a decoy
or... he sends you home.
He's a good man.
At least he's a fair man.
I'll let it sit with him.
George.
Our war is over.
Yes, sir.
It's just a question
of waiting for the orders now.
I feel I...
am destined to achieve some great thing.
What, I don't know.
But this last incident
is so trivial in its nature
and so terrible in its effect.
It can't be the result of an accident.
It has to be the work of God.
The last great opportunity of a lifetime.
An entire world at war,
and I'm left out of it?
God will not permit this to happen!
I am going to be allowed to fulfill my destiny!
His will be done.
In the greatest amphibious operation ever attempted,
a pre-dawn naval bombardment
prepares the way for Allied soldiers
to assault the Normandy beaches
and claw out a desperate foothold
on the European continent.
I knew Montgomery couldn't take Cannes
on D day or D plus 10,
and I said so.
And here they are,
all hung up in the hedgerow country.
They should pivot
as Von Schlieffan planned in World War I.
Then we might get a chance
to do some real broken-field running.
But they don't listen to me.
Huh. What a way to enter the continent of Europe,
along with all the rest of the spare parts.
Everything on this plane is high priority.
General Bradley wouldn't send for you
unless he had something in mind.
I'll tell you, Cod.
I've learned my lesson.
If I ever do get another chance,
I'll keep my mouth shut.
I'll play the game.
If I forget, you remind me.
I'll gently nudge you in the ribs.
Give me a swift kick in the ass.
Yes, sir.
General, welcome to France, sir.
I hope the war's still on.
- Where's the boss? - Right this way, sir.
Patton.
Haven't seen you since Messina.
General, how are you?
I heard you're doing a splendid job
decoying the Germans.
Well, you'll forgive me. I'm off for the front.
Best of everything, old boy.
By the way,
intelligence confirms
that I'm against Rommel again.
Rommel.
How are you, George?
Pretty fair, Brad. How are you?
Fine.
Well, my, my, isn't this plush.
It looks like you're bucking for archbishop.
Chet Hansen built this rig for me. Sit down.
I told Ike you and I
could level with each other.
That's right.
We're making 3rd Army operational
once I take 12th Army Group.
Do I get it?
I'll be honest with you.
I've had reservations.
You've been my senior since I left the academy.
You were the boss
in North Africa and Sicily.
I just thought
it might be a problem for the both of us.
- It wouldn't bother me. - One other thing.
I don't want to hit this too hard.
We're different kinds of people, George.
God damn it, Brad, you're always right.
With your brains and my screwy ideas,
we would make a wonderful team.
We proved that in Sicily.
Truth is, if I'd been your senior in Sicily,
I would've relieved you.
Brad, I'll crawl on my belly to get a command.
For God's sake, you got to get me in this fight.
The only way I can get out of the doghouse
is to do something spectacular.
I got to get back in the war.
Hitler's own people tried to kill him
a couple days ago.
First thing you know, it'll all be over...
I'll...
keep my mouth shut.
I'll behave myself.
I give you my word.
George, I've been working on a plan
called Cobra.
I'd like to know what you think of it.
We've been slugging our way
through hedgerow country half an acre a day.
We need a way to break out.
I want to use this road.
The St. Lo- Pierre Road.
We'll let Monty
pin down the enemy forces at Cannes.
We'll pulverize an area 31/2 miles wide
with saturation bombing,
then seven divisions will follow through.
The 3rd Army will swing around here,
a sweeping end run,
right across France.
What do you think?
I think you need a screwball old horse cavalryman
to command 3rd Army.
George...
Ike... came to that conclusion
in London three months ago.
He what?
Why, that dirty son...
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
I promised to keep my mouth shut.
You'd think George would at least have the courtesy
to let us know where he's going.
Good God, look at that.
Where you going, General?
Berlin!
I'm going to personally shoot
that paper-hanging son of a bitch!
[Cheering]
Now, hold it.
Hold it!
This place isn't even on the map.
You know why?
We've run clear off the map.
Give George a headline, and he's good for another 30 miles.
[Horn Blares]
Ten hut!
All right, hold it!
Look, pay attention.
We're going to clean this mess up now.
Move this vehicle out this way.
Move this one out this way.
Back that thing up there.
We'll take this one here.
All right, get up off your ass.
Let's go now!
That's the way to move. Good boy!
All right, come on!
Come on, now. Here we go. Come on. That's it!
That's it. Gun it!
Gun that thing!
O.K. Come on.
Watch it!
Go, go, go!
Come on! Hold it up.
Come on, baby! Yeah, yeah! Come on!
That's it.
Come on, now!
Chet...
Come on, keep coming! Keep coming!
Hold it up there!
Now come on!
Hold it!
Hey, dummy! Hold the friggin' tank!
Ay...
That's it. Come on.
Good boy!
- Hold it up there! - General!
General Bradley wants a word.
- Down there. - O.K.
Come on!
O.K.
Hold it up!
Take over.
George, you'd make a good traffic cop.
Heh heh...
George, this drive to the Seine
has been absolutely magnificent.
I'm sorry, but I have to slow you down.
What the hell for?
We have to cut off your supplies.
Gasoline, ammunition, everything.
We're up against a new set of priorities.
I smell Montgomery.
Take it easy, George.
There are serious political issues involved.
By God, it is Montgomery.
The V-2 launching sites are all in his area.
Mr. Churchill wants those rocket bases destroyed.
Hitler is killing more civilians in London
than soldiers in battle.
They expect Montgomery to do something?
You give me gasoline, and I'll gain ground.
I'll kill Germans, too.
Give me enough, I'll go to Berlin.
George, I can't do it.
The Siegfried Line's an empty shell.
They've stripped the equipment,
sent it to the eastern front.
It's crawling with cows.
I'd be through in two days.
There's no use arguing. It wasn't my idea.
Why did you pick me to command?
I didn't pick you.
Ike picked you.
George, you have performed brilliantly.
You're loyal, dedicated,
one of the best field commanders I've got,
but you don't know when to shut up, George.
You're a pain in the neck.
I have a lot of faults, Brad.
Ingratitude isn't one of them.
I owe you a lot.
Hell. I know I'm a prima donna.
I admit it.
What I can't stand about Monty is,
he won't admit it.
[Engine Sputters]
[Engine Sputtering]
Captain,
Bailey's run out of gas.
The point tank has run out, too...
and there's a Kraut column up ahead.
Yeah, I know.
Are you in command here, Captain?
I was in command.
My tank platoon
was supporting an infantry company.
The tanks ran out of gas,
so we had to fight it out.
We started 11:00 last night.
Finished a couple of hours ago.
This morning, the fighting was hand-to-hand.
I had a dream last night.
In my dream it came to me
that right now,
the whole Nazi reich is mine to take.
Think about that, Cod.
I was nearly sent home in disgrace.
Now I have precisely the right instrument
at precisely the right moment of history...
in exactly the right place.
The Saar?
This will change, too, very quickly,
like a planet spinning off into the universe.
A moment like this
won't come again for a thousand years.
All I need is
a few miserable gallons of gasoline.
Right now, the weak spot is here.
In 10 days we could be in Berlin.
What about the fortifications
at Verdun and Metz?
Fixed fortifications
are monuments to the stupidity of man.
No, when mountain ranges and oceans can be overcome,
anything built by man can be overcome.
You know how I'm sure they're finished out there?
The carts.
They're using carts
to move their wounded and their supplies.
The carts came to me in my dream,
kept buzzing around my head.
I couldn't figure it out.
Then I remembered...
that nightmare in the snow,
the endless, agonizing retreat from Moscow...
how cold it was.
They took the wounded and the remaining supplies
and threw them on the carts.
Napoleon was finished.
Not any color left. Not even the red of blood.
Only the snow.
Look at this, Cod.
I love it.
God help me, I do love it so.
I love it more than my life.
Paris is liberated,
and French troops lead the way.
The Allies march into the historic city
after four years of Nazi occupation.
The hard-fighting French 2nd Armored Division
under Major General Jacques Leclerc
gets a welcome they will never forget
as they enter their beloved Paris.
In a powerful drive to the north,
British General Montgomery cuts off and bypasses
the French coastal towns
of Boulogne, Calais, and Dunkirk,
pushing on to capture
the vital Belgian port of Antwerp.
Meanwhile, the main body of Patton's army,
resupplied now and rolling like a juggernaut,
is slicing toward the Saar.
Nazi resistance appears to be crumbling,
and it seems nothing can stop our troops
from driving on into the heart of Germany.
Sir, General Bradley on your line.
Good, good.
Brad?
I've got a bridgehead across the Saar.
I'm headed into Germany.
Wait a minute, George. There's trouble up north.
I want you to transfer 10th Armored
to Middleton's 8th Corps right away.
Brad, you can't do that.
George, listen,
I don't have time to argue.
There's a lot of enemy activity
up around Ardennes.
No, I don't know how serious it is.
Ike wants us to meet with Bedell Smith
tomorrow at Verdun.
Be there at 1100.
Yes, sir.
There's absolutely no reason for us to assume
that the Germans are mounting a major offensive.
The weather is awful.
Their supplies are low.
The German army hasn't mounted a winter attack
since Frederick the Great.
Therefore I believe that's exactly what they'll do.
I want you to start making contingency plans
for pulling out of our eastward attack,
changing directions 90 degrees,
moving up to Luxembourg.
Don't look so stunned, gentlemen.
Plan for three possible axes of attack...
from D-Kirk due north...
from Arlen to Bastogne,
from Neufchatel against the German left flank.
We've identified four German armies.
The 7 th, 5th Panzer,
6th S. S Panzer, and the 15th.
They beat us with 26 divisions.
They overran two regiments of the 106th Division,
and 7,500 of our men were forced to surrender.
Our immediate concern is that the 101 st Airborne
is trapped here at Bastogne.
Bastogne, by the way,
is the key to this entire area.
If we can hold it,
we can break up the entire German offensive.
If they take it, we're in serious trouble.
Ike wants to know
if anybody can get there and relieve the 101 st
before they're torn to pieces.
There's nothing
that Field Marshal Montgomery can do.
At any rate, not for some weeks.
What about you, George?
I can attack with three divisions in 48 hours.
I'd give myself some leeway if I were you.
Ike wants a realistic estimate, George.
You're amidst a fight now,
and Bastogne's 100 miles away.
My staff's already working out the details.
Frankly, I don't see how it's possible...
not in this kind of weather.
I should've thought you'd want to fall back and regroup.
I don't like to pay for the same real estate twice.
What about your men?
You can't cart them 100 miles
then expect them to attack without rest.
I trained these men.
They'll do what I tell them.
Perhaps we hadn't realized
you were quite so popular with your troops.
I'm not.
They'll do it because they're good soldiers
and because they realize, as I do,
that we can still lose this war.
Hmm. I think I can speak
for Field Marshal Montgomery.
He'd say you're asking the impossible of your men.
Of course he would,
'cause he's never realized
that that's what we're in business for.
General Mcauliffe refused a German surrender demand.
You know what he said?
What?
He said, "Nuts."
Ha ha ha ha...
Keep them moving, Colonel.
A man that eloquent has to be saved.
This is where it pays off...
the training and the discipline.
No other outfit in the world
could pull out of a winter battle,
move 100 miles,
go into a major attack
with no rest, no sleep, no hot food.
God...
God, I'm proud of these men.
Sir, the Germans threw another panzer division against Bastogne.
101 st Airborne
is holding on by its fingernails.
Damn air cover's what we need.
With decent weather, we might make it.
General Mason, sir.
Hello, Mase?
Listen, we're short on foot soldiers.
Cannibalize your anti-aircraft units
and turn them into riflemen.
Yes, every damn one of them.
Good evening, General.
I just got tomorrow's weather report... more snow.
There goes our air cover.
We may have to wait for better weather.
There are brave men dying up there.
I'm not going to wait. Not an hour...
not a minute.
I'm going to keep moving.
Is that clear?
We're going to attack all night!
We're going to attack tomorrow morning!
If we're not victorious...
let no one come back alive.
You know something, General?
Sometimes, they can't tell when you're acting
and when you're not.
It isn't important for them to know.
It's only important for me to know.
You wanted to see me, General?
Oh, yes, Chaplain.
I'm sick and tired
of 3rd Army fighting the Germans,
the supreme command, no gasoline,
and now this ungodly weather.
I want a prayer... a weather prayer.
Weather prayer, sir?
Yes. Let's get God working with us
on this thing.
Take a thick rug for that kind of praying.
I don't care if it takes a flying carpet.
I don't know how this will be received.
Praying for good weather so we can kill people?
I assure you, because of my intimate relations
with the Almighty, if you write a good prayer,
we'll have good weather.
I expect that prayer within an hour.
Yes, sir.
"Almighty and most merciful father,
we humbly beseech Thee ofThy great goodness
to restrain this immoderate weather
with which we've had to contend.
Grant us fair weather for battle.
Graciously harken to us
as soldiers who call upon Thee,
that armed with Thy power,
we may advance from victory to victory
and crush the oppression and wickedness
of our enemies
and establish Thy justice among men and nations."
Amen.
The weather's perfect.
Cod, get me that chaplain.
He stands in good with the Lord,
and I want to decorate him.
Hiya, General!
Supported by medium bombers and fighter bombers
which fly countless sorties against German positions,
elements of the 3rd Army,
spearheaded by the 4th Armored Division,
drive into the besieged city of Bastogne
to relieve its 18,000 defenders
on the day after Christmas.
During this operation,
3rd Army moved farther and faster
and engaged more divisions
in less time than any other army
in the history of the United States.
Excuse me, sir.
General Katkov would like to know
whether you'll join him
to drink to the surrender of Germany.
My compliments to the general.
Please inform him
that I don't care to drink with him
or any other Russian son of a bitch.
Sir, I...
I cannot tell the general that.
You tell him that.
Tell him word for word.
[Speaking Russian]
The general says
he thinks that you are a son of a bitch, too.
O.K. I'll drink to that.
One son of a bitch to another.
[Speaking Russian]
[Applause]
[Cheering]
General, is it true President Roosevelt,
before he died,
promised you a combat command in the Pacific?
Yes, he did, but now that he's gone,
I doubt there's much chance of that.
Doug MacArthur doesn't want me up there.
We've heard about
these wonder weapons
the Germans were working on...
long-range rockets, push-button bombing,
weapons that don't need soldiers.
Wonder weapons?
My God, I don't see the wonder in them.
Killing without heroics,
nothing is glorified, nothing is reaffirmed?
No heroes, no cowards,
no troops...
no generals?
Only those who are left alive
and those who are left... dead.
I'm glad I won't live to see it.
You are still using former Nazis
in key positions...
despite the official Denazification policy.
Well, when I'm supplied with trained personnel,
I'll get rid of the Nazis.
Until then, I'll use those
who run the railroads and keep the telephones working.
After all, General,
didn't most ordinary Nazis join the party
about the same way Americans
become Republicans or Democrats?
Yes, that's about it.
You do agree that our national policy
should be made by civilians and not the military?
Of course, I agree,
but the politicians never let us finish.
They always stop short,
leaving us with another war to fight.
Are you thinking about
our Russian allies?
Heh.
Sir, did you say if your army
was between the Germans and the Russians,
you'd attack in both directions?
No, I never said that.
I never said any such thing...
but I wish I had.
Sir, a call on your line
from supreme headquarters...
General Smith.
Bedell?
Ike is furious.
How could you possibly compare
the Republicans and Democrats
to the Nazi Party?
And this statement
that you refuse to Denazify
has everybody screaming.
Russians, British, everybody.
Ah, the hell with the mongoloid Russians.
We've given them Berlin, Prague, God knows what else.
Are we letting them dictate policy, too?
George, don't be a fool.
The war in Europe is over.
Washington dictates policy.
The war shouldn't be over,
and we should stop pussyfooting
about the goddamn Russians!
We'll have to fight them eventually.
Why not now while our army's here?
Instead of disarming Germans,
we should get them to fight the Bolsheviks!
George, shut up.
This line may be tapped.
I don't give a damn.
Up till now,
we've been fighting the wrong people.
You and Ike don't have to get involved.
Leave it to me.
I'll have us a war with them,
and I'll make it look like their fault!
George, you're mad.
You're absolutely out of your mind!
Well, I'm no diplomat.
I'm a combat soldier.
That's all these jokers understand.
You get Ike's permission,
I'll drive them back into Russia where they belong!
Shall I call the artist back, sir?
No, the hell with him.
Nobody wants to see my picture.
I'm mad.
Didn't you know that?
Field Marshal Montgomery,
His Majesty is prepared to receive the next chief
of the imperial general staff.
Thank you.
Take care of yourself, Carl...
George...
Well, um... gentlemen,
all good things must come to an end.
And the best thing that's happened to me
in my life...
has been, uh...
uh... the honor
and, uh, privilege...
of commanding the 3rd Army.
Goodbye...
and God bless you.
Brad, they've, uh, taken 3rd Army away from me.
I know.
I just thought
we could have dinner together tonight.
Thank you, Brad.
That's damn thoughtful. I appreciate it.
Right now, I'm taking Willy for a walk.
Look out!
After all I've been through,
imagine getting killed by an ox cart.
Ha ha...
No, Brad, there's only one proper way
for a professional soldier to die...
from the last bullet
of the last battle of the last war.
At least 3rd Army earned its pay.
In our drive across Europe,
we liberated 12,000 cities and towns
and inflicted a million and a half enemy casualties.
I think from now on,
just being a good soldier
won't mean a thing.
I'm afraid we'll have to be diplomats,
administrators, you name it.
God help us.
George,
I want to say one thing.
You've done a magnificent job here in Europe.
That's right, George.
That soldier you slapped in Sicily
did more to win the war
than any other private in the army.
I'll see you for dinner.
6:30?
[Willy Barking]
[Patton] For over 1,000 years,
Roman conquerors returning from the wars
enjoyed the honor of a triumph,
a tumultuous parade.
In the procession
came trumpeters, musicians, and strange animals
from the conquered territories,
together with carts laden with treasure
and captured armaments.
The conqueror rode in a triumphal chariot,
the dazed prisoners
walking in chains before him.
Sometimes his children, robed in white,
stood with him in the chariot
or rode the trace horses.
A slave stood behind the conqueror
holding a golden crown
and whispering in his ear a warning
that all glory is fleeting.