Behind the German lines.

You sure the light carries that far? It should.

There they are.

What’d you say? Says they’re all set, sir.

Tell them we’re coming in.

Come on.

These were British commandos.

And the purpose of this carefully pluttered raid was the death of one man.

Heat.

Heat.

Heat.

Heat.

Heat.

Heat.

Cover me.

Wow.

There’s no use.

Go on.

Get out of my arm.

All we do is take Get out of here.

Did we Did we get him? Are you serious Englishman? Heat.

Heat.

Heat.

Heat.

Heat.

[music] [music] [music] [music] Gentlemen, the following order from General Okinick is to all commanders and chiefs of staff of the Middle East forces.

There exists a real danger that our friend Raml is becoming a kind of magician or bogeyman to our troops who are talking far too much about him.

He is by no means a Superman.

Although he is undoubtedly very energetic and able.

Even if he were a Superman, it would still be highly undesirable that our men should credit him with supernatural powers.

I wish you to dispel by all possible means the idea that Raml represents something more than an ordinary German general.

Please ensure that this order is put into immediate effect and impress upon all commanders that from a psychological point of view, it is a matter of the highest importance.

Signed CJ Orin, general, commander-in-chief, MEF.

This is the North African desert in June of 1942.

And these are British soldiers [music] taken prisoner the night before by units of the German Africa Corp.

Many of you fools run.

You come on.

Get out of there.

Get over with the other prisoners.

Who is the senior officer here? I am I suppose.

Come with me.

What’s your rank? Lieutenant Colonel.

All right, Colonel.

I want you to go along with these two officers on the flag of truce and tell that battery to stop firing.

Tell them they’re killing their own men.

Sorry, I can’t do that.

Don’t tell me what you can or can’t do.

I’m giving you an order.

Here, tie this on that rifle.

Listen, major.

I’m a prisoner of war.

You can’t give me any such order.

You know that as well as I do.

I’m not going to argue the point with you.

Either you do as I tell you, or we’ll soon find a way to make you.

Are you going or not? Major.

Major.

What’s the row? The field marshall said you’re right.

Field marshall.

So this then was Raml, Irvin Johannes Raml, commander and chief of the enemy army and the most celebrated [music] German soldier since World War I.

[bell] Already a legend in the desert, he was a fox who had chased [music] his hunters back and forth across North Africa about as often as they had chased him.

And his tricks and turns had made even the Tomies chuckle, which is scarcely the proper reflex to the enemy in time of war.

In spite of which, he was still, of course, my enemy.

the enemy not only of my country and the army in which I served, but of all life as I knew it, not only of democracy as free men had fashioned it, but of civilization itself.

My name is Desmond Young.

At the time of my capture, I was a lieutenant colonel in the Indian Army.

This was my first and only sight of the cool, hard, professional soldier whose scrupulous regard for the rules of warfare had been exercised in this instance, so fortunately for myself.

2 years and 4 months later, while the British and Americans were still fighting their way across Europe, Irvin Raml [music] was dead.

He was dead, the Nazis reported, of wounds gallantly received on the Field of Honor.

But the Nazis were great liars, [music] of course, and many people wondered, for already there were mysterious rumors [music] floating across the battle lines.

So when the war was over and my military life behind me, I gave myself a mission.

I set out to discover what actually had happened to him.

What was the truth about his death? and on what field of honor had he died.

In a modest home in the tiny village of Hurlingan by in Wartterberg, Germany, I talked long and often with Raml’s son and widow and examined [music] his letters, reports and other papers.

In Germany, I talked to soldiers who had served with him, over him, and under him.

in England with men who had fought against him from field marshals to desert [music] rats and in both countries of course I went to the official records [music] based on these facts what now follows is the true story of Irvin Raml the beginning of the end for this single-minded soldier came at 9:30 on the evening of October the 23rd 1942 when at l Alam Main 6 miles of British guns.

I discovered that actually Raml was not in Africa when the storm of battle broke.

Suffering from a chronic dtheria of the nose, he had been relieved of his command a month before and flown back to a hospital in Germany.

But when the telephone rang at his bedside and a familiar voice from Berlin called on him once more, he rose and was in a plane on the way back to the desert within hours.

[music] Thank you for still the dandy.

I see just luck, sir.

Good to see you.

Good to see you, sir.

Should we take a look at those maps over here? Have you been by? Oh, very well, I suppose.

Did you see Fra Raml? Yes, she came and stayed a week at Zumarine.

She and Manfred.

Well, I hope.

How does it look today? Oh, they simply got too much for us.

Too much of everything.

If they keep this up much longer, I have no idea how we’re going to get out of it.

Not with the amount of petrol we’ve got anyway.

Oh, we’ve got petrol.

Some, but not enough.

You mean it’s still on the way? Neither on the way nor any prospect of it.

Who told you that? I’ve talked to Rome three times in the past 2 days.

There’s no petrol on the way, nor any committed to us as of 10:00 last night.

Schultzing.

What about the tanks? Did they come? None.

None since I left.

No.

None since August.

What about the guns? The neighbors? Nothing, I tell you.

And no petrol at all.

Not a pint.

This is correct from the hour.

Give me a steel, will you? Here’s where it’s worst.

The 15’s in a bad way.

Barely hanging together.

They drove everything.

What’s this? The trend division.

They came in here.

Yes, I see now.

How far is this armor? No further.

They’re doing pretty well.

Where are my maps? Bring the 21st and Arieti north through here.

Move the 90th and Tranto forward here.

So they’ll hook up.

That’s right.

Now tell me this.

Is Montgomery sending his infantry in first again? Naturally.

And then the armor.

That’s right.

Then let’s give him a surprise.

Let’s send our tanks in first and blow a hole through that infantry.

If it works, we’ll be on top of his tanks before he knows what hit him with our infantry pouring in to polish it off.

Very good, sir.

If it doesn’t work, we’ll know better than to try it the next time.

Come on out.

You’re not going up now.

while don’t you think you ought to turn in for now so first after 3 weeks of being turned in where away sir let’s head north and go in with the 21st but there was now another fox in the desert an even craftier one perhaps and if the battle boiled into confusion during the next few days it was a confusion that was clearly more and more in Montgomery’s favor.

Heat up here.

Heat.

Heat.

Have you found the field marshall yet? No, sir.

He’s out at the front again.

I don’t know how the men in the line feel about it, but so far as the staff is concerned, I just as soon have a commander-in-chief with a little touch of cowardice about him.

Just enough to have him back here at headquarters every now and then.

Keep after him, will you? by the 10th day of the battle.

Not even RML could have any doubt as to its outcome.

There’s a limit to this sort of thing.

You You can’t just go on indefinitely until the last man’s dead.

It’s all very gallant and all that, but it’s also pretty idiotic.

Bontoma wants to pull back to Daba.

What about Millie? No answers yet, sir.

Where are you from, son? Gosh, sir.

Really? I was stationed in Goss once with a mountain battalion.

We did a lot of skiing there.

Do you know that run? Very well, sir.

Are you any good? Well, sir, two years ago.

Are you sure understood I had to have an immediate answer? Yes, sir.

I had him repeat it back to Are you keeping up after Miller? Yes, sir.

Should you try Berlin? I’d call if he can.

Nothing yet, though.

No, but he knows the situation.

I sent him the whole story last night.

If there’s anything he can do, he will.

No matter what you say to Berlin, we’re only a sideeshow, and you know it.

Well, what? Miller’s in a bad way.

How bad? Very, I’m afraid.

If he doesn’t pull back soon, he won’t have anything to pull back.

Well, where is he? Why can’t we get an answer from him? His command car is gone.

He’s working in a carrier.

And if he’s got more than 40 tanks left, I’d be greatly surprised.

How about the Italians? Miller thinks they’ve had about as much as they can take.

Drone calling, sir.

Well, be marshal Kessler regrets.

Well, that eliminates any further speculation anyway.

It’s now a simple matter of mathematics.

With the petrol we’ve got left, we have two choices.

We can remain here and be destroyed.

Oh, we can pull out tonight and dig in somewhere for the next round.

You think we still can pull out? Of course.

Why not? Montgomery’s got no petrol shortage, remember? No, but I don’t think it’ll be too difficult.

Montgomery is a very deliberate fellow.

He wouldn’t dream of leaping after me the way I’d leap after him.

He’d have to think about it a bit first.

I don’t see what else there is to be done.

There’s nothing else.

Let’s have plan C and notify all commanding officers to stand by for important orders.

If we can move quickly enough.

Berlin, call sir.

Who in Berlin? The feeler.

Sign Adolf Hitler.

The situation requires that the Elamine position be held to the last man.

There is to be no retreat, not so much as 1 millimeter.

It must be victory or death.

I can’t believe it.

Have you still got Berlin? Yes, sir.

Ask him to repeat that message.

Yes, sir.

I know, but it’s not him, I tell you.

It’s those it’s those hoodlams again.

Those thieves and crooks and murderers.

Those those toy soldiers, those dummy generals with their books and charts and maps and pointers.

How can he listen to such an entities? How can he even stand the smell of such filths? Why doesn’t he slaughter the lot of them and use his own intelligence? I have your repeat, sir.

Well, go ahead, read it.

The situation requires that the Lalamine position be held to the last man.

There’s to be no retreat.

Not so much as 1 millimeter.

It must be victory or death.

Sign Adolf Hitler.

It’s incredible.

You’re not going to pay attention to such nonsense, are you? It’s an order by line.

A military order from general headquarters.

A clear, straight, stupid, criminal military order from general headquarters.

And what are you going to do? Double the insanity by obeying it? We’ve got the best soldiers in the German army here.

They may be just hanging on now, but they’re still a force.

They’re still fighting.

If we take them out now, they can fight again tomorrow.

But this this is sheer madness.

It’s out of the Middle Ages.

Nobody has said victory or death since people fought with bows and arrows.

Why? This is an order to throw away an entire army.

If I may remind you, sir, here in the field, these men are yours, not his.

I just can’t understand it.

I can’t.

He’s insane.

He’s not insane.

He’s But neither am I.

Pull him out by line.

I’ll argue with him about it later.

[music] [music] [music] [music] The end came in Tunis when the Axis forces were caught.

between the British, the Free French, and the Americans under Eisenhower and surrendered unconditionally.

But the Africa Corps went into captivity without its leader.

For a month before the end, Raml had again fallen ill and been invalided back to the hospital in Germany.

Good morning, Sergeant.

Morning, Farmer.

And Fred.

Morning.

Dr.

Stalin.

Carl Sterling.

Lord Mer Stoodgart.

Dr.

Stlin is an old friend of the field marshals.

I understand you’ll find him much better this morning.

All he needed was a little rest.

Fra RML Manfred RML and Dr.

Carl Strolling from Stoodgard.

Not only from but Lord Mayor of and don’t tell me he’s on the list.

Dr.

Carl Stroll and Lord may have stood guard.

She says an old friend of the field marshall.

Nevertheless, here he is to be kept under the closest observation whenever discovered beyond the precincts of Stoodgot.

Not that it could really be described as an argument.

It’s impossible to have an argument with him in the sense that you and I could have an argument.

He waves.

He screams.

He goes into such hysterics that it’s like trying to make sense with a panicstricken woman.

He called him a coward.

Did he really use that word to you? Not once, but several times.

In Russia, he said officers like me had been put against the wall and shot.

Nor must I think it couldn’t happen to me, too.

And that was his thanks.

That was his gratitude for all that Avan has done for him.

On the other hand, you mustn’t hold people too accountable for everything they say when they’re emotionally upset.

The war is not going well, and he’s naturally worried.

But I’m afraid it’ll be a long time before I forget what he did to the Africa Corp.

What was that? When the end was near and I asked him to get them out, he said he had no further interest or concern in the Africa Corp.

And that was their thanks.

Raml, I should like to ask you a question.

Of course, you don’t care to answer.

I quite understand, but um with [clears throat] your permission, I should like to ask it nevertheless.

What is it? Do you really believe that we can win? I’ll tell you what he believes.

Yes.

He doesn’t think so.

He told you that himself.

He did.

And he understands what that’ll mean this time.

Apparently.

Then why do we go on? Because we have no choice.

Because no country we’re fighting, England, America, or Russia, will make peace with him.

He admitted that.

And it’s the truth, of course.

In other words, while he remains as leader of Germany, we must fight on until we are destroyed.

Victory or death as ever.

So, I take it that he didn’t mention the obvious solution to the situation.

What do you mean? Abdication.

Now, my dear Strollin, I’m afraid we must go, dear.

Must you already? Well, I have a train to catch.

We’ll come back after supper.

Let’s have coffee together.

Goodbye, Sterling.

It was good to see you again after all these years.

You won’t let it be so long next time.

Do you think they really would, father? Would what, son? Shoot you.

No, no, of course not.

That’s just his wild way of talking.

You mustn’t pay any attention to that.

But shoot his greatest general.

You shouldn’t have said that in front of him.

Come along and stop talking nonsense.

Until this evening, dear.

Come earlier, will you? He’s a good-looking boy, isn’t he? And a very nice boy, too.

But were you entirely truthful with him? About what? When you told him that he would never put you up against a wall.

But of course, there’s a possibility ever occurred to you that he might turn on you.

But why should he? He’s turned on others.

He’ll never turn on me.

What about some of those fellows around him that don’t like you? Himmler, Borman, and that crowd.

Don’t they ever influence him? Very often indeed.

You don’t think it’s possible they might influence him against you someday? It’s possible.

Yes.

But I don’t see that it’s very likely.

But in the remote possibility that they did, have you ever considered what might become of Lucy and Manfried? [clears throat] I’ve never thought about it, but what on earth are you getting at anyway? I think you should.

That’s all.

You haven’t changed a bit, doctor.

You always were something of an odd fish.

Well, there’s no need for you to worry this time.

We’re in no danger.

None of us.

And if you’ll take a word of advice from an old friend, you better not talk like that to everybody.

I don’t.

Only to those I know very well and I’m very fond of.

Goodbye, RL.

Goodbye, Strolling.

Come again if you can.

I’ll try.

[music] Heat.

Heat.

[music] [music] Heat.

Heat.

[music] [music] [music] Heat.

Heat.

[music] [music] Heat.

Heat.

[music] [music] [music] Heat.

[music] [music] Heat.

[music] [music] An invasion of Hitler’s European fortress was now clearly but a matter of time.

And in November of 1943, Raml made a tour of inspection of the Atlantic defenses preparatory to taking command of the Nazi forces that were gathering to resist the assault.

Heat.

Heat.

[music] A month later, Raml reported to Field Marshall Vonrunstead, Supreme Commander in the West at the ladder’s headquarters in the Pompador’s Palace at Fontlau outside Paris.

Bill Marshall runstead.

Gentlemen, Ruger.

Field Marshall.

Gentlemen, good to see you, Ron.

Field Marshall.

Well, now that you have had an opportunity to examine it closely, what do you think of our Atlantic Wall? I’m afraid I haven’t quite completed my report yet.

But then we’ll discuss it later.

Whenever you’re ready.

I don’t imagine the mighty Eisenhower will be on us for another day or so anyway.

Wasn’t too much a tax on your strength, I hope.

Not in the least.

I’m entirely recovered now.

Thank you.

I’m delighted you’re being well taken care of, gentlemen.

Yes, indeed, sir.

Uh, Bow, would you be so good as to divert our friends, Wildfield, Marshall Roman, and I have a few moments of private meditation? Yes, sir.

[sighs] Appalling, wasn’t it? I can’t even see why it’s called a wall.

The big ports like Harve and Ostent and Sherborg are protected well enough, but the enemy is not coming in on the Queen Mary.

Nothing at all has been done about the beaches.

Why? I saw 50 places where an army of children could come ashore.

The trouble is labor.

We have the plans for fortifications the devil himself couldn’t breach.

Solid steel and concrete from Denmark to Spain.

But I’m afraid our French friends aren’t being as cooperative as they might be.

Even when driven to the job, they move like snails.

Either we break it up while they’re still waiting ashore or we’re in trouble.

Is that the way you’d meet it? Stop them on the beaches, crowd the water with mines and traps and tricks and hit them while they’re busy trying to keep themselves from drowning.

here, down here, and here.

I don’t agree with you, but the difference of opinion will probably remain academic.

As it happens, neither you nor I will determine the tactics in this operation.

Not above the regimental level, anyway.

You mean Berlin? I mean, the Bohemian corporal himself is assuming soul and total command of this operation.

You and I will function simply as instruments of his astrological inspirations.

And in case you’re afflicted with an understandable skepticism, this is official.

But that’s an utterly impossible situation.

Then you should by all means explain that to him.

You may no protest yourself.

After you’ve interfered a dozen times or so with a man’s rather enthusiastic determination to cut his own throat, there comes a moment when you’re inclined to stand back and view the whole matter with a certain detachment.

You’ve no objection to my pointing this out to you, have you? On the contrary, I bestow my blessings on your courage and optimism.

I’m told you once referred to me as a clown.

The clown of Hitler’s circus.

Oh, did I? If so, I think you should know I’ve been a great deal more explicit about you many times.

That’s quite all right for you, Marshall.

I find it almost impossible to keep my mind on anything harsh said about me.

Did you say it? Whoever said it, you’ve given him ample reason to regret such a foolish remark.

Thank you, Field Marshall.

Not at all.

Is there anything else? I don’t believe so at the moment.

One suggestion perhaps in view of our cordiality.

If I were you, I wouldn’t be altogether unguarded about what I had to say about this new strategic arrangement.

I think you should know that from now on you’ll be under more or less constant observation here from Berlin.

Well, friends of the management, I believe.

Have you any information as to why I should be singled out for such attention? Oh, but you’re not.

We all are.

Apparently, you didn’t have it in Africa.

But here on the continent, it’s an honor that goes with staff rank.

You, too, my dear fellow.

I’m the commanderin-chief.

Two months after that, in February of 1944, during one of Raml’s rare absences from the Atlantic frontier, his old friend Dr.

Carl [music] Stan sought him out again.

Good afternoon, sir.

Good afternoon, Dr.

Strolling to see the field marshall in Framel.

Come in, sir.

Eisenhower won’t try it until spring, of course.

But I doubt if I’ll get home again before then.

I’ll be ready for it.

We will be, I hope.

To your very good health, doctor.

To yours, my dear Roman.

How do you know this room isn’t wired? Wired? Why should it be wired? Does our friend Himler have to have a reason for wiring a room? No, I don’t suppose he does, but I don’t think you have to worry about this one.

Why? Because I want to talk to you without being overheard about what? About the Hitler situation.

If this is politics, Strollin, I don’t want to hear it.

Had you rather see Germany destroyed? It’s not a matter I want to discuss, I tell you.

And I’m surprised at you.

That’s a that’s a communist position.

Oh, is it defeat against him? All that sort of thing.

Unities.

Would you call General Beck a communist? Of course not.

Or Kow Girdler, the Lord Mayor of Leipy? I’ve never heard that he was.

What about Falenhausen? No.

But what about Hinrich von Stupnagle Fonurat and Fon Hassl? Are they communists? Are you trying to tell me seriously that men like that are questioning his leadership? Not just questioning it.

They intend to end it.

You mean you’ve talked to those fellows yourself? To them and to many others.

And not only soldiers either.

Churchmen, labor leaders, lawyers, doctors, members of the government, even not too many of them, but sound men.

Every one of them.

How long has this been going on? since 38.

And what exactly are you after? One, we want to get rid of Hitler and his gang.

If we are to be defeated, then we prefer to be defeated as human beings, not as barbarians.

Two, whether we win or lose, we want to live again like decent people without fear.

Look, Stro, I don’t want to get mixed up in this thing.

What they do in Berlin is their business, not mine.

I’m a soldier, not a politician.

You still think you’re perfectly safe? Who knows who’s safe and who’s not in a situation like this? And a sane man you’d know.

That’s a lot of rubbish.

And you know it.

Well, I hope you’re right.

And perhaps you are.

After all, you are his favorite.

And I can think of no one who’s ever questioned the deep and enduring gratitude that he’s always shown to those who served him well.

No one’s in any danger here who does his job properly.

Well, then of course you have nothing to fear.

And if something did happen unpredictably, you’d still have the comfort of knowing that the lives of Lucy and Manfred will be safe and snug in the soft, gentle, tender hands of that brave little band of patriots he’s gathered around him.

I’m afraid that kind of talk doesn’t amuse me.

I’m not trying to amuse you.

I merely reflect on your extraordinary good fortune.

I wish you’d think about that too sometime.

Not the blood on his mouth, but what a godsend he is to you personally, not only in your home, but in the field as a soldier.

How many other generals can boast the favor and support of a leader so gifted in the arts of war? That’s enough, Strollin.

But surely you haven’t forgotten how brilliantly he refused to be seduced into an invasion of undefended England right after Dunkirk, or how brave he was at Stalingrad when von Paul wanted to withdraw from the trap.

What other man on earth would have had the courage to send that brief, simple, thrilling command? Don’t retreat so much as a millimeter.

Victory or death.

Would Napoleon himself have That’s enough, I tell you.

Afraid even to think about it.

Stop talking to me as if I were a child and you were school master.

Don’t you think I know what you mean? But what of it? Who asked me for my opinion? And suppose I told them what I thought that what they’re doing beyond every other consideration is stupid to the point of imbecility.

Who do you think would listen to me? Have you ever tried? Of course.

I’ve been told to mind my own business.

And who’s to say they’re not right? Surely you are naive enough to think that a soldier must approve of every detail of his government before he can fight for it.

What army could exist like that with every man in it, free to decide what he will or won’t do? The truth is that a soldier has but one function in life, one lone excuse for existence, and that is to carry out the order of his superiors.

The rest, including government, is politics.

And if I must remind you again, I’m a soldier, not a politician.

What the government does Oh, stop hiding behind that bloody uniform of yours.

What do I care about your philosophy of the soldier? All it means to me is that you’re terrified and hiding under a lot of rubbish about the functions of a robot.

Have you forgotten that I’ve known you for 20 years? Why, I know exactly how you feel about that abomination in Berlin.

What I can’t understand is this chicken-hearted willingness to go marching right down into hell with a beast you loathe and despise.

Where’s all the sense and courage you have in the field? Haven’t you any of it here? I think you better get out of this house now.

Not until you’ve shown an old friend the decency of honesty with him.

And if reason won’t work very well then I’m prepared to go further.

I have no intention of stirring from this room until the truth has passed between us.

Oh, had you rather I call the guard and charge you? That you will never do.

And may I ask why you know so well what I will or won’t do.

Because Lucy told me that you wouldn’t.

You You’ve already talked to Lucy about this.

Of course.

And she sent you to me? Not at all.

She merely told me how you really feel about our sainted leader and his glorious reign over Germany.

Father, father, the car’s here.

We saw it.

Will you please not shout? I’ve told you that a dozen times.

He’s just excited.

I know, but I’m tired of telling you.

He’s all right.

He’s still only a boy, remember? In spite of that uniform.

Of course.

Take care of yourself, dear.

You’re not cross with me, are you? For what? For speaking to Dr.

Strollin.

No, of course not.

Is he right? I don’t know.

I can’t make up my mind, but that’s a dreadful thing he proposes.

A great, tremendous, dreadful thing.

I don’t know that I can go along that far with him.

Then you shouldn’t if you don’t think he’s right.

I didn’t say he wasn’t right.

But even so, is that the only way to handle it? Treason.

Well, that’s what it comes down to.

No matter how right you think you are.

You think it would be better to let things go along as they are.

No, no, I don’t.

But there must be some better way of handling it.

I mean, if I could see him alone again and explain this situation to him.

Can you tell me how a man can fight a war under such conditions? Isn’t it enough that we’re facing an invasion without No, never mind.

Now, you don’t have to decide this minute.

It’ll come to you when it’s time.

What do you think? Really? I can’t tell you, dear.

I don’t know.

But never mind now.

When the time comes, something will tell you.

You better go along now.

You’re late already.

Write to me every day, will you? I will.

This is just a little something for the journey.

Thank you, darling.

Goodbye, sweetheart.

And don’t worry about me.

I’ll try not to.

That’s all.

Please.

Goodbye, son.

Take care of your mother.

Be a good soldier.

Make me proud of you.

I’ll try, father.

Are you going to bring us back, Montgomery? The minute he steps ashore.

Goodbye, darling.

Goodbye, darling.

[music] And then finally, after four long years of preparation, it came D-Day.

And the greatest armada and the vastest movement of men and arms in the history of the world rose from England and set out for the assault on [music] the beaches of Normandy and the German fortress of Europe.

[music] Heat.

Heat.

[music] Heat.

[music] [music] Heat.

Heat.

[music] Heat.

[music] Heat.

[music] Heat.

[music] Heat.

Heat.

[music] [music] Heat.

Heat.

[music] Heat.

[music] Heat.

[music] [music] [music] [music] From the moment the Bohemian corporal promoted him, self to the supreme command of our forces.

The German army has been the victim of a unique situation.

Not only too many of the enemy, but one too many Germans.

You don’t think he’s ready to give us the 15th army yet? I don’t see how he can under the circumstances.

His astrologers have been informed that this is only a faint, that the real invasion is yet to come north of Cali.

The 15th Army is sitting on those cold beaches up there.

Waiting for an invasion that has already taken place is an excellent example of war by horoscope.

We’ve got to have those troops.

If we’re not allowed to maneuver, we’ve got to be able to support these positions.

We got to see him again about it.

I tell you this in confidence, Raml.

I don’t think anything we can do would be of the slightest use.

The pattern for defeat has already been set.

Hold fast.

Don’t give up a millimeter of ground.

Victory or death.

Wars simply can’t be won by men whose knowledge of tactics is based on copy book maxims.

They may stir school children.

But they don’t stop troops.

But give me a free hand for a few months and I’d make them pay for it.

I’d make them pay such a price in blood they’d wish they’d never heard of Germany.

I might not be able to stop them all, but they know they’d fought an army, not a series of stationary targets, but he’ll never let us.

Of course, you know how firm corporals are.

Do you happen to know Carl Strollin? Strolling the Lord Mayor of Stoodgard.

I remember that name from somewhere.

Or Dr.

Girdler of Leipig.

You too.

Every day that passes, every minute of the day convinces me more and more that theirs is the only possible solution.

Your words you must understand and mystify me.

They propose to arrest him, take over the government, and move immediately to make peace with Eisenhower.

I shall of course deny that this conversation ever took place, but that’s a particularly childish idea.

Eisenhower is not going to make a separate piece.

And why should he with things going so well as they are? That part of your plan is doomed obviously from the start.

But you don’t disagree with the basic proposal.

I’m sorry, but I don’t believe I heard the question.

In any case, if they came to you for counsel or advice, would you receive them? Oh, no.

No.

No, I’m afraid not, Rama.

It’s too late.

Much too late.

Even if they moved immediately.

You misunderstand.

Not too late for that.

Too late for me.

I’m 70 now.

Too old to revolt.

Too old to challenge authority.

However evil calling, sir.

Marshall Kitle.

Kitle van runet.

Yeah.

Is this true about Sherberg? I’m afraid so.

But this is dreadful.

How can I give such news to the furer? You’ve reported misfortune to him before.

Why should this one present such a problem to you? But that’s just it.

We’ve had nothing but bad news for weeks.

Isn’t there any good news I can give him at the same time? Have you checked on the Russian front this morning? We’re not discussing the Russian front.

We’re discussing yours.

This whole situation in the West becomes worse with every report.

I I I’m actually embarrassed to have to give him another disappointment like this.

Can’t you think of anything we can do about it? Certainly.

Give us those 90 divisions of the 15th Army who are sitting around Cali playing cards.

You know that’s impossible.

The Furer has already explained the necessity of leaving them there.

Very well.

Then give us permission to pull out of Normandy and set up a line that we can defend properly.

Your orders are to fight where you are, and that’s exactly what he expects you to do.

Is it possible you have no better suggestion than that? One very much better in fact.

Make peace you idiot.

Goodbye again, Roma.

He’ll never report that.

This very instant, he’s knocking at the corporal’s door, whimpering with happiness.

You must never forget this, my dear fellow.

Victory has a hund fathers.

Defeat is an orphan.

Within 24 hours, you’ll be named my successor.

And I extend to you my deepest sympathy.

That’s nonsense.

He’ll never let you go.

But not too old, I might add, to wish your friends the best of luck in their extremely interesting project.

[music] Meanwhile, with their beach heads irretrievably secured, Allied tanks and men [music] had fanned out across France and begun their race for the Rine.

[music] Heat.

[music] Heat.

Put these where you can get to them quickly.

Also those files there.

Keep the key yourself and use your own judgment about the rest of them.

Where is he? In the small room.

Holding him.

Yes, sir.

Colonel, I’ll try to be as brief as possible for you, Marshall.

Perhaps you better keep an eye on the corridor.

Yes, sir.

Well, we’re faced with an immediate decision, sir.

Three of our men were arrested in Berlin yesterday.

They’ll be made to talk, of course, but fortunately, their knowledge of the people involved is limited.

Nevertheless, in the opinion of everyone concerned, there’s no more time to be lost.

We must act at once.

Then it’s all set.

Definitely.

Sir, I understand, sir.

The general is extremely anxious to know if you are in a position to speak now for the commanders you mentioned to him.

At my word, from this instant, they are prepared to follow my lead.

Then I have the field marshall’s permission to inform General Snoopagle.

We may now act at will and without further consultation.

Wait here, Colonel.

Come with me.

Rub this room.

Yes, sir.

Outside.

Never mind about that.

Outside.

Field Marshall Ruml speaking.

Put me through the field marshal Kitle.

I’ve got to be certain.

Absolutely certain.

We can’t go through with this if there’s even the remotest sign of sense there.

Kitle.

Romeo.

Now listen very carefully.

Kitle.

I’ve got to see the Furer at once somewhere in France.

I can’t explain on the telephone, but you must make him understand that it’s a matter of the greatest urgency.

I suggest tomorrow morning.

On June 17th, they met in Hitler’s underground stronghold at Majival near Swason.

This is an extremely difficult duty, my furer, but circumstances leave me with no choice.

We’ve reached a crisis on this front that calls for a decision on the very highest level.

But you’ve said that.

You’ve said that before.

And every time I talk to you, we’re facing another crisis.

When the enemy has overwhelming superiority on land, at sea, and in the air, and continues to grow stronger with every hour, while we grow weaker at the same rate, that to me is a crisis by any standards that I understand.

A crisis that should be examined promptly and realistically.

That’s you.

That’s you.

Like always, when everything’s going well, you’re willing enough.

But at the first sign of a difficulty, you become a defeist.

Complete defeatist.

Are you perhaps interested why you didn’t succeed on Runstead? This is why would maybe have been better if I had replaced you altogether.

Have you perhaps a little confidence in me? More.

It would seem that the furer has in me.

May I continue? And what my view bombs are doing to London has no one told you? No one? Yes, sir.

But why not to the beach heads? Because that’s not their purpose.

They have not that accuracy.

They need a whole city for a target.

Then they cannot miss.

Then why not the embarcation ports? Plymouth, Southampton, Portsmouth.

No, no, no, no, no.

That’s that’s exactly what I mean when I say you’re no good at thinking above the battlefield.

The British don’t care for those villages.

It’s their London that they love.

They don’t want to see it destroyed the way I’m going to destroy it in two more weeks.

Remember my words.

They’ll be screaming for surrender.

Just wait.

We’ll see.

to continue.

Sir, the struggle is over on this front.

Within these two weeks that you mentioned, you must be prepared to see the enemy break through our lines and push out into the interior of France.

Militarily, the end is already in sight.

We have nothing more to throw in.

What is it you’re proposing? That we surrender.

I give you the facts, sir.

I only ask that you draw the proper conclusions.

Proper to whom? To you.

I suggest you RL that you confine your genius to fighting and leave the conduct of the war to those who are responsible for it.

I apologize sir.

Now if the furer will honor me with his advice that VW weapon for your information happens to be only the first in a whole series of weapons that will completely revolutionize all warfare.

I have a second a 100 times as powerful and a third in mind.

A thousand times more destructive than the second.

But the crisis under discussion is now, sir.

I have a dozen others, all of them capable of turning the whole course of the war.

But what about now, sir? What are we to do tomorrow morning? Well, you’ve been deciding that all is lost.

We’ve been working, working miracles, determining the course of history for centuries to come.

In the workshops, in the laboratories, we’ve been turning out machines of destruction, such as the enemy has never dreamed of.

I have one in mind.

I have a weapon in mind.

[music] Now definitely committed to the plot to assassinate his furer, Raml was still trying to whip fight into his crumbling front.

when on June the 17th on a country road near a village with the ominous name of Montgomery [music] aircraft.

Yeah.

Heat.

[music] [music] 3 days later on July the 20th.

While Raml still lay unconscious in a hospital in France, Adolf Hitler and his staff gathered for their fateful conference in a fortified barracks at his headquarters in East Prussia.

[music] [music] [music] [music] [music] the fellow gentlemen.

Hands dispanders like a cavalry officer.

Thank you, gentlemen.

My furer.

Yes.

Stuffenberg, sir.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Stafenberg.

Of course.

From from general from Yes, sir.

Good to see you again.

Thank you.

My furer.

Gentlemen, your attention, please.

Excuse me, please.

I have report from General.

We’re scaring on his way now, sir.

Well, when you’re fat, you don’t move so fast.

[laughter] Colonel confidenceburg.

Yes.

Telephone, sir.

Thank you.

Excuse me.

All right.

Suppose we start with the Russian front.

[music] Fur.

The fur.

[music] [music] [music] Are you all right, my furer? I’m all right.

For that failure, 5,000 suspects paid with their lives during the few days that [music] Hitler spent in hospital.

As for Raml, recuperating at Hurlingan from injuries [music] that would have destroyed any but the toughest of men, all public mention of his name suddenly stopped, and a complete and official silence settled over the very subject of the nation’s most celebrated soldier.

For 3 months he remained in this sinister isolation until the afternoon of October the 13th in 1944.

Kitle, how are you, honor? Getting along, thank you.

Well enough yet to come up to Berlin.

I’m afraid not yet.

In another week or two, perhaps.

Why? I could send a special train for you.

That’s very good of you, but I really don’t feel up to it yet.

Is there some particular urgency about it? How soon do you think you’ll be ready for another command? Another two weeks, I suppose.

Three at the most.

If we send someone there, would you be able to discuss the situation with him? Of course.

Very well.

I’ll send Burgdorf.

You know him, don’t you? I’ve met him.

Suppose I have him drive down tomorrow morning.

Would that be convenient for you? Perfectly.

He’ll have full information and instructions.

Will you give my best regards to Fraano? I will.

And thank you very much.

Goodbye then.

Goodbye.

Kitle, he’s talking about another command again.

When? When I feel like it, I suppose.

Uh, he send his best regards to you.

We’re here to see Field Marshall Raml.

I’ll tell him, sir, would you tell him that? Come in, BJ.

You Marshall, it’s good to see you again.

And you, General.

I don’t believe you’ve met my wife, have you? I haven’t had the pleasure, sir.

My dear, will you allow me to present General Borgov and General Mel, sir? General Misel, this is my son, Manfred and Captain Aldiger.

I hope you’re not too tired from your journey.

Not at all.

Thank you, Prola.

Be time for a lunchon and a glass of wine first.

Thank you very much, sir, but we’re due back in Berlin as quickly as we can make it.

Very well, then.

If you’ll excuse us, dear.

This way, gentlemen.

Our apologies, Pra.

But I’m terribly disappointed.

Another time, perhaps.

I hope so.

I hope it’s the Russian front.

Don’t you make yourselves comfortable.

Smoke if you wish.

I’m not like Montgomery.

Smoke doesn’t make me unhappy.

At your service, gentlemen, we come directly from the fjord of Field Marshall.

Yes.

And what we have to say to you comes directly from his lips.

Yes.

Our instructions are to tell you first of his deep appreciation of your many heroic services to the state.

Go on.

And his regrets over your unfortunate accident.

I was sure his silence since then meant only that there were more important matters on his mind.

It’s a pity that after such a record If you’ll forgive me, General, may we skip your reflections for the moment and get to the message you have for me? Of course, sir.

You’ll observe that the charges are supported by an overwhelming body of testimony.

I can read.

Thank you.

You’ve been uncommonly fortunate, I see, in deathbed confessions.

It’s all perfectly legal, I assure you, sir.

You may inform the furer that I look forward to answering these charges in court.

You You don’t intend to deny them, do you? I said you may inform the furer that I look forward to answering the charges in court.

The furer is extremely hopeful that this matter can be settled without exposing it to the inevitable publicity of a court trial.

Very well then, let him withdraw the charges.

His view is that nothing but harm for everyone could come from a trial.

My orders are to remind you in the strongest terms possible of the damage that testimony like this could do to your name and reputation.

But what does he expect me to do? Plead guilty to you? Well, naturally, not that, of course.

I know what he wants.

He wants me to keep my mouth shut.

He doesn’t want me to speak out and tell what happened where it can be heard.

Well, you may tell him for me that that’s very thoughtful of him, but that I’m quite capable of taking care of my own name and reputation in my own way, which will be in a proper court of law.

But to what end, sir? The verdict is already indicated.

He told you to tell me that, too.

The evidence is there.

What defense is possible? Then what does he suggest? I think that before we go any further, the field marshall should be warned that this house is entirely surrounded.

My order, sir.

I’m sure you understand.

And both of us are armed.

What does he want done? His belief is that it would be to the best interests of all concerned if you should see fit to relieve the situation yourself, quietly and without delay.

Go on.

The advantages of a solution like that over an ugly exchange of recriminations in an over court are in his opinion several and obvious.

Most important to him of course would be the preservation of your name and fame and he would see to it himself that not the slightest suspicion would be attached to the way of your going.

As far as the rest of the nation would know, you succumb finally to your war wounds.

That would be the official announcement.

And the state would then honor your memory and your family as well with the generosity that would be historic.

That was his word, historic.

Your name would live on in the glory it once deserved, while your wife and son would never want for either safety or comfort as long as they live.

I have a choice in a sense.

Yes.

The choice to die now or later.

It demands to that, I’m afraid.

How long have I to make this choice? We are due back in Berlin as early this evening as we can make it.

The uh penalty in this case, I’m told, would be the Geralt, death by strangulation.

The drug I have brought with me is effective in 3 seconds and painless.

Tell him for me that in spite of the disadvantages you’ve been kind enough to point out, I’ll take the trial.

It may be, as you say, a futile defense, but I think it should be heard.

Nevertheless, there might be some value in it for those who hear it.

It might even move some to stop and think for a moment or two, as finally I did.

Unfortunately, too late.

In any case, it’s my life, and that’s my choice.

I confess my disappointment with your choice, sir.

My heart, of course, bleeds for you.

The unfortunate part of it is that if you insist on a trial, I have no authority to offer any guarantees for the safety and comfort of your son and widow.

They’re coming out now.

All of us, sir? I believe so.

[music] We’ll wait outside, sir.

I won’t be done.

Oh, we hardly expected such a [music] over already.

Wait there, please.

I’ll be done in a few moments.

What is it, Owen? I want you to be strong, darling.

I want you to be very strong and very brave.

Do you understand? I’ve got to go away now.

And I won’t be back.

Do you want me to tell you anymore? There’s no way out.

No, but it won’t be too terrible.

They’re giving me a drug.

It’s painless and effective immediately.

We’re leaving now and I’ll do it as quickly as possible.

We’ve got guns.

Can’t we make a break for it? No.

There’s nothing that can be done.

They’ve thought of everything.

Well, at least we could get them.

There’s nothing to be done, I tell you.

I’ve got to do exactly as they say.

Yes.

Are you going to be brave now? I don’t know.

You and Mount will be all right.

They’ve assured me of that.

And nobody is to know about this but us.

Are you sure there’s no other way? No other, darling.

Have you told Manfred yet? I’ll tell him when I go down.

No, let me tell him.

I can tell him so much better.

If you wish.

I’ll get my coat now.

It’s cold and I don’t want to shiver.

[music] Feel Marshall’s coming out now.

You’re going now? Why not? But are you well enough? Of course.

I’ve just been taking it easy on you and your mother.

Is it Russia? Goodbye holding a old dear friend.

Goodbye, sir.

Take care of them.

Yes, sir.

Can’t you tell me? Don’t ask so many questions.

You know better than to talk like that to a field marshal.

But when will we know? Before very long.

Goodbye, son.

Be a good boy.

Goodbye, father.

You’ll stop them, won’t you, Lucy? Goodbye, D.

[music] During that last short ride, what may RML’s thoughts had been? Were they bitter that he had learned too slowly and struck too late? [music] Or did they go back to the desert where his military genius at first electrified the world? First at Miki, then to Brook.

Yes.

And even Elamine.

In any case, his life and fate have best been summed up, ironically enough, in the words of Nazi Germany’s sternest enemy, the Honorable Winston Churchill.

His order and daring inflicted grievous disasters upon us.

But he deserves the salute to which I made him in the House of Commons in January 1942.

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