Bridge at Remagen

Gen. Von Sturmer:
Why? How could it happen? Another hundred meters and the Americans would have captured the Ober Kassel Bridge.

Gen. von Brock:
It was the only escape route for our units in that sector.

Gen. Von Sturmer:
Escape route? No. A highway for the American army into the heart of Germany! In any case, the Führer has determined you shall not take such a risk again.

Gen. von Brock:
Not very likely: there's only one bridge left.

Gen. Von Sturmer:
And already it is threatened by the American forces. One breakthrough, a few hours, and this too can be lost. General von Brock, you must prepare to destroy the Remagen bridge at the earliest possible moment.

Gen. von Brock:
Destroy? We have 75,000 men who would be trapped on the other side of the Rhine.

Gen. Von Sturmer:
And if the bridge falls to the enemy, are you prepared for the consequences?

Gen. von Brock:
These men are all that's left of the 15th Army. Their only hope of salvation is that bridge!

Gen. Von Sturmer:
The 15th Army will stand or die. Hitler has ordered that not one foot of our sacred soil will be yielded to the enemy.

Gen. von Brock:
Herr Feldmarschall, if orders won wars, we wouldn't now be fighting with our backs against the Rhine, we'd be dancing at the London Savoy!

Capt. Otto Baumann:
Farce! Where are the bombers? Our reinforcements? This is the most important place in Germany, and what do we have to fight with? Old men, riff-raff, the sweepings from the road.

Major Paul Kreuger:
And you, Baumann. Will you fight as hard as you talk?

Capt. Otto Baumann:
You will find out when we attack.

General Shinner:
We're not going to blow that bridge, Barnes, we're going to take it!

Major Barnes:
Take it?

General Shinner:
As long as it's still standing, we've got a chance. When we get out there, cut every wire and cable. Dent, alert HQ. Ask 'em to give us every available unit on the double.

Col. Dent:
Yessir.

Major Barnes:
Jesus, sir. I mean, I hate to think of our men in the middle of the bridge when they blow it.

General Shinner:
It's a crapshoot, Major. Take that bridge and we shorten the war. We're risking a hundred men, but we may save 10,000 -- even 50,000! It's your chance to make history, Major! What you've got to do is throw your men across. Now, Major!

Lt. Phil Hartman:
Get the men up. We're moving out.

Sgt. Angelo:
Those men are tired. They'll kill us.

Lt. Phil Hartman:
They're so happy we didn't find any Germans here, they want us to keep going until we do.

Lt. Phil Hartman:
How do you know Stadt Beckenheim isn't crawling with Germans? What if they unload on us?

Major Barnes:
Then we'll know, won't we, Lieutenant?

Major Paul Kreuger:
So, Captain Baumann, I trust that in the event of an emergency, at least the explosives are in place to blow up the bridge?

Capt. Otto Baumann:
Not yet, Herr Major. It is reported that 600 kilos of high explosives are on the way. Of course, that too is only a rumor.

Major Paul Kreuger:
Whose?

Major Paul Kreuger:
But who is the enemy?