The 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 F?hrer 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. The Fuhrer 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 Meckenheim 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. But perhaps, that TOO is only a rumor.

[Kreuger is offered a last cigarette before he is executed by firing squad. He and the Nazi Officer hear planes]

Major Paul Kreuger:
Ours or theirs?

Nazi Officer:
Enemy planes, sir.

Major Paul Kreuger:
But who is the enemy?

Major Paul Kreuger:
[to General von Brock over the phone asking for reinforcements] Herr General, your regrets will not save the bridge. The two panzer battalions might.

Major Paul Kreuger:
I understand the Russians are at the Elbe.

Gen. von Brock:
Yes.

Major Paul Kreuger:
And here?

Gen. von Brock:
Worse. Utter confusion. Every day I get orders to attack with divisions that no longer exist. Hitler still thinks he's winning the war.

Major Paul Kreuger:
The Army helped bring Hitler into power. Are you saying we made a mistake?

Major Barnes:
Look, uh, Hartman, I know it's been a hard blow. It's always a shock to lose a buddy, a man you worked with and fought with. I mean, we're all human. I guess what I'm trying to say is... I realize Captain Colt was your friend. He was my friend, too.

Lt. Phil Hartman:
Bullshit. [Long pause]

Major Barnes:
Would you, uh... care to rephrase that, Lieutenant?

Lt. Phil Hartman:
You don't have any friends out here, Major. Neither do I. We can't afford them. Neither one of us.

Major Paul Kreuger:
Germany has lost four million sons.

Greta Holzgang:
I pity them. But I pity most my own son.

Lt. Phil Hartman:
You got your camera with you, Glover?

Pvt. Glover:
No, sir. I kinda sold it back to Sergeant Angel.

Lt. Phil Hartman:
When the Krauts blow that bridge, that's gonna be some picture.

Lt. Phil Hartman:
[sees Angelo stealing items off corpses] You know something, Angel? You're a pig.

Sgt. Angelo:
[grins] I love you too... sir.

Major Paul Kreuger:
[Calling on field radio to side of bridge under attack by Americans] Sgt. Becker Sgt. Becker, this is Major Kreuger calling.

Lt. Phil Hartman:
[Answers German radio] He's dead, Major!