War and Remembrance (1988) s01e09 Episode Script
Part IX - 5.16.1944 - 6.10.1944
Marsch! Los! Halt! Halt! Halt! Halt! Halt! Halt! Halt! Halt! Halt! Halt! Halt! Halt! Halt! Halt! Halt! Halt! No! Halt! The count! The count is wrong! The count is wrong, you understand? Can't you count? Can't you count? The c-count--count is wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! What's the matter with you all? Are you all idiots and morons? Halt! halt! Halt.
All right.
Everyone with exemptions will pick up their luggage and return to their quarters.
The rest of you will remain here.
Natalie Henry.
Louis Henry.
I'll take the luggage.
No.
Just take Louis.
He's exhausted.
And, Aaron For god's sakes, get in touch with Berel.
Operation Overlord the cross-channel invasion of France is set for June 5, 1944.
in preparation, the U.
S.
Has shipped to the British isles a staggering 1 1/2 million servicemen and 5 million tons of invasion supplies and equipment, some 320,000 different kinds of items, from guns and ammunition to cigarettes and chewing gum.
And stacked high in a corner of a camp in Dorchester uncounted coffins.
in General Eisenhower's words, England has been transformed into the greatest operating military base of all time.
and in the words of their English hosts, The American GI is overpaid, oversexed, and over here.
no pretty little girls to deceive me I'm happy as a lark, believe me as we go rollin', rollin' home rollin' home whoo! Hey! Woo-woo! Hey! Rollin' home, get drunk rollin' home, get drunk by the light of the silvery moon happy is the day when a soldier gets his pay and we go rollin', rollin' home Pam! Leslie! Leslie! Aw, Leslie.
What are you doing here? Hooray! Hey! Hooray! All right.
Go on.
I'll meet you.
Go on.
What are you doing here? I've come to see you.
Me? How? You're with the Jedburgh.
How did you learn that? I'm with the air ministry that's dropping you.
Your name's on the schedule.
Well, is it lady Berne-Wilke yet? No.
He's recuperating from an air crash.
I'm headed to the hospital.
Got time for a drink? No, I'm afraid not.
Do you have a few minutes? Yes, l have.
lt's wonderful to see an old face.
Not that your face is old.
Well, l was having very shaky second thoughts about volunteering for the Jedburghs.
Told the board, the reviewing board, straight out that l was a high-strung coward.
They didn't know quite what to make of that.
Asked me why did l put in for the duty.
So, l, uh Gave them my song and dance about the Jews.
And they packed me off to a psychiatrist.
And for some reason, they passed me.
Must be damned hard up for Jeds.
For heaven's sake, Leslie, stop being so hard on yourself.
Tell me something.
You seeing much of Admiral Henry these days? Admiral? What on earth are you talking about? lt's Rear Admiral now.
Made a blaze with a parade, battle ribbons, and stars.
He was at our embassy.
Here? in England? Yeah.
Really.
Has he been here long? Why don't you ask him yourself? Try the U.
S.
Amphibious base at Exeter.
That's where he said he was going.
Walk me to my car.
lt's a million years since Paris, isn't it? Oh, you know, l did some drinking last month with Phil Rule in London.
He'd gotten utterly gross, falling down drunk.
Yeah, l know.
That's sad.
Victor wrote that Natalie's waiting out the war in a Czech ghetto.
Yeah.
We've all gone a long way.
But at least we had Paris.
We were young and happy and full of fun.
Were we? l think we worked awfully hard at being Ernest Hemingway characters, altogether too rash and ravishing mad.
l prefer my memories.
Till we meet again.
Good luck with your mission, Leslie.
l do very much admire you.
Admiral, phone call.
A Pamela Tudsbury.
Where may l take it? in my office, Henry.
Thank you.
l had a time tracking you down.
Might you be in London Thursday? Yes, l will.
Come have dinner with us.
Duncan and me at Stoneford.
lt's 30 minutes from town.
How do l get there? Get to the Bushey Park depot.
I'll pick you up at 4:00, and we'll talk.
Duncan sleeps from 4:00 to 6:00.
Doctor's orders.
How is he? A bit poorly.
Others will be at dinner, including General Eisenhower.
Telegraph cottage, his country place, is nearby.
Exalted company for me, Pamela.
l don't think so, Admiral Henry.
That's two stars and only temporary.
Oh, Leigh-Mallory will be there, too.
Eisenhower's air force commander.
Well, I'm sure you're very busy.
I'll see you Thursday at 4:00.
Alright.
Goodbye.
As the sltuatlon on the Russlan front deterlorates and the Allled lnvaslon in the west appears lmmlnent, the consplracy to overthrow Adolf Hltler takes on a desperate urgency.
On hls way to a most lmportant meetlng ls Count Claus Sheen von Stauffenberg.
Recently severely wounded in north Afrlca, Stauffenberg has lost two flngers of hls left hand, hls rlght hand at the wrlst, and hls left eye.
Ah, Stauffenberg, come in.
Am l very late? No.
l have news.
Lieutenant General Hans Speidel, Field Marshall Rommel's Chief of Staff.
lt was he who's called this meeting.
Retired Lieutenant General Ludwig von Beck, former Army Chief of Staff, longtime leader of the plot.
Dr.
Karl Goodlier, mayor of Leipzig, longtime conspirator.
Dr.
Hans Gisevius, renegade Gestapo bureaucrat.
He has been involved in all plots against Hitler from the beginning.
Halder, you've heard that Hitler has fired Manstein? Oh, yes.
I'm in good company.
And it keeps getting better.
And your news? Rommel will stand with us.
Are you absolutely sure? No more hedging? His exact words were ''lt's my duty to come to the rescue of my country.
'' when it happens, you'll be right there in his headquarters to keep him in the picture.
When what happens? l too have news.
General Fromm has requested me as Chief of Staff of the home army.
The home army.
lt's riddled with our people.
And has standing orders to take over the country in an emergency.
One code word--Valkyrie.
But the Valkyrie emergencies are strictly defined an uprising of foreign workers, a mutiny.
We'll create the emergency By killing Hitler.
Where's your access to Hitler? General Fromm's Chief of Staff reports to Hitler on home army readiness and rosters.
Hitler uses home army units as reserve formations.
I'll see him once or twice a week.
How will you do it? With a bomb.
A bomb with an acid time fuse.
All l have to do is crushes the fuse to start the acid down to the explosive.
And you can manipulate such a device under pressure with only three fingers? Yes.
l can.
I'll kill him, and I'll fly back here to direct the coup d'etat.
A plane will be arranged.
I'll pick my occasion when all three are present Hitler, Goering, and Himmler.
Your chances of killing all three of them are nonexistent.
Maybe you will kill Hitler.
But assuming that you do, that will only be an excuse for Himmler to murder all of us.
You are against it.
Why are you at this meeting? To prevent madness.
The German people are still fanatically behind him.
So is most of the army.
At best, you can only succeed in making him the martyred Napoleon of Germany.
And we we shall be the ones who stabbed him in the back.
lt is all too late.
Let the enemy prevail.
Let them hang the scoundrel.
All right.
You've heard Haler's view.
You've been in this as long as he has.
How do you stand? l have always preferred arrest.
But if there is no other way Kill him.
Kill him.
Kill him.
Rommel wants him arrested.
He's against killing him.
You're not Rommel.
I'm asking you.
Kill him.
All right, Haler.
Are you with us? Yes.
l am with you.
Kill him.
lt is decided.
You look smashing, Admiral.
Well, the big gold stripe helps.
Actually, you look a bit war-worn-- so American, they should carve you on Mount Rushmore.
You think so, Pam? You look pretty good yourself.
l felt like being out of uniform.
How long will you be here? I'm flying back tomorrow night.
So soon.
Overnight in Washington, then on to the Pacific.
So, tell me about Duncan.
He's not doing too well, I'm afraid.
Some sort of tropical infection got into his blood stream.
Well, there's some good news in my family.
Madeline married that young naval officer.
Wonderful.
Pleasantest turnaround in my life.
They're in new Mexico.
Byron got his bronze star.
By all accounts, he's an excellent submariner.
Janice is in law school.
There's even some hope about Natalie.
The Red Cross is sending a neutral delegation to her camp soon, so maybe we will get some word from her.
lf the Germans allow the Red Cross in, the camp can't be too bad.
And Rhoda? Rhoda's in Reno getting her divorce.
She actually went through with it? She actually went through with it.
Well, tell me about your promotion.
lt came from Admiral King, face to face, right after the President ordered me on this mission.
The Admiral even threw in a battleship division.
A battleship division? Yeah.
That's absolutely marvelous.
A division.
He said it was my reward for good work.
He said l could fight a division if l had to.
There's two ships, Pam, two of our best the lowa and the New Jersey what's the matter? Nothing.
Nothing at all.
Oh, Victor.
lt's the best thing for my career.
A monumental surprise.
Of course that's a carrier war out there.
The battle wagons bombard the beaches.
I'll probably just, uh, ride around in fancy flag quarters till the end of the war, initialing documents and looking pompous.
lt's terrific.
lt's absolutely, utterly, bloody flaming terrific.
l agree.
lt's ok.
lnteresting, Henry, you were in Leningrad.
l wasn't aware we got in.
Haven't seen any intelligence on it.
Technically, l was a lend-lease observer, but l sent a supplement on combat aspects to O.
N.
l.
Kay, make sure you get that stuff from naval intelligence for me tomorrow.
Yes, General.
Henry, you know the Russians.
Once we go, will they attack in the east? Harriman's assured me the attack is on, but there's plenty of skepticism around here.
They'll go, Sir.
That's my guess.
The Russians are politically unpredictable.
They don't see the world as we do.
That may never change.
Still, uh, l think they'll honor this military commitment.
Why do you say that Henry? Self interest, of course.
l agree, Henry.
Hit the other fellow when his hands are full.
They're bound to go.
Also, the sense of honor.
That they do have.
Well, if they've got that much in common with us, eventually, we'll get along with them.
We'll build on that.
l wonder, General.
We have trouble getting along, and we have a common language.
lt only seems we do.
Mrs.
Summersby, l drink to that and to you.
This way.
See you later.
We'll serve brandy and coffee in the library.
They'll be talking for ages.
l've lots to do at the general's cottage.
You'll forgive me if l just pop over there.
Of course.
See you later.
No doubt, you deeply disapprove of Kay Summersby, or do you bend your rules for great men? All l know about her is what meets the eye.
l know them both.
I'm sure that's all there is to it.
Charles, leave that there.
Pity you couldn't be more broad-minded about your wife.
l tried to stick it out, Pamela.
You know that.
Rhoda chose differently.
You froze her.
Will she be happy with her fellow, though? l don't know.
l've met him a couple times, talked to him.
He didn't act happy.
At this point, l think he's doing the honorable thing.
Poor Rhoda.
lsn't that the dress you wore that night at the savoy? I'm surprised you remember.
How could l forget? Why didn't you answer my letter? Just a word, any word.
Why did l discover by chance you were in England? Do you hate me that much? l wrote the gallant goodbye letter, l wrote the refusal to take no for an answer letter.
l wrote lots of letters.
l tore them all up.
l don't believe in begging a woman to change her mind.
l doubt begging does any good.
Besides, I'm not very good at it.
All right, Pamela.
What's it all about? Your letter was horribly mistimed.
l've been wretched since l wrote to you.
When Slote said you were here, it was the biggest shock in my life.
Seeing you is incredibly, incredibly sweet.
l told you in Moscow.
I'll tell you again.
l love you, not Duncan.
l've said it.
Now talk.
Well, speak up.
Will you have me or not? l tell you what, Pamela.
I'll think about it.
Ohh! Careful! You're shaking mount Rushmore.
I'll shake it down, that damn stuffy Yankee monument.
What is this? A little while ago, you turned me down.
What's changed? Rhoda's gone.
l never really thought it would happen.
Now it has.
And here we are together, not separated by the whole planet.
I'm so happy.
I'll have to hurt Duncan.
lt can't be helped.
lt's my life.
Amazing.
Old Rhoda said that all you needed was a little wooing.
She said that? Wise woman.
But l've never gotten it and never would.
Lucky I'm a forward slut.
Pamela, look.
That war in the Pacific may take a long time.
The Japs are still raising hell.
lf it comes to a fleet action, I'll probably be in it, and l may wind up losing.
So? What are you saying? That l'd be prudent to keep Duncan on a string? I'm saying you don't have to make up your mind.
God knows l love you and want you, but remember what you said in Moscow.
Remind me.
that these rare meetings of ours generate an illusion of romance, a wartime thing without substance.
I'll gamble the rest of my life it's a lie.
I'll have to tell Duncan right away.
He won't be surprised.
Hurt, yes, andoh, how l dread it.
they weren't long, were they? We haven't arranged anything.
Call me at the air ministry at 8:00.
Now, for god's sake, kiss me.
As Operatlon Overlord contlnues to bulld momentum, Adolf Hltler lays plans to counter the comlng assault on hls "lmpregnable" Atlantlc wall.
Lleutenant Werner von Haeften, alde to Stauffenberg, and partner in the consplracy to assasslnate the Fuhrer.
Hitler will be there in a few minutes.
Only Himmler isn't coming.
But Rommel's is here.
Yes.
l know.
What will you do? Are all the preparations in place? The plane's waiting at Salzburg.
General Fromm's in Berlin ready to trigger Valkyrie once we flash the word.
The bomb.
You brought along a change of shirt.
lf Rommel's leaves the meeting, I'll trigger it.
in the room? in the room.
Just give me 5 minutes after you see him go before you have me called.
By giving up Rome, Fuhrer, we can make a much stronger line to the north.
He who holds Rome, in the eyes of the world, holds ltaly.
l will never give up Rome.
Never! Absolutely right, Mein Fuhrer.
The channel invasion map.
Ya.
They will land Here.
Normandy? lt's 3 times as far as the Pais de Calais.
That's why it will be a diversionary force.
Their main attack will come here Pais de Calais, the short route across the channel, and then into the Ruhr.
We'll keep an eye on Normandy, but this is where we will squash them.
Piles of dead Americans stinking up the French coast.
That can be the finisher to that crazy cripple, Roosevelt.
He'll lose the election, and with luck, end up in jail somewhere, or perhaps some patriot will shoot him.
Then you agree, Mein Fuhrer, that the place to oppose the invasion is right at the beaches.
Rundstedt disagrees.
lt's a question of how we deploy the panzers.
l intend to hold them on a strong defense line inland until the invasion main body is ashore, then bag the lot and slaughter them.
But once they are ashore, with total air superiority just a minute! My Luftwaffe will rise to do battle.
There's merit in both your views.
lt depends on the situation at the time.
Therefore, l shall take operational control of the panzers.
Well, l have very urgent business to attend to in Cherbourg.
How are the divisions in Hungary? 2 divisions are leaving tonight for ltaly.
Good.
With those 2 and 2 or more from the home front, 2 or more blocking divisions from the home front, we will stop their entry into Rome forever! Let the Anglo-Saxons bleed themselves to death trying to break through.
What about the home army report? Stauffenberg! Never mind.
l have no time now.
l have lunch guests.
Read it and give me a summary after my nap.
Stauffenberg.
Come to my office.
Well Oberst? Yes.
lmmediately, Herr Marshal.
June 4, 1943.
D-day mlnus one.
in Elsenhower's own words, the mlghty expedltlon is tense as a great human sprlng, colled for the moment when lts energy wlll be released, and lt wlll vault the Engllsh channel in the greatest amphlblous assault ever attempted.
That channel weather's very changeable, General.
General Dwlght D.
Elsenhower needs a mlnlmum 23-hours lead tlme to launch or postpone operatlon "Overlord".
Although he wlll consult wlth hls supreme headquarters staff, the declslon wlll be hls alone.
The wind in the channel is west, southwest, force 5-6.
Chlef meteorologlst of Overlord, Group Captaln J.
M.
Stagg.
To sum up, this huge storm system, developing near lceland, will produce low cloud, high wind, and formidable wave action at the invasion sites.
Chlef Alr Marshal Slr Arthur Tedder, Elsenhower's Alr Chlef for "Overlord".
Conditions for close air support? Cloud cover may be down to 200 feet all day.
lmpossible.
Admiral? Admlral Slr Bertram Home Ramsey, Commander-ln-Chlef of the Allled naval expedltlonary force.
l could, perhaps, land your forces, but l can't speak for accurate gunfire support.
lf you can land me, l'll go.
General Slr Bernard Law Montgomery, Ground Commander, Allled armles.
Large units are already at sea.
Further delay would prove horrendous.
lt would prove horrendous the other way.
Without that naval gun cover and -- General Omar Bradley, Commander U.
S.
Flrst Army Group.
We have two more days of the right moon and tide.
But no guarantee of better weather.
None, Sir.
Thereafter a delay of weeks.
A stand down now for the troops would be catastrophic to morale.
And to secrecy.
We all know Rommel is hardening up Normandy like fury day by day.
Lleutenant General Walter Bedell Smlth, Elsenhowers Chlef of Staff.
Precisely why all those troops in the first wave need all the air and naval gun support that we can give them.
Postponed for 24 hours.
l shall turn back at once formations on the lrish sea.
General Eisenhower's quarters.
God, the General just laid down.
Ah, Mr.
Prime Minister, he's got you started.
Good.
General.
Don't get up.
A little light reading? Puts me to sleep, or helps.
You should try whiskey like me.
Much better for you.
l've always taken more out of whiskey than whiskey's taken out of me.
So The supreme climax comes.
Africa's cleared.
lndia's been saved.
Battered Japan recoils.
Stalin's driven the German from his country.
We've taken Rome.
We're masters of the sea and air for our immense amphibious enterprise.
The monster Hitler's doomed.
Not just yet.
The operation hangs on the thread of 5 divisions hitting the beach against Rommel's and the toughest soldiers on earth.
Hitler has as many as 50 divisions ready to strike the west, 10 of them panzers.
The Germans have had 4 years to fortify that coast.
Mine it, booby-trap it.
They're masters of that.
lt's a terrific gamble, Mr.
Prime minister.
lf those 5 divisions are crushed on the first day, it's all over.
And it can go either way.
l'm in this with you until the end, lke.
And if it fails, we go down together.
Get some rest.
The conditions we predicted for the coast of France are raging over there today.
lf we'd gone, we'd be having a major disaster right now.
You said there's been a development.
Yes.
An almost freak occurrence.
An unforeseen break has shown up moving eastward.
lt'll be over the channel tomorrow giving relatively good weather.
For how long? About 36 hours.
The long-term prediction.
Still not good.
Storm systems, clear to Canada, coming our way for the next 3 weeks.
Group Captain.
Tomorrow at 6:30 a.
m.
When we start landing, what will the weather actually be at the coast? To answer that, General, would make me a guesser, not a meteorologist.
With 36 hours of endurable weather, we can land the troops and hold the beachhead by a whisker.
lf you landed the first of several waves, and then the weather halts the buildup, they'll be easy meat for the Germans.
l know that.
l don't like it.
The consequences of delay justify great risk.
Ok, we go.
June 5, 1943 Dawn.
Wlth the supreme commander's order, 175,000 men of the flrst wave and more than 5,000 shlps of every descrlptlon were put out to sea.
lt ls the greatest lnvaslon fleet ever to sall the oceans of the world.
Weather report, Field Marshal.
An invasion is out of the question.
Yes.
Certainly through next week.
That would take us to the 15th.
We can still do a lot of mine laying off Normandy.
Excellent.
Get me Runstedt.
Rundstedt, you have received the invasion forecast? l have.
With your permission, l'll drive home and spend my wife's birthday with the family.
l have an appointment with the Fuhrer tomorrow.
You still want to deploy panzers at the beaches? No matter how we deploy them, we've got to get them from his control.
600 miles from here in Obersalzburg.
That's crazy.
lndeed.
l agree with you 100 percent.
Well, good luck with the Fuhrer.
Tell your wife for me, happy birthday.
l'll do that.
Thank you.
4:48 p.
m.
General Eisenhower visits the troops of the 101st airborne.
This is a wonderful thing you're doing, General.
Leigh-Mallory's predicting 50º/% casualties for the 101st airborne.
50º/%.
He wanted to cancel the drop.
Sort of a gloomy gus, the Air Chief Marshal.
l hope you're right.
ln order for the landing to succeed, the 101st must secure those causeways.
General Eisenhower.
lke? Excuse me, Sir.
Go right ahead, Sir.
As H-hour approaches, the offlce of strateglc servlces prepares to drop Jedburgh team "Maurlce," the last of more than 90 3-man squads, behlnd enemy llnes.
Thelr mlsslon, organlze local reslstance to confuse and harass the German defenders.
We're ready.
30 seconds.
Ok, Mr.
Slote.
Your team's going.
Ok.
Go! Go! Go! Parachutiste American! Welcome to France.
Marquis? Of course, marquis.
l am Claude Gallieni of chantilly.
Am l ever glad to see you, all of you.
Bon soir.
Bon soir.
Bon soir.
Let's get out of here.
General.
Yeah? and Orne? Yes, General.
Those are the reports.
And more coming in.
Get me Rommel.
Yes? Yes, Spiedel.
Airborne troops? Parachutists or gliders? ln what force? Where? Any naval activity? What's the weather like? What are you sending to oppose them? Good.
Good.
Call me with any more news, but l'm on my way.
ls it the invasion? Most unlikely.
Normandy.
An airborne diversion.
Still, this Eisenhower He's not a gambler.
This weather lt is a surprise.
Maybe he's putting his head in a noose.
Well, Lu We've had your birthday together.
The loveliest of my life.
Harry, this recording isn't for broadcast until we have the landing confirmed by Eisenhower.
That's right, Sir.
You know, l've been thinking, boss.
You took office in '33.
So did Hitler.
Now, 1 1 1/2 years later, you meet head on at the Normandy coast.
lt almost seems like destiny.
l believe in destiny.
Also in getting on with the thing.
We're ready, Mr.
President.
My fellow Americans What are you writing, General? lt's another draft of the landings announcement? Not exactly.
An alternate draft.
Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and l have withdrawn the troops.
lf any blame or fault attaches to the attempt, it is mine alone.
Just in case.
l don't want any mistakes about blame.
About who gave the orders.
You'll never use it.
Yes? Yes! Yes, Admiral.
Ramsay.
Good.
That's very good news, indeed.
Yes.
God yes, put him through! General, it's Leigh-Mallory.
Admiral, let me call you back.
The Air Chief Marshal's on the other line.
Eisenhower here.
Thank God.
The 101st.
Leigh-Mallory, Ramsey's reporting naval bombardment has begun.
The first wave's ready to launch.
Not one vessel was lost in the crossing.
Not one.
Leigh-Mallory, congratulations on your splendid air operations.
Kay My greatest moment in this war maybe my life just happened when Leigh-Mallory said, the 101st has gone into action, and fewer casualties than expected.
My fellow Amerlcans, last nlght when l spoke wlth you about the fall of Rome, l knew that troops of the Unlted States and our Allles were crosslng the channel ln another and greater operatlon.
lt has come to pass to success thus far.
And so l ask you to joln wlth me ln prayer.
Almlghty god, our sons, prlde of our natlon, thls day have set upon a mlghty endeavor to set free a sufferlng humanlty.
They flght, not for the lust of conquest.
They flght to end conquest.
They yearn but for the end of battle, for the return to the haven of home.
Lead them stralght and true.
Glve strength to thelr arms, stoutness to thelr hearts, steadfastness to thelr falth.
They wlll need thy blesslngs.
Thelr road wlll be hard and long for the enemy ls strong.
He may hurl back our forces.
Some may never return.
Embrace these, father, and recelve them lnto thy klngdom.
Success may not come wlth rushlng speed, but we shall return agaln and agaln.
Glve us falth, lndeed falth ln our sons, falth ln one another.
Falth ln our unlted crusade.
And wlth thy blesslng, we shall prevall over the unholy forces of our enemy.
l won't wake the Fuhrer.
He was up very late.
Then at least release the 4 panzer division either to Rundstedt or to Rommel's.
Look, the Fuhrer has reserved control of the panzers.
lt is he who will release them.
Anyway, this looks like a diversion.
Sucking the panzers into Normandy may be just what the enemy is after.
One must respond to massive landings airborne troops, thousands of ships! Thousands, ha.
Panicky rumors started in beach pillboxes.
Totally unconfirmed.
We'll continue this at Klessheim castle.
Klessheim castle.
The British and Americans are pouring ashore, and we are going to take a luncheon with the Hungarians? Take a sedative, Roon, and come along.
Everything is under supreme control.
And my secret weapons are already on the launching sites.
Oh yes, unspeakable terror will soon rain down upon England.
Excellent.
Yes.
Well, here we are, eh? Now we've got them where we can hit them.
They're against a curtain of steel and fire.
We're squashing them into the ground.
Splendid Mein Fuhrer.
Splendid.
Mein Fuhrer, we have been in touch with von Rundstedt.
Rundstedt is requesting release of the Normandy panzers to his operational control.
What for? lt's all a fake, this landing.
We're ready when they make their main attack against the Pais de Calais, then my panzers will get to work and Slaughter them.
Mein Fuhrer, you astound the world with your Napoleonic flair.
What about a little lunch? lt is only l who am confined to vegetables.
Jodl! This is madness, Jodl.
One of us must fly to the front at Normandy, see for ourselves, and make the Fuhrer respond.
General staff are forbidden to fly.
But he's in a very good mood.
Ask his permission.
l shall.
Don't worry.
Though l am sure you are overreacting.
l didn't talk to the Fuhrer until 3:00.
3:00 this afternoon? After lunch, he took a nap.
When he woke up, he finally released 2 panzer divisions.
2 only 2 that is totally inadequate.
lnadequate? Do you know what has happened since you left Berchtesgaden this afternoon? The allies have driven past the beaches at 4 locations at Arromanches, here and here at Lyons, and here at Sainte-Mere-Eglise! We had them pinned down earlier here at Varreville, but they are breaking out with reinforcements constantly pouring ashore.
He still believes the main attack will come at Pais de Calais.
l'll drive to the front immediately, take back a firsthand report.
Perhaps that will change his thinking.
Ha.
Don't get captured by the paratroopers.
Sergeant, come over here.
Well, sergeant, where are you fighting? Avranches.
Tell me about it.
General, l was at Verdun.
lt was nothing, nothing compared to this.
The dive bombers, the bombardment from the battleships, l have never seen such slaughter.
General, The war is lost.
Not quite, l hope.
However, l believe l've seen enough.
Back to the airfield as fast as we can go.
You've been flitting about, haven't you? l have been there Jodl l've seen it with my own eyes.
Have you talked to the Fuhrer about moving the 15th army from Pais de Calais? The opportunity hasn't arisen.
Maybe l'll get a chance to mention it at the situation conference.
Mention it? You must demand it.
We cannot contain the beachhead.
They've landed more than 100,000 troops, thousands of tons of equipment.
Eisenhower is building up his forces like an avalanche.
l am going to tell the Fuhrer if it costs me my head.
l advise you to be very careful of what you say.
Several counterattacks were carried out successfully in Normandy.
Panzer divisions east of Rouen were able to break through the enemy bridgehead.
And they suffered heavy casualties.
And the British landing force has been thrown back in the Caen area with massive losses.
And, ls that all? Eh, yes, Fuhrer, from the dispatches.
Although l see General Roon is back with us now after his trip to the front.
Well, so much for Normandy.
What's, Happening in the east? During the past 24 hours, a new offensive was launched by the enemy in the Carrion Straights.
Where? The Carrion Straights, Fuhrer.
The railway station was badly hit.
Several cities Severstre, Uzi, Kierko, and Kanyanyerlvi had to be abandoned.
All right, one last time, gentlemen.
Marcel's group comes in from the east quietly, takes up positions north, and south of the barracks, and holds there.
Our group, the Trojan horse group, makes its way to the kitchen.
ls the truck ready? Yes, as you ordered.
Marcel, very important.
Once we're inside the German garrison, no firing until we blow the ammunition dumps.
ls that clear? Ok, yeah.
Laffart, what's the latest count? l was able to find 20 more men.
20? That makes 86.
Enough to do the job.
Yeah.
Gentlemen Let's go.
Chuck, Tommy.
Merde, Tommy.
Good luck to you, too.
Wait till the bloody gerries get a taste of this bordeaux, eh, Leslie? Laffart, l ride up front with you.
Ok.
Let's go.
No, no, no, no.
Just go around it.
No room.
l said go around it! Natalie's, it's true.
The Americans and British are landing in France in great numbers.
They're driving on Cherbourg.
The BBC, Goldberg heard it on the radio in the Dresden barracks.
What's the matter? They told me to report to SS headquarters tomorrow morning at 8:00.
They told me at the mica factory with Louis.
lt's probably a warning.
You are the only one of your group that hasn't been transported, Natalie's.
Yes, it must be a warning.
But why bring Louis? Well, you took him with you last time.
The adjutant probably remembers that.
That's all it is, l'm sure, a serious warning.
Have you heard from Berel? They say it may take more than a week to reach him.
Everything is going to be all right.
But this is most important.
You must be humble and contrite and promise you'll cooperate for the future in every way.
And keep your spirits up, my dear.
That's crucial.
Da! You're the dirty Jewish whore who's been plotting against the German government ja? Mommy! Well, are you or aren't you? Take the dirty little bastard away from her.
Mommy, mommy.
Mommy! l was insane, misled.
l will cooperate, just please don't hurt my baby.
Don't hurt your baby, you stupid little bitch.
Don't you realize that? That's for the garbage he will be in in just one minute, and you'll clean it up yourself.
No, you don't.
No! So you thought you could get away with it? Oh, your filthy Jewish plotting and scheming.
He is dead! Go on, Haindl, tear him apart! Aah! No! Tear him! No, stop him! l'll do anything, don't kill him! Rip him in half! So, you will do anything? Are you? Well, we'll see if you will.
Mommy! Mommy! Well? Mommy.
Yes Yes, all right, lwill.
Mommy.
Look, she really wants it, Herr Kommandant.
Oh, these Jewess are all the same.
Go ahead.
Let her have her fun.
Get away from me.
Mommy! You think l'd let a dirty Jew come near me? Save it for your uncle the Talmud Rabbi.
Aah! Get up on your feet! Now listen to me, Jew sow.
When the Red Cross arrives, you will be the guide in the children's department, and you'll make a very fine impression on them.
They will write you up in their reports, and you'll be a very happy American Jewess.
And the children's pavilion will be your pride and joy.
Of course.
Of course.
But when the Red Cross have gone, if you have misbehaved in any way, you'll be brought back here with your brat, and Haindl will rip him in 2 before your eyes.
You'll clean it up and take him to the crematorium.
Then, after that, you'll be taken to a P.
O.
W Hut for the road gang.
200 stinking Ukrainians will have you one after another for a week, and if your whore carcass can survive all of this, you will be taken to the little fortress and shot.
You understand? l will do everything you say.
l will make a wonderful impression.
And if you say a word of this to your uncle or to anybody else about any of this, you will be shot.
Kaput.
Do you believe me? l do, l do, l do.
Get her out of here.
Come on, out.
We're all right.
lt was just a warning.
l must change my clothes and go to work.
l wanted to tell you.
Word has come from Berel.
They're going to try.
All right.
Everyone with exemptions will pick up their luggage and return to their quarters.
The rest of you will remain here.
Natalie Henry.
Louis Henry.
I'll take the luggage.
No.
Just take Louis.
He's exhausted.
And, Aaron For god's sakes, get in touch with Berel.
Operation Overlord the cross-channel invasion of France is set for June 5, 1944.
in preparation, the U.
S.
Has shipped to the British isles a staggering 1 1/2 million servicemen and 5 million tons of invasion supplies and equipment, some 320,000 different kinds of items, from guns and ammunition to cigarettes and chewing gum.
And stacked high in a corner of a camp in Dorchester uncounted coffins.
in General Eisenhower's words, England has been transformed into the greatest operating military base of all time.
and in the words of their English hosts, The American GI is overpaid, oversexed, and over here.
no pretty little girls to deceive me I'm happy as a lark, believe me as we go rollin', rollin' home rollin' home whoo! Hey! Woo-woo! Hey! Rollin' home, get drunk rollin' home, get drunk by the light of the silvery moon happy is the day when a soldier gets his pay and we go rollin', rollin' home Pam! Leslie! Leslie! Aw, Leslie.
What are you doing here? Hooray! Hey! Hooray! All right.
Go on.
I'll meet you.
Go on.
What are you doing here? I've come to see you.
Me? How? You're with the Jedburgh.
How did you learn that? I'm with the air ministry that's dropping you.
Your name's on the schedule.
Well, is it lady Berne-Wilke yet? No.
He's recuperating from an air crash.
I'm headed to the hospital.
Got time for a drink? No, I'm afraid not.
Do you have a few minutes? Yes, l have.
lt's wonderful to see an old face.
Not that your face is old.
Well, l was having very shaky second thoughts about volunteering for the Jedburghs.
Told the board, the reviewing board, straight out that l was a high-strung coward.
They didn't know quite what to make of that.
Asked me why did l put in for the duty.
So, l, uh Gave them my song and dance about the Jews.
And they packed me off to a psychiatrist.
And for some reason, they passed me.
Must be damned hard up for Jeds.
For heaven's sake, Leslie, stop being so hard on yourself.
Tell me something.
You seeing much of Admiral Henry these days? Admiral? What on earth are you talking about? lt's Rear Admiral now.
Made a blaze with a parade, battle ribbons, and stars.
He was at our embassy.
Here? in England? Yeah.
Really.
Has he been here long? Why don't you ask him yourself? Try the U.
S.
Amphibious base at Exeter.
That's where he said he was going.
Walk me to my car.
lt's a million years since Paris, isn't it? Oh, you know, l did some drinking last month with Phil Rule in London.
He'd gotten utterly gross, falling down drunk.
Yeah, l know.
That's sad.
Victor wrote that Natalie's waiting out the war in a Czech ghetto.
Yeah.
We've all gone a long way.
But at least we had Paris.
We were young and happy and full of fun.
Were we? l think we worked awfully hard at being Ernest Hemingway characters, altogether too rash and ravishing mad.
l prefer my memories.
Till we meet again.
Good luck with your mission, Leslie.
l do very much admire you.
Admiral, phone call.
A Pamela Tudsbury.
Where may l take it? in my office, Henry.
Thank you.
l had a time tracking you down.
Might you be in London Thursday? Yes, l will.
Come have dinner with us.
Duncan and me at Stoneford.
lt's 30 minutes from town.
How do l get there? Get to the Bushey Park depot.
I'll pick you up at 4:00, and we'll talk.
Duncan sleeps from 4:00 to 6:00.
Doctor's orders.
How is he? A bit poorly.
Others will be at dinner, including General Eisenhower.
Telegraph cottage, his country place, is nearby.
Exalted company for me, Pamela.
l don't think so, Admiral Henry.
That's two stars and only temporary.
Oh, Leigh-Mallory will be there, too.
Eisenhower's air force commander.
Well, I'm sure you're very busy.
I'll see you Thursday at 4:00.
Alright.
Goodbye.
As the sltuatlon on the Russlan front deterlorates and the Allled lnvaslon in the west appears lmmlnent, the consplracy to overthrow Adolf Hltler takes on a desperate urgency.
On hls way to a most lmportant meetlng ls Count Claus Sheen von Stauffenberg.
Recently severely wounded in north Afrlca, Stauffenberg has lost two flngers of hls left hand, hls rlght hand at the wrlst, and hls left eye.
Ah, Stauffenberg, come in.
Am l very late? No.
l have news.
Lieutenant General Hans Speidel, Field Marshall Rommel's Chief of Staff.
lt was he who's called this meeting.
Retired Lieutenant General Ludwig von Beck, former Army Chief of Staff, longtime leader of the plot.
Dr.
Karl Goodlier, mayor of Leipzig, longtime conspirator.
Dr.
Hans Gisevius, renegade Gestapo bureaucrat.
He has been involved in all plots against Hitler from the beginning.
Halder, you've heard that Hitler has fired Manstein? Oh, yes.
I'm in good company.
And it keeps getting better.
And your news? Rommel will stand with us.
Are you absolutely sure? No more hedging? His exact words were ''lt's my duty to come to the rescue of my country.
'' when it happens, you'll be right there in his headquarters to keep him in the picture.
When what happens? l too have news.
General Fromm has requested me as Chief of Staff of the home army.
The home army.
lt's riddled with our people.
And has standing orders to take over the country in an emergency.
One code word--Valkyrie.
But the Valkyrie emergencies are strictly defined an uprising of foreign workers, a mutiny.
We'll create the emergency By killing Hitler.
Where's your access to Hitler? General Fromm's Chief of Staff reports to Hitler on home army readiness and rosters.
Hitler uses home army units as reserve formations.
I'll see him once or twice a week.
How will you do it? With a bomb.
A bomb with an acid time fuse.
All l have to do is crushes the fuse to start the acid down to the explosive.
And you can manipulate such a device under pressure with only three fingers? Yes.
l can.
I'll kill him, and I'll fly back here to direct the coup d'etat.
A plane will be arranged.
I'll pick my occasion when all three are present Hitler, Goering, and Himmler.
Your chances of killing all three of them are nonexistent.
Maybe you will kill Hitler.
But assuming that you do, that will only be an excuse for Himmler to murder all of us.
You are against it.
Why are you at this meeting? To prevent madness.
The German people are still fanatically behind him.
So is most of the army.
At best, you can only succeed in making him the martyred Napoleon of Germany.
And we we shall be the ones who stabbed him in the back.
lt is all too late.
Let the enemy prevail.
Let them hang the scoundrel.
All right.
You've heard Haler's view.
You've been in this as long as he has.
How do you stand? l have always preferred arrest.
But if there is no other way Kill him.
Kill him.
Kill him.
Rommel wants him arrested.
He's against killing him.
You're not Rommel.
I'm asking you.
Kill him.
All right, Haler.
Are you with us? Yes.
l am with you.
Kill him.
lt is decided.
You look smashing, Admiral.
Well, the big gold stripe helps.
Actually, you look a bit war-worn-- so American, they should carve you on Mount Rushmore.
You think so, Pam? You look pretty good yourself.
l felt like being out of uniform.
How long will you be here? I'm flying back tomorrow night.
So soon.
Overnight in Washington, then on to the Pacific.
So, tell me about Duncan.
He's not doing too well, I'm afraid.
Some sort of tropical infection got into his blood stream.
Well, there's some good news in my family.
Madeline married that young naval officer.
Wonderful.
Pleasantest turnaround in my life.
They're in new Mexico.
Byron got his bronze star.
By all accounts, he's an excellent submariner.
Janice is in law school.
There's even some hope about Natalie.
The Red Cross is sending a neutral delegation to her camp soon, so maybe we will get some word from her.
lf the Germans allow the Red Cross in, the camp can't be too bad.
And Rhoda? Rhoda's in Reno getting her divorce.
She actually went through with it? She actually went through with it.
Well, tell me about your promotion.
lt came from Admiral King, face to face, right after the President ordered me on this mission.
The Admiral even threw in a battleship division.
A battleship division? Yeah.
That's absolutely marvelous.
A division.
He said it was my reward for good work.
He said l could fight a division if l had to.
There's two ships, Pam, two of our best the lowa and the New Jersey what's the matter? Nothing.
Nothing at all.
Oh, Victor.
lt's the best thing for my career.
A monumental surprise.
Of course that's a carrier war out there.
The battle wagons bombard the beaches.
I'll probably just, uh, ride around in fancy flag quarters till the end of the war, initialing documents and looking pompous.
lt's terrific.
lt's absolutely, utterly, bloody flaming terrific.
l agree.
lt's ok.
lnteresting, Henry, you were in Leningrad.
l wasn't aware we got in.
Haven't seen any intelligence on it.
Technically, l was a lend-lease observer, but l sent a supplement on combat aspects to O.
N.
l.
Kay, make sure you get that stuff from naval intelligence for me tomorrow.
Yes, General.
Henry, you know the Russians.
Once we go, will they attack in the east? Harriman's assured me the attack is on, but there's plenty of skepticism around here.
They'll go, Sir.
That's my guess.
The Russians are politically unpredictable.
They don't see the world as we do.
That may never change.
Still, uh, l think they'll honor this military commitment.
Why do you say that Henry? Self interest, of course.
l agree, Henry.
Hit the other fellow when his hands are full.
They're bound to go.
Also, the sense of honor.
That they do have.
Well, if they've got that much in common with us, eventually, we'll get along with them.
We'll build on that.
l wonder, General.
We have trouble getting along, and we have a common language.
lt only seems we do.
Mrs.
Summersby, l drink to that and to you.
This way.
See you later.
We'll serve brandy and coffee in the library.
They'll be talking for ages.
l've lots to do at the general's cottage.
You'll forgive me if l just pop over there.
Of course.
See you later.
No doubt, you deeply disapprove of Kay Summersby, or do you bend your rules for great men? All l know about her is what meets the eye.
l know them both.
I'm sure that's all there is to it.
Charles, leave that there.
Pity you couldn't be more broad-minded about your wife.
l tried to stick it out, Pamela.
You know that.
Rhoda chose differently.
You froze her.
Will she be happy with her fellow, though? l don't know.
l've met him a couple times, talked to him.
He didn't act happy.
At this point, l think he's doing the honorable thing.
Poor Rhoda.
lsn't that the dress you wore that night at the savoy? I'm surprised you remember.
How could l forget? Why didn't you answer my letter? Just a word, any word.
Why did l discover by chance you were in England? Do you hate me that much? l wrote the gallant goodbye letter, l wrote the refusal to take no for an answer letter.
l wrote lots of letters.
l tore them all up.
l don't believe in begging a woman to change her mind.
l doubt begging does any good.
Besides, I'm not very good at it.
All right, Pamela.
What's it all about? Your letter was horribly mistimed.
l've been wretched since l wrote to you.
When Slote said you were here, it was the biggest shock in my life.
Seeing you is incredibly, incredibly sweet.
l told you in Moscow.
I'll tell you again.
l love you, not Duncan.
l've said it.
Now talk.
Well, speak up.
Will you have me or not? l tell you what, Pamela.
I'll think about it.
Ohh! Careful! You're shaking mount Rushmore.
I'll shake it down, that damn stuffy Yankee monument.
What is this? A little while ago, you turned me down.
What's changed? Rhoda's gone.
l never really thought it would happen.
Now it has.
And here we are together, not separated by the whole planet.
I'm so happy.
I'll have to hurt Duncan.
lt can't be helped.
lt's my life.
Amazing.
Old Rhoda said that all you needed was a little wooing.
She said that? Wise woman.
But l've never gotten it and never would.
Lucky I'm a forward slut.
Pamela, look.
That war in the Pacific may take a long time.
The Japs are still raising hell.
lf it comes to a fleet action, I'll probably be in it, and l may wind up losing.
So? What are you saying? That l'd be prudent to keep Duncan on a string? I'm saying you don't have to make up your mind.
God knows l love you and want you, but remember what you said in Moscow.
Remind me.
that these rare meetings of ours generate an illusion of romance, a wartime thing without substance.
I'll gamble the rest of my life it's a lie.
I'll have to tell Duncan right away.
He won't be surprised.
Hurt, yes, andoh, how l dread it.
they weren't long, were they? We haven't arranged anything.
Call me at the air ministry at 8:00.
Now, for god's sake, kiss me.
As Operatlon Overlord contlnues to bulld momentum, Adolf Hltler lays plans to counter the comlng assault on hls "lmpregnable" Atlantlc wall.
Lleutenant Werner von Haeften, alde to Stauffenberg, and partner in the consplracy to assasslnate the Fuhrer.
Hitler will be there in a few minutes.
Only Himmler isn't coming.
But Rommel's is here.
Yes.
l know.
What will you do? Are all the preparations in place? The plane's waiting at Salzburg.
General Fromm's in Berlin ready to trigger Valkyrie once we flash the word.
The bomb.
You brought along a change of shirt.
lf Rommel's leaves the meeting, I'll trigger it.
in the room? in the room.
Just give me 5 minutes after you see him go before you have me called.
By giving up Rome, Fuhrer, we can make a much stronger line to the north.
He who holds Rome, in the eyes of the world, holds ltaly.
l will never give up Rome.
Never! Absolutely right, Mein Fuhrer.
The channel invasion map.
Ya.
They will land Here.
Normandy? lt's 3 times as far as the Pais de Calais.
That's why it will be a diversionary force.
Their main attack will come here Pais de Calais, the short route across the channel, and then into the Ruhr.
We'll keep an eye on Normandy, but this is where we will squash them.
Piles of dead Americans stinking up the French coast.
That can be the finisher to that crazy cripple, Roosevelt.
He'll lose the election, and with luck, end up in jail somewhere, or perhaps some patriot will shoot him.
Then you agree, Mein Fuhrer, that the place to oppose the invasion is right at the beaches.
Rundstedt disagrees.
lt's a question of how we deploy the panzers.
l intend to hold them on a strong defense line inland until the invasion main body is ashore, then bag the lot and slaughter them.
But once they are ashore, with total air superiority just a minute! My Luftwaffe will rise to do battle.
There's merit in both your views.
lt depends on the situation at the time.
Therefore, l shall take operational control of the panzers.
Well, l have very urgent business to attend to in Cherbourg.
How are the divisions in Hungary? 2 divisions are leaving tonight for ltaly.
Good.
With those 2 and 2 or more from the home front, 2 or more blocking divisions from the home front, we will stop their entry into Rome forever! Let the Anglo-Saxons bleed themselves to death trying to break through.
What about the home army report? Stauffenberg! Never mind.
l have no time now.
l have lunch guests.
Read it and give me a summary after my nap.
Stauffenberg.
Come to my office.
Well Oberst? Yes.
lmmediately, Herr Marshal.
June 4, 1943.
D-day mlnus one.
in Elsenhower's own words, the mlghty expedltlon is tense as a great human sprlng, colled for the moment when lts energy wlll be released, and lt wlll vault the Engllsh channel in the greatest amphlblous assault ever attempted.
That channel weather's very changeable, General.
General Dwlght D.
Elsenhower needs a mlnlmum 23-hours lead tlme to launch or postpone operatlon "Overlord".
Although he wlll consult wlth hls supreme headquarters staff, the declslon wlll be hls alone.
The wind in the channel is west, southwest, force 5-6.
Chlef meteorologlst of Overlord, Group Captaln J.
M.
Stagg.
To sum up, this huge storm system, developing near lceland, will produce low cloud, high wind, and formidable wave action at the invasion sites.
Chlef Alr Marshal Slr Arthur Tedder, Elsenhower's Alr Chlef for "Overlord".
Conditions for close air support? Cloud cover may be down to 200 feet all day.
lmpossible.
Admiral? Admlral Slr Bertram Home Ramsey, Commander-ln-Chlef of the Allled naval expedltlonary force.
l could, perhaps, land your forces, but l can't speak for accurate gunfire support.
lf you can land me, l'll go.
General Slr Bernard Law Montgomery, Ground Commander, Allled armles.
Large units are already at sea.
Further delay would prove horrendous.
lt would prove horrendous the other way.
Without that naval gun cover and -- General Omar Bradley, Commander U.
S.
Flrst Army Group.
We have two more days of the right moon and tide.
But no guarantee of better weather.
None, Sir.
Thereafter a delay of weeks.
A stand down now for the troops would be catastrophic to morale.
And to secrecy.
We all know Rommel is hardening up Normandy like fury day by day.
Lleutenant General Walter Bedell Smlth, Elsenhowers Chlef of Staff.
Precisely why all those troops in the first wave need all the air and naval gun support that we can give them.
Postponed for 24 hours.
l shall turn back at once formations on the lrish sea.
General Eisenhower's quarters.
God, the General just laid down.
Ah, Mr.
Prime Minister, he's got you started.
Good.
General.
Don't get up.
A little light reading? Puts me to sleep, or helps.
You should try whiskey like me.
Much better for you.
l've always taken more out of whiskey than whiskey's taken out of me.
So The supreme climax comes.
Africa's cleared.
lndia's been saved.
Battered Japan recoils.
Stalin's driven the German from his country.
We've taken Rome.
We're masters of the sea and air for our immense amphibious enterprise.
The monster Hitler's doomed.
Not just yet.
The operation hangs on the thread of 5 divisions hitting the beach against Rommel's and the toughest soldiers on earth.
Hitler has as many as 50 divisions ready to strike the west, 10 of them panzers.
The Germans have had 4 years to fortify that coast.
Mine it, booby-trap it.
They're masters of that.
lt's a terrific gamble, Mr.
Prime minister.
lf those 5 divisions are crushed on the first day, it's all over.
And it can go either way.
l'm in this with you until the end, lke.
And if it fails, we go down together.
Get some rest.
The conditions we predicted for the coast of France are raging over there today.
lf we'd gone, we'd be having a major disaster right now.
You said there's been a development.
Yes.
An almost freak occurrence.
An unforeseen break has shown up moving eastward.
lt'll be over the channel tomorrow giving relatively good weather.
For how long? About 36 hours.
The long-term prediction.
Still not good.
Storm systems, clear to Canada, coming our way for the next 3 weeks.
Group Captain.
Tomorrow at 6:30 a.
m.
When we start landing, what will the weather actually be at the coast? To answer that, General, would make me a guesser, not a meteorologist.
With 36 hours of endurable weather, we can land the troops and hold the beachhead by a whisker.
lf you landed the first of several waves, and then the weather halts the buildup, they'll be easy meat for the Germans.
l know that.
l don't like it.
The consequences of delay justify great risk.
Ok, we go.
June 5, 1943 Dawn.
Wlth the supreme commander's order, 175,000 men of the flrst wave and more than 5,000 shlps of every descrlptlon were put out to sea.
lt ls the greatest lnvaslon fleet ever to sall the oceans of the world.
Weather report, Field Marshal.
An invasion is out of the question.
Yes.
Certainly through next week.
That would take us to the 15th.
We can still do a lot of mine laying off Normandy.
Excellent.
Get me Runstedt.
Rundstedt, you have received the invasion forecast? l have.
With your permission, l'll drive home and spend my wife's birthday with the family.
l have an appointment with the Fuhrer tomorrow.
You still want to deploy panzers at the beaches? No matter how we deploy them, we've got to get them from his control.
600 miles from here in Obersalzburg.
That's crazy.
lndeed.
l agree with you 100 percent.
Well, good luck with the Fuhrer.
Tell your wife for me, happy birthday.
l'll do that.
Thank you.
4:48 p.
m.
General Eisenhower visits the troops of the 101st airborne.
This is a wonderful thing you're doing, General.
Leigh-Mallory's predicting 50º/% casualties for the 101st airborne.
50º/%.
He wanted to cancel the drop.
Sort of a gloomy gus, the Air Chief Marshal.
l hope you're right.
ln order for the landing to succeed, the 101st must secure those causeways.
General Eisenhower.
lke? Excuse me, Sir.
Go right ahead, Sir.
As H-hour approaches, the offlce of strateglc servlces prepares to drop Jedburgh team "Maurlce," the last of more than 90 3-man squads, behlnd enemy llnes.
Thelr mlsslon, organlze local reslstance to confuse and harass the German defenders.
We're ready.
30 seconds.
Ok, Mr.
Slote.
Your team's going.
Ok.
Go! Go! Go! Parachutiste American! Welcome to France.
Marquis? Of course, marquis.
l am Claude Gallieni of chantilly.
Am l ever glad to see you, all of you.
Bon soir.
Bon soir.
Bon soir.
Let's get out of here.
General.
Yeah? and Orne? Yes, General.
Those are the reports.
And more coming in.
Get me Rommel.
Yes? Yes, Spiedel.
Airborne troops? Parachutists or gliders? ln what force? Where? Any naval activity? What's the weather like? What are you sending to oppose them? Good.
Good.
Call me with any more news, but l'm on my way.
ls it the invasion? Most unlikely.
Normandy.
An airborne diversion.
Still, this Eisenhower He's not a gambler.
This weather lt is a surprise.
Maybe he's putting his head in a noose.
Well, Lu We've had your birthday together.
The loveliest of my life.
Harry, this recording isn't for broadcast until we have the landing confirmed by Eisenhower.
That's right, Sir.
You know, l've been thinking, boss.
You took office in '33.
So did Hitler.
Now, 1 1 1/2 years later, you meet head on at the Normandy coast.
lt almost seems like destiny.
l believe in destiny.
Also in getting on with the thing.
We're ready, Mr.
President.
My fellow Americans What are you writing, General? lt's another draft of the landings announcement? Not exactly.
An alternate draft.
Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and l have withdrawn the troops.
lf any blame or fault attaches to the attempt, it is mine alone.
Just in case.
l don't want any mistakes about blame.
About who gave the orders.
You'll never use it.
Yes? Yes! Yes, Admiral.
Ramsay.
Good.
That's very good news, indeed.
Yes.
God yes, put him through! General, it's Leigh-Mallory.
Admiral, let me call you back.
The Air Chief Marshal's on the other line.
Eisenhower here.
Thank God.
The 101st.
Leigh-Mallory, Ramsey's reporting naval bombardment has begun.
The first wave's ready to launch.
Not one vessel was lost in the crossing.
Not one.
Leigh-Mallory, congratulations on your splendid air operations.
Kay My greatest moment in this war maybe my life just happened when Leigh-Mallory said, the 101st has gone into action, and fewer casualties than expected.
My fellow Amerlcans, last nlght when l spoke wlth you about the fall of Rome, l knew that troops of the Unlted States and our Allles were crosslng the channel ln another and greater operatlon.
lt has come to pass to success thus far.
And so l ask you to joln wlth me ln prayer.
Almlghty god, our sons, prlde of our natlon, thls day have set upon a mlghty endeavor to set free a sufferlng humanlty.
They flght, not for the lust of conquest.
They flght to end conquest.
They yearn but for the end of battle, for the return to the haven of home.
Lead them stralght and true.
Glve strength to thelr arms, stoutness to thelr hearts, steadfastness to thelr falth.
They wlll need thy blesslngs.
Thelr road wlll be hard and long for the enemy ls strong.
He may hurl back our forces.
Some may never return.
Embrace these, father, and recelve them lnto thy klngdom.
Success may not come wlth rushlng speed, but we shall return agaln and agaln.
Glve us falth, lndeed falth ln our sons, falth ln one another.
Falth ln our unlted crusade.
And wlth thy blesslng, we shall prevall over the unholy forces of our enemy.
l won't wake the Fuhrer.
He was up very late.
Then at least release the 4 panzer division either to Rundstedt or to Rommel's.
Look, the Fuhrer has reserved control of the panzers.
lt is he who will release them.
Anyway, this looks like a diversion.
Sucking the panzers into Normandy may be just what the enemy is after.
One must respond to massive landings airborne troops, thousands of ships! Thousands, ha.
Panicky rumors started in beach pillboxes.
Totally unconfirmed.
We'll continue this at Klessheim castle.
Klessheim castle.
The British and Americans are pouring ashore, and we are going to take a luncheon with the Hungarians? Take a sedative, Roon, and come along.
Everything is under supreme control.
And my secret weapons are already on the launching sites.
Oh yes, unspeakable terror will soon rain down upon England.
Excellent.
Yes.
Well, here we are, eh? Now we've got them where we can hit them.
They're against a curtain of steel and fire.
We're squashing them into the ground.
Splendid Mein Fuhrer.
Splendid.
Mein Fuhrer, we have been in touch with von Rundstedt.
Rundstedt is requesting release of the Normandy panzers to his operational control.
What for? lt's all a fake, this landing.
We're ready when they make their main attack against the Pais de Calais, then my panzers will get to work and Slaughter them.
Mein Fuhrer, you astound the world with your Napoleonic flair.
What about a little lunch? lt is only l who am confined to vegetables.
Jodl! This is madness, Jodl.
One of us must fly to the front at Normandy, see for ourselves, and make the Fuhrer respond.
General staff are forbidden to fly.
But he's in a very good mood.
Ask his permission.
l shall.
Don't worry.
Though l am sure you are overreacting.
l didn't talk to the Fuhrer until 3:00.
3:00 this afternoon? After lunch, he took a nap.
When he woke up, he finally released 2 panzer divisions.
2 only 2 that is totally inadequate.
lnadequate? Do you know what has happened since you left Berchtesgaden this afternoon? The allies have driven past the beaches at 4 locations at Arromanches, here and here at Lyons, and here at Sainte-Mere-Eglise! We had them pinned down earlier here at Varreville, but they are breaking out with reinforcements constantly pouring ashore.
He still believes the main attack will come at Pais de Calais.
l'll drive to the front immediately, take back a firsthand report.
Perhaps that will change his thinking.
Ha.
Don't get captured by the paratroopers.
Sergeant, come over here.
Well, sergeant, where are you fighting? Avranches.
Tell me about it.
General, l was at Verdun.
lt was nothing, nothing compared to this.
The dive bombers, the bombardment from the battleships, l have never seen such slaughter.
General, The war is lost.
Not quite, l hope.
However, l believe l've seen enough.
Back to the airfield as fast as we can go.
You've been flitting about, haven't you? l have been there Jodl l've seen it with my own eyes.
Have you talked to the Fuhrer about moving the 15th army from Pais de Calais? The opportunity hasn't arisen.
Maybe l'll get a chance to mention it at the situation conference.
Mention it? You must demand it.
We cannot contain the beachhead.
They've landed more than 100,000 troops, thousands of tons of equipment.
Eisenhower is building up his forces like an avalanche.
l am going to tell the Fuhrer if it costs me my head.
l advise you to be very careful of what you say.
Several counterattacks were carried out successfully in Normandy.
Panzer divisions east of Rouen were able to break through the enemy bridgehead.
And they suffered heavy casualties.
And the British landing force has been thrown back in the Caen area with massive losses.
And, ls that all? Eh, yes, Fuhrer, from the dispatches.
Although l see General Roon is back with us now after his trip to the front.
Well, so much for Normandy.
What's, Happening in the east? During the past 24 hours, a new offensive was launched by the enemy in the Carrion Straights.
Where? The Carrion Straights, Fuhrer.
The railway station was badly hit.
Several cities Severstre, Uzi, Kierko, and Kanyanyerlvi had to be abandoned.
All right, one last time, gentlemen.
Marcel's group comes in from the east quietly, takes up positions north, and south of the barracks, and holds there.
Our group, the Trojan horse group, makes its way to the kitchen.
ls the truck ready? Yes, as you ordered.
Marcel, very important.
Once we're inside the German garrison, no firing until we blow the ammunition dumps.
ls that clear? Ok, yeah.
Laffart, what's the latest count? l was able to find 20 more men.
20? That makes 86.
Enough to do the job.
Yeah.
Gentlemen Let's go.
Chuck, Tommy.
Merde, Tommy.
Good luck to you, too.
Wait till the bloody gerries get a taste of this bordeaux, eh, Leslie? Laffart, l ride up front with you.
Ok.
Let's go.
No, no, no, no.
Just go around it.
No room.
l said go around it! Natalie's, it's true.
The Americans and British are landing in France in great numbers.
They're driving on Cherbourg.
The BBC, Goldberg heard it on the radio in the Dresden barracks.
What's the matter? They told me to report to SS headquarters tomorrow morning at 8:00.
They told me at the mica factory with Louis.
lt's probably a warning.
You are the only one of your group that hasn't been transported, Natalie's.
Yes, it must be a warning.
But why bring Louis? Well, you took him with you last time.
The adjutant probably remembers that.
That's all it is, l'm sure, a serious warning.
Have you heard from Berel? They say it may take more than a week to reach him.
Everything is going to be all right.
But this is most important.
You must be humble and contrite and promise you'll cooperate for the future in every way.
And keep your spirits up, my dear.
That's crucial.
Da! You're the dirty Jewish whore who's been plotting against the German government ja? Mommy! Well, are you or aren't you? Take the dirty little bastard away from her.
Mommy, mommy.
Mommy! l was insane, misled.
l will cooperate, just please don't hurt my baby.
Don't hurt your baby, you stupid little bitch.
Don't you realize that? That's for the garbage he will be in in just one minute, and you'll clean it up yourself.
No, you don't.
No! So you thought you could get away with it? Oh, your filthy Jewish plotting and scheming.
He is dead! Go on, Haindl, tear him apart! Aah! No! Tear him! No, stop him! l'll do anything, don't kill him! Rip him in half! So, you will do anything? Are you? Well, we'll see if you will.
Mommy! Mommy! Well? Mommy.
Yes Yes, all right, lwill.
Mommy.
Look, she really wants it, Herr Kommandant.
Oh, these Jewess are all the same.
Go ahead.
Let her have her fun.
Get away from me.
Mommy! You think l'd let a dirty Jew come near me? Save it for your uncle the Talmud Rabbi.
Aah! Get up on your feet! Now listen to me, Jew sow.
When the Red Cross arrives, you will be the guide in the children's department, and you'll make a very fine impression on them.
They will write you up in their reports, and you'll be a very happy American Jewess.
And the children's pavilion will be your pride and joy.
Of course.
Of course.
But when the Red Cross have gone, if you have misbehaved in any way, you'll be brought back here with your brat, and Haindl will rip him in 2 before your eyes.
You'll clean it up and take him to the crematorium.
Then, after that, you'll be taken to a P.
O.
W Hut for the road gang.
200 stinking Ukrainians will have you one after another for a week, and if your whore carcass can survive all of this, you will be taken to the little fortress and shot.
You understand? l will do everything you say.
l will make a wonderful impression.
And if you say a word of this to your uncle or to anybody else about any of this, you will be shot.
Kaput.
Do you believe me? l do, l do, l do.
Get her out of here.
Come on, out.
We're all right.
lt was just a warning.
l must change my clothes and go to work.
l wanted to tell you.
Word has come from Berel.
They're going to try.