"Everybody was happy to see the war coming to an end." "The Germans didn't have a heart for it and realized the end was there." "We used to say, "The only good Kraut is a dead one"." "Well..." "Most of them were kids." "We all were kids." "They had a job to do, same as me." "We went about and did the job that we had to do." "We thought Germans were the evilest people in the world." "As the war went along, we found that it wasn't the Germans, per se." "I've thought about this often." "That man and I might've been good friends." "He might've liked to fish, or to hunt." "You never know." "Of course, we were both doing what we were supposed to do but under different circumstances, we might've been friends." "That way." "That way." "One thing about the Krauts." "They sure clean up good." "Yeah, all you need is a little Mozart." "Beethoven." " Sorry, sir?" " That's not Mozart." "That's Beethoven." "Come on, chicken." "All right, this one's got some, George." "You grab the chicken, I grab the eggs." "Great." "Fine." "Grab him by the foot." "Come on." "If this thing bites me, Frank, I swear I'll shoot it." "Hold on!" " Come on, George." " Hold on a second." "Hold on." "Hey, come on." "I just wanna talk to you." "I just want to talk." "Look what I got." "Chocolate bar." "You like that?" "You like chocolate?" " Luz, leave her alone." " Frank, leave me alone, okay?" "Don't like chocolate?" "How's this?" "Cigarettes." "Camel." " Yeah, you like that." " Luz" "Frank, go make your omelet!" "You ain't getting my eggs, blockhead." "My friend just keeps talking." "I got two packs here." "Give it to your friends." "Why don't you come sit?" "Wanna sit down?" "That's it." "We'll smoke cigarettes." "Hey, Frank." "Hold on." "Perc." "Jesus, come on." "What?" " That Captain Nixon?" " I think so." " Why's he in his harness?" " I don't know." "Maybe we jumped into Berlin, the war's over." " No dice with the Fräulein?" " She smacked me in the mouth." "Germany's looking like pretty good fraternizing territory." "Lose your cigarettes?" "Oh, God!" "Yeah, yeah." "God!" " Janovec?" " Oh, shit!" "Sir!" "Where's my stuff?" "I thought I'd leave it over there, sir." "Here." " Thanks." " You're welcome, sir." "Sir." " Morning, sir." " Good morning." " You got a box all this will fit into?" " Yes, sir." "Same destination?" "Yeah." "I'll make sure it goes out first thing." "Thank you, private." "Your folks'll have quite a collection when you get home, sir." "Finders, keepers." "Yes, sir." "Nix?" " Nix?" " In here." "You dog." "Making combat jumps while I'm in supply briefings all morning." "Yeah, lucky me." "You're the only man in the 101st with three stars over his jump wings." "Not bad for someone who's never fired in combat." "Really?" " Really, you've never--?" " Nope." "Even with all the action we've seen?" "Not a round." "So..." "How'd it go this morning?" "The jump?" "It was great." "Fantastic." "Took a direct hit over the drop zone." "I got out." "Two others." "The rest?" "They blew up over Germany somewhere." "Boom." " Yeah." "Yeah, I'm sorry." " About what?" " Tough situation for the" " Yeah, the boys." "Terrible." "Oh well, wasn't me." "You know, the real tragedy is, they also lost their CO." "Guess who gets to write the letters home?" "Goddamn nightmare." "Got a visit from Colonel Sink this morning." " And how is the good colonel?" " Concerned." "Still drinking nothing but Vat 69?" "Only the finest for Mrs. Nixon's baby boy." "That a problem up at Regiment?" "What, this?" "Is that what he said?" "No, I just don't like it up there." "Good." "You'll be happy to hear that Sink is transferring you to Battalion S3." "What do you think I should write to these parents?" " Hear what I said?" "You've been demoted." " Demoted, got you." "How do I tell them their kids never made it out?" "Tell them what you always tell them." "Their sons died as heroes." "You really still believe that?" "Yeah." "Yeah, I do." "Don't you?" "The Cooperative for American Remittance to Europe is assembling food packs to assist European families in dire need." "Presumably all of them." "Notes to your family reminding them to donate are appreciated." "I'm sure you'll all be happy to know Oklahoma is still playing." "O'Keefe, you sitting on your bayonet?" "Leave the singing to Luz." "Unless you wanna do "Surrey With the Fringe on Top"." " Rita Hayworth's getting married." " Say it isn't true." "Abbott and Costello..." "Resistance in Ruhr's crumbling." "Might be a breakout in Remagen." "The Krauts forgot to blow up one of their bridges." "I guess the 17th Airborne did okay, after all." "We'd be in Berlin by now, if it was us instead of them." "Perconte!" "How you doing?" "When will we jump into Berlin, see some real action?" " You in a rush?" " No." "What, you want a Medal of Honor?" " I just thought I'd ask." " Do us all a favor." "Don't think." "Damn replacements." " Hallelujah." " About time." "You're lucky." "Nixon was giving a current-events lecture." " Tell me nothing's happening." " Nothing." "Couple of artillery rounds at dawn, probably from across the river." "That's about it." "It spooked Hashey, though." " Here, I just finished it." " Any sex in it?" "Ain't that kind of book." " See you." " Yeah, see you." "Hey, O'Brien." "Relax, I'm trying to read." "It's O'Keefe." "Is that right?" "Patrick O'Keefe." "My friends call me Paddy." "Hey, O'Brien." "Shut up!" "I told you, it's O'Keefe." "Know why no one remembers your name?" "No one wants to." "There's too many Smiths, DiMattos and O'Keefes who replace Toccoa men that you got killed in the first place." "They're all like you." "Piss and vinegar." ""Where are the Krauts?" "When do we jump into Berlin?"" "Two days later, their guts are hanging out and they're screaming for a medic, begging for their mother." "Dumb fucks don't even know they're dead." "You listening to me?" "This is the best part of war I've seen." "I got hot chow, hot showers, warm bed." "Germany is as good as being home." "I wiped my ass with real toilet paper." "Quit asking if you'll see action." "And stop with the fucking love songs." " When you ship out?" "A few weeks ago?" " Yeah." "It's been two years since I seen home." "Two years." "This fucking war." "Neither patrol found one Kraut." "They're across the river now." "Send a night patrol." "Check the embankment on the far side." "President's dead." "Pair of queens bets." " All right, 2 bucks." " Nix?" " No, I'm out." " All right." "Well, I'll call your 2 and I'll raise you another 2." " Can't believe we won't go to Berlin." " No shit." " Ike'll let the Russkies have it." " Russkies." "Goddamn it." "This war's not about fighting, it's about who gets what." "Deal me out of the next hand." "What about your money?" " Are we waiting on him again?" " Yeah." "Goddamn drugstore." "Sir." "Hey guys, wait up!" " Hey, Dexter." " Good to see you." " You know who that was?" " No." "Morning." "Captain Nixon, good to see you." "I have mail for you." "I was gonna drop it off this afternoon with all the other mail but since you're here..." "Listen, I'm having some trouble finding whiskey." " Whiskey?" " A particular brand of whiskey." " Vat 69." " Exactly right." "That won't be easy to find here in Germany." " Pickings are slim." " I know it." "And even if I do find some, sir, it won't be cheap." " Not a problem." " Vest, you hear the news?" " Sir, I didn't know you were here." " News?" "300,000 Krauts just surrendered." " Three hundred?" " We're moving out in an hour." " One hour?" " Yeah." "Sir?" "Sir!" "Your mail." "Keep looking." "Excuse me." "Pardon me." "Get a move on." "Let's go." "Jesus Christ." "The dog?" "Lew?" " Cathy's divorcing me." " I'm sorry." "She's taking everything." "She's taking the house, taking the kid, she's taking the dog." "It's not even her dog." "It's my dog!" "She's taking my dog!" "Let's go!" "Load it up!" "Come on!" "What do you have in here?" "Germans?" "Hey, Perconte." " Got a lighter?" " No, sir." "Where we headed?" "The Alps." "Let me see that lighter." " The Alps?" " Yeah." " That near Berlin?" " No." "That's in Bavaria." "Birthplace of National Socialism." "So that means no drop into Berlin?" "Hitler sent the Waffen SS into the mountains to repel invaders." " He wants to start a guerrilla war." " Invaders." "Damn, I like that." "They'll die the last man trying." " Sir." " What?" "My lighter." " All right, nice lighter." " Thanks." "Waffen SS, huh?" "You'll get your wish, O'Flannery." "Those guys are crazy." "It's O'Keefe." " You okay, Nix?" " Yeah, I'm fine." "She hates that dog." "It's gonna be good times, Web." "When we get home." "I'm gonna get my job back at the cab company in Frisco." "Make a killing off all those fucking sailors coming home." "Then I'm gonna find a nice Jewish girl with great big soft titties and a smile to die for." "Marry her." "Then I'm gonna buy a big house with lots of bedrooms for all the little Liebgotts." "She ought to like that." "Janovec, what you reading?" " An article." " No shit." "What's it about?" "It's about why we're fighting the war." "Why are we fighting the war, Janovec?" "It seems that the Germans are bad." "Very bad." "You don't say?" "The Germans are bad?" "Frank, this guy's reading an article, says the Germans are bad." " And you, Web?" " Learn something every day." "I guess I'll finish school first, and then" "Wait a minute." "Finish school?" "You're always talking about Harvard and you haven't even finished?" "I haven't told you anything." "Yes, I haven't finished." "So the fuck what?" "All right, let it breathe a little." "Jesus." "Fuck." "It's just the way you always talked." "We all figured that..." "You know, you're right." "So the fuck what?" "So, what did you study?" "Literature." "Get out of here." "You serious?" " I love to read." " Do you?" "Yeah." "Dick Tracy, Flash Gordon, mostly." "Yeah." "Fuck." " Keep moving." " Up three." "Tell her she's got five minutes." "Go, go, go!" "Sir, she says she's got nowhere to go." "This guy says he's not a Nazi." "Why haven't I met one Nazi?" "We'll only be here one night!" "You have four minutes!" " Let's go!" "Move!" " All of you, out!" "Look." "Even in defeat, they still know how to march with pride." "Hey, you!" "Hey, you!" "That's right, you stupid Kraut bastards!" "That's right!" "Say hello to Ford!" "And General fucking Motors!" "You stupid fascist pigs!" "Look at you!" "You have horses." "What were you thinking?" "That's enough, Webster." "Give it a rest." "Dragging our asses halfway around the world." "Interrupting our lives." "For what?" "You ignorant, servile scum!" "What the fuck are we doing here?" "Everyone out!" "Move it!" "1st Platoon, I want roadblocks to shut off roads in and out of town." "Send out patrols." "Dog in the village, Easy and Fox in the woods." "Easy takes the northwest." "Lipton?" "Have 1st Platoon swing to the woods." "Yes, sir." "Talbert!" "You're not worried about an ambush, are you?" "No, just in case we have to stay here for the night." " O'Keefe." " Sarge?" " Why the hell are you so jumpy?" " I'm not jumpy, I'm fine." "I can hear your heart pounding." "Jesus Christ, give the kid a break, Bull." " Hey, George." " Yeah?" "This kind of remind you of Bastogne?" "Yeah, now that you mention it." "Except there's no snow, we got warm grub in our bellies and the trees aren't exploding from Kraut artillery, but yeah." " Besides that, it's a lot like Bastogne." " Right?" "Bull, smack him for me, please?" "Thank you." "Sir, your men come with me." "Let's move it." "Hello?" "Hello?" "It sure is quiet." "He is right, fellas." " You seen Foley?" " No." " Any of you seen any officers?" " Speak to Popeye." "Seen any of the officers?" "Speirs is right down the street." "What's the matter?" " More, have you seen any officers?" " Major Winters is right in there." "Major Winters, sir..." "We found something out on patrol." "We came across this" "What?" "Frank, what is it?" "I don't know, sir." "I don't know." " Open it up." " Yes, sir." "Stand back." "Give us some room here." "Back." "Back." " Any of your men speak German?" " No, sir." "I need Liebgott." "Liebgott!" "Lipton, find Liebgott." "Liebgott!" "Liebgott!" " Major needs you up front, right now." " Sure." "They need care." "Give them water and rations." "Grab blankets." "Oh, my God." "Dick?" "I'm sorry." "Here, take some water." "Jesus, Web, can you believe this place?" " No." " My God." "It's okay." "It's better now." "He said the guards left this morning." "They burned some of the huts first." "With the prisoners still in them." "Alive." "Jesus Christ." "Some of the prisoners tried to stop them." "Some of them were killed." "They didn't have enough ammo for all the prisoners so they killed as many as they could before they left the camp." "They locked the gates behind them and headed south." " Someone in town told them about us." " Yeah, I think so." "Will you ask him what kind of camp this is?" "What, why are they here?" "He says it's a work camp for..." "I'm not sure what the word means." " Unwanted, disliked, maybe?" " Criminals?" "I don't think criminals, sir." "No." "Doctors, musicians, tailors, clerks, farmers, intellectuals." "I mean, normal people." "They're Jews." "Poles and Gypsies." "Liebgott?" "The women's camp is at the next railroad stop." "Hey, Babe, come here." "Look at their arms." " Like cattle." " Goddamn." "O'Keefe?" "O'Keefe?" "I'm gonna call Sink." "Find Speirs and figure out how to get them some food and water." "Let's go." "Let's pick up the pace here." "Get whatever we can fit on the deuce and a half." "Take everything." "Take it all." "Shut up!" "Check the back." "Shut up!" "I said shut up, you Nazi fuck!" "You're not a Nazi?" "My mistake, you prick." "Are you a human?" "Or are you gonna tell me you never smelled the stench?" "He says he doesn't know what you're talking about." "Bullshit." "Sergeant, this is chaos." "There's plenty to go around!" "More water on the way." " Dick?" "Major Winters." " Yes, sir?" "Sir." "This is Dr. Kent." "Doc, tell them what you just told me." "We need to stop giving these men food." "They're starving." "They'll eat themselves to death." "Keep them in the camp until we find a place in town." "You want us to lock them up?" " We got no choice." " They'll scatter." "We need them centralized so we can supervise their treatment." " Until we find some place better" " Colonel Sink." " Let's get it done." " Yes, sir." "I don't like it any more than you guys." "General Taylor?" "Bob Sink, 506." "Sir, we're at Landsberg, the other side of Buchloe." "We found something you ought to see, sir." "I can't tell them that, sir." "You got to, Joe." "Yes, sir." "Grant, Christenson." "These prisoners have to be put back in the camp immediately." "I'm staying in the only dry house in Germany." "Thought you weren't drinking the local." "Yeah, well..." "Heard from Division." "Been finding camps like this all over the place." "Seems the Russians liberated one a lot worse." " Worse?" " Yeah." "Apparently." "Ten times as big." "Execution chambers." "Ovens." "For cremating all the bodies." "Jesus." "Locals claim they never knew about the camp." "They say we exaggerate." "Well, they're gonna have a hell of an education tomorrow." "General Taylor declared martial law." "Ordered every able-bodied German 14 to 80 to bury the bodies tomorrow." " 10th Armored will supervise cleanup." " What about us?" "We head out for Thalem tomorrow, 1200 hours." " Kerchief, sir?" " What?" "No, thanks." "Move along." "Over there." "Don't stop." "You too." "Come on." "Hitler's dead." " Holy shit." " Shot himself in Berlin." " Is the war over, sir?" " No." "We have orders to Berchtesgaden." "Why?" "The man's not home." "Should've killed himself 3 years ago." "Saved us a lot of trouble." "Yeah, he should've." "But he didn't."