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As an American private covers
the retreat of his fellow soldiers,
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00:00:08,258 --> 00:00:11,302
a blast from a German tank
throws him off his feet.
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00:00:14,556 --> 00:00:18,518
The explosion destroys his machine gun
and breaks his glasses.
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00:00:20,020 --> 00:00:23,189
He retrieves a rifle and
continues to hold the line.
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00:00:26,484 --> 00:00:32,532
On June 6th, 1944 allied forces
finally land troops in Normandy.
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00:00:33,575 --> 00:00:35,702
{\an8}To open the western front.
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But Nazi fanatics
and diehards continue
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to fight ferociously for survival.
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00:00:49,257 --> 00:00:51,468
D-Day was a battle.
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00:00:53,178 --> 00:00:55,722
They still need to win the war.
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00:01:06,274 --> 00:01:08,860
January 9th, 1945.
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The Alsace region, France.
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American Private First-Class
Glenn Schmidt scrambles through
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the snow clutching a
Browning automatic rifle.
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Germans ambushed his patrol outside
the French town of Hatten.
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In the firefight, Schmidt�s B.A.R.
jammed and he�s shot twice.
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One blast knocked off his helmet
and another bloodies his face.
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He�s the sole survivor.
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00:01:39,974 --> 00:01:44,521
The patrol Schmidt is
on is extraordinarily unlucky.
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{\an8}They're doing something
that's pretty routine,
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{\an8}and they just happen to be out
there when the Germans are about
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to launch their attacks.
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With enemy
soldiers in pursuit,
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Schmidt must get word
to a commanding officer.
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In this case, the information
you've gathered is firsthand information.
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00:02:02,664 --> 00:02:04,874
Schmitt is kind of lucky
to even get out of there
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more or less unscathed
compared to many others.
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00:02:09,170 --> 00:02:12,382
The Germans are in the midst of
the Battle of the Bulge.
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00:02:12,382 --> 00:02:15,093
As Wacht Am Rhein loses momentum,
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Hitler decides to attack at
a weaker part of the front.
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00:02:19,514 --> 00:02:24,102
{\an8}This would mean that the American and
the British attention
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00:02:24,102 --> 00:02:27,147
{\an8}is drawn away
from the northern battles.
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00:02:28,439 --> 00:02:31,276
For this operation,
known as Nordwind,
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00:02:31,276 --> 00:02:33,111
Hitler appoints Heinrich Himmler,
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Reichsfuhrer and head of the SS,
in his first military command.
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00:02:38,658 --> 00:02:42,745
As the war progresses,
Hitler trusts less and less people.
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00:02:42,745 --> 00:02:45,165
However, there's
one exception, Himmler,
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00:02:45,165 --> 00:02:48,751
and he knows for sure that Himmler will
always be loyal to him.
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00:02:49,878 --> 00:02:54,507
Himmler is eager to impress
and mark Hitler�s anniversary as Fuhrer.
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00:02:54,507 --> 00:02:58,887
Himmler's goal is to
recapture Strasbourg and present it to
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00:02:58,887 --> 00:03:02,849
Hitler as a gift for the
12th anniversary of the seizure
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of power on the 30th of January.
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00:03:07,020 --> 00:03:09,731
As the
capital of the Alsace region,
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Strasbourg had been liberated in
late November by free French troops.
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Himmler�s success...
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Would mean a major blow for
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00:03:18,406 --> 00:03:21,034
the American French alliance.
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00:03:24,454 --> 00:03:26,831
25 miles
northeast of Strasbourg,
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outside the village of Hatten,
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00:03:31,044 --> 00:03:33,922
Private Schmidt races
for the American line.
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00:03:38,885 --> 00:03:41,429
Suddenly the night
erupts in white light.
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Schmidt is struck.
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His back burns and he rolls over
in the snow to cool the heat.
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00:03:52,565 --> 00:03:54,192
He must have
been frightened out of his wits.
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He's wounded in several places.
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00:03:57,654 --> 00:03:59,948
He's tattered and torn up.
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00:04:01,115 --> 00:04:03,576
The new wounds are from
American phosphorus grenades
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00:04:03,576 --> 00:04:07,997
and mortars fired by U.S. defenders
into the Germans behind him.
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00:04:14,754 --> 00:04:20,301
Still smoldering, he stumbles toward the
safety of a bunker to join defenses there.
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00:04:23,846 --> 00:04:28,726
At Pillbox nine, Schmidt reaches a
section of the famous Maginot Line.
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00:04:31,104 --> 00:04:33,439
{\an8}The
Maginot Line is a fortified line
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00:04:33,439 --> 00:04:36,276
{\an8}that the French army
erected after World War I,
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00:04:36,276 --> 00:04:38,820
{\an8}and it covered from
roughly the Swiss border
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{\an8}all the way up to
the Belgian frontier.
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00:04:42,740 --> 00:04:46,411
It contains massive
reinforced concrete bunkers.
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00:04:46,411 --> 00:04:49,789
Some of these bunkers
were essentially underground cities.
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00:04:49,789 --> 00:04:51,791
{\an8}You'd have large
personnel bunkers.
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00:04:51,791 --> 00:04:54,127
{\an8}You'd have all sorts of
gun herds that would pop up
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00:04:54,627 --> 00:04:56,045
on top of the bunkers.
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00:04:56,045 --> 00:04:59,590
You'd have tunnels that
would go between bunkers.
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00:04:59,590 --> 00:05:03,094
The concrete could
be more than 11 feet thick.
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00:05:03,094 --> 00:05:05,471
So, they could be
bombarded by aircraft bombs,
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00:05:05,471 --> 00:05:09,726
by artillery, and yet the troops
within would still be protected.
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00:05:10,768 --> 00:05:14,105
The problem was
when Germany invaded in 1940,
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they just went around it.
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So, the Germans never
got through the Maginot Line.
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They instead avoided the
Maginot Line and went through
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00:05:20,695 --> 00:05:23,364
Belgium where the
Maginot Line did not exist.
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00:05:24,991 --> 00:05:27,452
American forces now
occupy the bunkers which must
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00:05:27,452 --> 00:05:33,374
once again protect the French border
against German attackers from the east.
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00:05:44,469 --> 00:05:48,765
Oberstleutnant Karl Proll and his 35th
Panzergrenadier Regiment
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spearhead the
assault into Hatten.
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00:05:55,021 --> 00:05:58,566
Karl Proll is a former
NCO who commissioned later.
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He gets promoted very quickly
due to his command performance
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00:06:02,278 --> 00:06:04,280
on the eastern front.
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00:06:04,280 --> 00:06:08,284
And he's the holder of some of the highest
German military decorations.
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00:06:17,377 --> 00:06:19,796
From the woods,
the Panzergrenadiers cross
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a large field
toward the pillboxes.
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The Germans believe
that the bunkers are unmanned,
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00:06:29,097 --> 00:06:32,308
but suddenly, they run
into a fierce resistance.
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00:06:34,352 --> 00:06:37,188
The lead elements come
under fire from American mortar,
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machine guns and artillery.
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00:06:43,361 --> 00:06:46,739
They suffer very heavy casualties in
the frontal attack.
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00:06:58,751 --> 00:07:01,587
The survivors
retreat back to the trees.
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00:07:03,423 --> 00:07:06,426
Proll, who is a
veteran from the eastern front,
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00:07:06,426 --> 00:07:08,302
knows he must be
flexible now and
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00:07:08,302 --> 00:07:10,721
change his tactics and pivot.
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Proll�s men and
tanks must find a path between
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00:07:19,397 --> 00:07:22,525
the American bunkers to
attack Hatten directly.
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00:07:25,570 --> 00:07:28,281
{\an8}Pillbox nine is one of a
series of fortifications which
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00:07:28,281 --> 00:07:31,784
{\an8}extend out up to a mile from
the eastern edge of Hatten.
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{\an8}From a command
post in the village,
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00:07:36,747 --> 00:07:39,417
{\an8}A Company commander
captain William Corson,
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coordinates the defenses.
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Pillbox five, come in.
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They�re connected through
telephone lines with radio back up.
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Word trickles in from across the
front about the German attacks.
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00:07:52,013 --> 00:07:54,015
{\an8}Corson is doing what any
commander wants to do in this
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{\an8}kind of circumstance,
which is to gather as much
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00:07:56,476 --> 00:07:58,436
{\an8}relevant information as he can.
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00:07:58,436 --> 00:08:00,521
{\an8}And to do that, you
have to stay in touch.
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00:08:01,814 --> 00:08:04,734
His unit from
the 242nd Infantry Regiment,
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00:08:04,734 --> 00:08:09,113
of the 42nd Division, only
recently arrived in Europe.
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00:08:10,823 --> 00:08:13,576
American command sent
them to the Alsace to finish
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00:08:13,576 --> 00:08:16,537
their training in what
should�ve been a quiet sector.
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00:08:19,248 --> 00:08:21,709
The 42nd Division has
these kind of strengths
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00:08:21,709 --> 00:08:23,085
and weaknesses in that respect.
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00:08:23,085 --> 00:08:26,255
The weakness is the inexperience,
the kind of lack of organization,
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00:08:26,255 --> 00:08:27,882
maybe the lack of confidence.
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00:08:27,882 --> 00:08:32,136
But I think the strength is the,
the newness of it might create a
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00:08:32,136 --> 00:08:35,431
level of enthusiasm for fighting
that may not be present in,
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00:08:35,431 --> 00:08:37,266
in more hard-bitten units.
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00:08:40,019 --> 00:08:44,315
In response to the attacks,
headquarters staff of the 242nd prepare
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00:08:44,315 --> 00:08:47,026
improvised defenses
in the village.
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00:08:50,321 --> 00:08:54,909
Personnel lay mines to prevent
German vehicles from passing through.
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00:09:00,373 --> 00:09:02,041
Their minefield
blocks the road in front of
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00:09:02,041 --> 00:09:05,419
the first battalion command post
just across from the church.
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00:09:12,385 --> 00:09:15,972
Above the minefield, soldiers
with bazookas take up position
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00:09:15,972 --> 00:09:18,057
in the church steeple.
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00:09:25,731 --> 00:09:29,151
They join an American artillery observer
who has been there all morning.
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00:09:29,151 --> 00:09:32,280
To direct fire
in support of the Pillboxes.
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00:09:32,738 --> 00:09:35,366
The Artillery Observer,
besides maybe the Commander,
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00:09:35,366 --> 00:09:39,036
is arguably the most important person in
a, in a World War II fight.
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00:09:39,036 --> 00:09:40,955
The Artillery Observer
is the person controlling
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00:09:40,955 --> 00:09:44,625
the most important firepower,
the deadliest firepower,
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00:09:44,625 --> 00:09:46,419
especially on the American side,
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00:09:46,419 --> 00:09:49,130
where the artillery is
just a fearsome weapon.
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00:09:51,257 --> 00:09:55,219
Back at Pillbox nine,
Sergeant Alvin Cahoon,
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00:09:55,219 --> 00:09:59,890
of A Company, had
thrown back the first waves of
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00:09:59,890 --> 00:10:02,268
the German assault against
third Platoon�s position...
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00:10:02,268 --> 00:10:04,186
Fire!
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00:10:04,937 --> 00:10:07,523
With help from
artillery and mortar fire.
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00:10:08,482 --> 00:10:12,778
But to the south, he observes a
dangerous development.
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00:10:12,778 --> 00:10:17,575
German tanks and infantry break through
between Pillboxes four and five.
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00:10:25,875 --> 00:10:29,920
As the German tanks roll up,
they have a chance to flank the bunkers,
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00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:32,173
and make a
straight shot into Hatten.
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00:10:40,806 --> 00:10:46,646
But suddenly, American bazooka
rounds blast into their armor
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from high in the village church.
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00:10:49,523 --> 00:10:51,484
It�s the best
place to see any German units
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that are on the move.
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00:10:52,693 --> 00:10:54,528
{\an8}German commander
would certainly grasp that,
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00:10:54,528 --> 00:10:56,822
{\an8}appreciate it, and would
fixate immediately on that
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00:10:56,822 --> 00:10:59,992
{\an8}church steeple as the, as the
likely spot for an observer.
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00:11:00,618 --> 00:11:02,328
The Germans return fire,
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00:11:04,789 --> 00:11:06,874
and destroy the tower.
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00:11:08,250 --> 00:11:10,336
The shots eliminate
the bazooka teams
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and the U.S. Artillery
observer posted there.
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00:11:14,090 --> 00:11:16,258
This means the Americans
can no longer count on
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00:11:16,258 --> 00:11:18,135
accurate artillery support.
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00:11:18,135 --> 00:11:21,305
The losses weaken their
defenses in the village.
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00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:27,770
Below the steeple, personnel at
the first Battalion Command Post
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00:11:27,770 --> 00:11:30,815
take up positions to
actively defend Hatten.
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00:11:41,033 --> 00:11:45,496
Private First-Class Vito Bertoldo is
one of the guards.
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00:11:45,496 --> 00:11:48,499
He has bad eyesight,
which obviously can be an issue
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and yet he wants to be there.
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00:11:50,292 --> 00:11:51,794
So, he had volunteered.
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00:11:51,794 --> 00:11:53,546
He had tried very hard
to get into the Army.
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00:11:53,546 --> 00:11:54,547
Initially, they turned him away.
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00:11:54,547 --> 00:11:58,092
Of course, as the war unfolds
the standards get a little lower
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00:11:58,092 --> 00:12:01,178
and they need more people,
so he gets in on that basis,
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but he becomes a cook.
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Bertoldo wasn�t really
happy in this supporting role.
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00:12:06,726 --> 00:12:09,770
Bertoldo has already
been something of a problem child
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for his Mess Sergeant.
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00:12:11,397 --> 00:12:14,567
If you have a soldier
you perceive as a problem or
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00:12:14,567 --> 00:12:17,027
not that good, you�re going to
want to put him where you think
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00:12:17,027 --> 00:12:18,237
he�s going to do the least harm.
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After arriving in Europe,
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00:12:20,030 --> 00:12:23,242
Bertoldo�s senior officer,
Captain William Corson,
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00:12:23,701 --> 00:12:26,454
transfers him to
guard duty in Hatten.
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00:12:27,246 --> 00:12:29,373
The transfer is
not a promotion at all.
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00:12:29,373 --> 00:12:31,667
It�s kind of a
sidelining in a way.
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00:12:36,422 --> 00:12:39,091
But for Bertoldo,
as a guard he�s one step closer
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00:12:39,091 --> 00:12:40,718
to fighting Germans.
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00:12:42,136 --> 00:12:44,054
Bertoldo has been
bragging to his buddies
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00:12:44,054 --> 00:12:47,308
about how, you know, if he gets
a crack at the Germans, man,
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00:12:47,308 --> 00:12:49,351
what a hero he�s going to be.
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00:12:49,351 --> 00:12:50,853
There�s so many
stories like that,
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00:12:50,853 --> 00:12:54,398
and the end of that story is
almost always this guy talked
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00:12:54,398 --> 00:12:56,901
a big game, but
when the bullets flew,
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00:12:56,901 --> 00:12:58,986
he was, you know, in a ditch.
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00:13:00,029 --> 00:13:02,281
The former cook
now sets up a machine gun in
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00:13:02,281 --> 00:13:04,074
the doorway and waits.
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00:13:11,665 --> 00:13:14,293
As German rounds pepper
the Battalion Command Post...
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00:13:22,843 --> 00:13:23,886
Sergeant!
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00:13:23,886 --> 00:13:27,348
Enemy artillery knocks
out the communication system.
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00:13:27,848 --> 00:13:30,643
Before the attack,
Captain Corson had direct lines
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00:13:30,643 --> 00:13:32,436
to each of the Pillboxes.
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00:13:34,647 --> 00:13:36,732
Now he�s cut off.
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00:13:36,732 --> 00:13:41,237
The Commander always has to decide where
to place himself on the battlefield.
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00:13:41,237 --> 00:13:43,405
So, where is it
appropriate for him to be?
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00:13:47,618 --> 00:13:49,495
Corson leaves the command post.
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00:13:51,205 --> 00:13:55,459
He sets out to re-connect with his
forward troops in the Pillboxes.
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00:13:59,088 --> 00:14:03,217
As American artillery falters,
Oberstleutnant Karl Proll�s men
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00:14:03,217 --> 00:14:06,011
renew their attacks
on the northern bunkers.
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00:14:11,725 --> 00:14:14,270
Pillbox nine holds out,
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00:14:15,729 --> 00:14:18,274
but other U.S.
positions give way.
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00:14:30,619 --> 00:14:32,746
Further south...
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00:14:32,746 --> 00:14:35,624
{\an8}The Jagdtiger was
the largest, most powerful
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00:14:35,624 --> 00:14:37,376
{\an8}armored vehicle of World War II.
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00:14:38,961 --> 00:14:42,590
{\an8}The basic chassis was the same
as the Royal Tiger heavy tank,
212
00:14:42,590 --> 00:14:46,010
{\an8}except that instead of having a turret
with an 88-millimeter gun,
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00:14:46,010 --> 00:14:50,097
{\an8}it had a fixed superstructure
with even thicker armor and
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00:14:50,097 --> 00:14:53,851
an even more
powerful 128-millimeter gun.
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00:14:53,851 --> 00:14:56,520
{\an8}Used to
attack and kill enemy tanks,
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00:14:56,520 --> 00:15:00,441
{\an8}the 128-millimeter gun
weighs five and a half tons
217
00:15:00,441 --> 00:15:03,736
{\an8}and can penetrate seven and a half feet
of concrete at a range
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00:15:03,736 --> 00:15:05,738
{\an8}of over half a mile.
219
00:15:07,489 --> 00:15:09,575
During the
time of the fighting in Alsace,
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00:15:09,575 --> 00:15:11,869
the German troops
started to run into
221
00:15:11,869 --> 00:15:14,788
the old Maginot Line
bunkers for defense.
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00:15:14,788 --> 00:15:17,082
Adolf Hitler heard
about this, and he said,
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00:15:17,082 --> 00:15:19,209
"Ah-ha, I have the ideal weapon.
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00:15:19,209 --> 00:15:22,338
Send some Jagdtigers down and
have these powerful Jagdtigers
225
00:15:22,338 --> 00:15:24,340
blast away at the bunkers."
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00:15:30,054 --> 00:15:32,097
As tanks and
Panzergrenadiers attack
227
00:15:32,097 --> 00:15:35,267
along the line, the
American Pillboxes fall.
228
00:15:41,315 --> 00:15:44,610
Captain William Corson
speeds toward Pillbox nine,
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00:15:44,610 --> 00:15:47,071
hoping to
re-establish communications.
230
00:15:48,697 --> 00:15:49,990
As he nears the bunker...
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00:15:51,617 --> 00:15:53,369
The jeep comes under fire.
232
00:15:54,620 --> 00:15:58,040
They bail out and find refuge
in an empty mortar position.
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00:16:01,710 --> 00:16:04,713
Corson decides to
make a run for the Pillbox.
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00:16:05,881 --> 00:16:08,550
This incident is a classic example of
235
00:16:08,550 --> 00:16:10,344
something you see
in ground combat.
236
00:16:10,344 --> 00:16:13,138
Simple things
become really difficult.
237
00:16:13,138 --> 00:16:15,516
He gets pinned down; he
doesn�t know what�s going on.
238
00:16:15,516 --> 00:16:17,518
The communications are spotty.
239
00:16:17,518 --> 00:16:19,269
{\an8}Now, the simplest things become
240
00:16:19,269 --> 00:16:21,188
{\an8}extraordinarily
difficult and deadly.
241
00:16:22,231 --> 00:16:23,941
He leaves a
walkie-talkie with one of
242
00:16:23,941 --> 00:16:27,152
his men at the jeep, to act
as a relay for messages back
243
00:16:27,152 --> 00:16:29,697
to first Battalion in Hatten.
244
00:16:33,242 --> 00:16:35,953
With the Americans at the Pillboxes in a
fight for their lives,
245
00:16:35,953 --> 00:16:37,955
German tanks
and Panzergrenadiers
246
00:16:37,955 --> 00:16:40,374
press further into the village.
247
00:16:41,917 --> 00:16:44,128
This is supposed
to be in a rear area.
248
00:16:44,128 --> 00:16:46,088
I mean, technically, okay?
249
00:16:46,088 --> 00:16:47,756
So, here�s the first
thing that�s gone wrong,
250
00:16:47,756 --> 00:16:50,968
all of a sudden, the Germans
are there at this command post,
251
00:16:51,343 --> 00:16:53,637
a place where they
were never supposed to be.
252
00:17:22,958 --> 00:17:25,377
{\an8}Fortunately, the
makeshift minefield outside
253
00:17:25,377 --> 00:17:28,338
{\an8}the U.S. 242nd
Infantry Regiment,
254
00:17:28,338 --> 00:17:32,051
first battalion command post
halts the German advance.
255
00:17:45,314 --> 00:17:48,567
Oberstleutnant Karl Proll�s
Panzergrenadiers move out front
256
00:17:48,567 --> 00:17:50,736
to clear the mines.
257
00:17:55,991 --> 00:17:58,077
Private First-Class
Vito Bertoldo doesn�t have
258
00:17:58,452 --> 00:18:01,080
a clear shot from the
command post doorway.
259
00:18:04,124 --> 00:18:06,543
He decides to
find a better angle.
260
00:18:06,543 --> 00:18:11,048
They take the machine gun into the
middle of the street and set it up.
261
00:18:25,479 --> 00:18:26,396
Here!
262
00:18:26,396 --> 00:18:28,690
In full sight
of attacking enemy soldiers,
263
00:18:28,690 --> 00:18:31,485
American Private
First-Class Vito Bertoldo
264
00:18:31,485 --> 00:18:33,987
opens fire with his machine gun.
265
00:18:39,827 --> 00:18:42,454
He targets the German panzer
units who attempt to clear
266
00:18:42,454 --> 00:18:45,624
a minefield that blocks
the advance of their tanks.
267
00:18:53,132 --> 00:18:56,343
Bertoldo forces their retreat.
268
00:19:00,514 --> 00:19:03,976
He and his assistant pick up
the machine gun to relocate.
269
00:19:05,936 --> 00:19:08,814
{\an8}Bertoldo, has been
trained like any other soldier,
270
00:19:08,814 --> 00:19:12,234
{\an8}that a, an effective
machine gunner displaces.
271
00:19:12,234 --> 00:19:14,778
Because of course, a machine gun is the
target for the enemy.
272
00:19:14,778 --> 00:19:16,864
It's a deadly weapon.
273
00:19:20,784 --> 00:19:23,745
Outside Hatten,
Captain William Corson breaks
274
00:19:23,745 --> 00:19:27,124
through the German fire
and arrives at Pillbox nine.
275
00:19:28,750 --> 00:19:32,254
He finds Sergeant Alvin Cahoon and
other members of A Company,
276
00:19:32,254 --> 00:19:35,424
of the 242nd Infantry Regiment.
277
00:19:37,551 --> 00:19:38,719
But they�re low
on ammunition and
278
00:19:38,719 --> 00:19:41,597
have many wounded
who need evacuation.
279
00:19:44,349 --> 00:19:46,810
By this time, most of
the American defenses along
280
00:19:46,810 --> 00:19:49,563
{\an8}their sector of the
Maginot Line have crumbled,
281
00:19:50,022 --> 00:19:53,233
{\an8}but Pillbox nine in the
north continues to resist.
282
00:19:55,402 --> 00:19:58,238
Corson relays
the regimental orders;
283
00:19:58,238 --> 00:20:01,533
to continue to
hold at all costs.
284
00:20:01,867 --> 00:20:03,994
We are
requesting artillery support.
285
00:20:03,994 --> 00:20:05,162
Copy.
286
00:20:05,162 --> 00:20:07,748
He also tries
to contact his relay man at
287
00:20:07,748 --> 00:20:11,168
the jeep but can�t get through.
288
00:20:13,587 --> 00:20:15,255
He decides to
wait until dark and
289
00:20:15,255 --> 00:20:17,758
then return to
Hatten to get help.
290
00:20:21,220 --> 00:20:23,555
{\an8}If the Pillbox falls
and Hatten can be flanked from
291
00:20:23,555 --> 00:20:26,516
{\an8}the north, it makes the Alsace region
292
00:20:26,516 --> 00:20:29,895
{\an8}and its newly liberated
capital Strasbourg, vulnerable.
293
00:20:33,440 --> 00:20:35,776
In the early part
of operation Nordwind,
294
00:20:35,776 --> 00:20:37,778
Supreme commander
Dwight D. Eisenhower
295
00:20:37,778 --> 00:20:42,115
was ready to yield territory here,
including Strasbourg.
296
00:20:43,450 --> 00:20:45,911
Eisenhower is
really focused on attacking Germany from
297
00:20:45,911 --> 00:20:49,331
the north and the
Alsace region is too far south
298
00:20:49,331 --> 00:20:52,751
{\an8}he doesn't consider it to be
particularly important and so
299
00:20:52,751 --> 00:20:54,503
{\an8}for Eisenhower it would
actually make more sense just
300
00:20:54,503 --> 00:20:56,922
to simply withdraw from
that front all together,
301
00:20:56,922 --> 00:21:00,842
and really put the focus
on the rush to Berlin.
302
00:21:03,053 --> 00:21:06,473
The proposal nearly causes a
mutiny amongst French forces.
303
00:21:09,268 --> 00:21:11,645
The Alsace region,
it's been going back and forth
304
00:21:11,645 --> 00:21:14,398
between the French and
the Germans for centuries,
305
00:21:14,398 --> 00:21:17,567
but what's so very important
about it in this period is that
306
00:21:17,567 --> 00:21:21,905
the free French have liberated
Strasbourg and so of course it's
307
00:21:21,905 --> 00:21:25,033
emotionally very, very
important and a potent symbol
308
00:21:25,033 --> 00:21:28,912
for the French and they're damned if
they're going to give it up again.
309
00:21:40,841 --> 00:21:42,926
In Hatten,
German infantry and tanks
310
00:21:42,926 --> 00:21:46,763
launch a fresh attack against the
first Battalion headquarters.
311
00:21:49,266 --> 00:21:50,892
Under covering fire,
312
00:21:50,892 --> 00:21:55,522
Panzergrenadier troops once again move
forward to clear the minefield.
313
00:21:56,815 --> 00:21:59,818
Which anchors the
American defenses in the sector.
314
00:22:01,111 --> 00:22:03,739
The minefield is how
you're going to restrict German mobility,
315
00:22:03,739 --> 00:22:05,240
it's how you're
going to buy time.
316
00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:06,908
And that's a big part
of the battle of Hatten,
317
00:22:06,908 --> 00:22:09,786
is to, to buy time,
to get reinforcements.
318
00:22:10,620 --> 00:22:12,331
And it
could be better.
319
00:22:13,665 --> 00:22:15,250
{\an8}What you hope,
from the American standpoint,
320
00:22:15,250 --> 00:22:17,294
{\an8}is that a tank comes
in and blows off a mine,
321
00:22:17,294 --> 00:22:19,171
blows a tread, is immobilized,
322
00:22:19,171 --> 00:22:21,923
and now becomes a kind
of a nice roadblock there.
323
00:22:23,050 --> 00:22:24,926
In a house from which
they can monitor the approach to
324
00:22:24,926 --> 00:22:29,473
the command post
and the minefield,
325
00:22:29,473 --> 00:22:31,641
Private First-Class
Vito Bertoldo and
326
00:22:31,641 --> 00:22:34,227
his assistant set
up their machine gun.
327
00:22:35,562 --> 00:22:37,105
{\an8}The gunner's assistant
does a number of things.
328
00:22:37,564 --> 00:22:40,984
{\an8}The most obvious is that he
helps feed the ammunition into
329
00:22:40,984 --> 00:22:44,363
{\an8}the machine gun, but he has
a secondary role of defending
330
00:22:44,821 --> 00:22:48,325
the machine gun against
approaching enemy troops.
331
00:22:49,076 --> 00:22:51,286
They secure
the weapon to a table.
332
00:22:52,996 --> 00:22:55,415
A light machine gun
is usually mounted on a tripod.
333
00:22:55,415 --> 00:22:58,210
It has little feet on the end
of it to dig into the ground.
334
00:22:58,210 --> 00:23:00,295
So, by strapping
it to the table,
335
00:23:00,295 --> 00:23:02,297
he could keep the
machine gun stable
336
00:23:02,297 --> 00:23:04,341
and therefore,
fire more accurately.
337
00:23:11,807 --> 00:23:15,185
Bertoldo opens up
with his tabletop machine gun.
338
00:23:25,862 --> 00:23:27,864
Once more, his
fierce fire forces
339
00:23:27,864 --> 00:23:30,367
the German troops to pull back.
340
00:23:33,870 --> 00:23:37,749
But this time, the enemy tank
pinpoints Bertoldo�s position.
341
00:23:38,417 --> 00:23:42,045
And from 75 yards,
fires directly at his window.
342
00:23:42,045 --> 00:23:43,088
Fire!
343
00:23:48,885 --> 00:23:51,555
The tank round
punches through the room.
344
00:23:53,723 --> 00:23:54,683
As the dust settles,
345
00:23:54,683 --> 00:24:00,564
Private First-Class Vito Bertoldo and
his assistant are thrown back,
346
00:24:00,564 --> 00:24:02,774
but amazingly, remain unhurt.
347
00:24:03,316 --> 00:24:06,111
He gets a little lucky
because the tank is firing
348
00:24:06,111 --> 00:24:08,113
an armor piercing round.
349
00:24:08,113 --> 00:24:12,033
{\an8}It's not pleasant when a shell
comes into your room like that.
350
00:24:12,033 --> 00:24:14,661
{\an8}Uh, the concussive
effect is, is terrific.
351
00:24:15,078 --> 00:24:17,956
But it's not as deadly
as it would be if it were
352
00:24:18,373 --> 00:24:19,833
a high explosive round.
353
00:24:20,625 --> 00:24:23,378
Bertoldo crawls back to the table.
354
00:24:24,629 --> 00:24:27,716
The tank still sits
just beyond the minefield.
355
00:24:30,135 --> 00:24:33,472
When he reaches the machine gun,
he opens fire again.
356
00:24:36,099 --> 00:24:37,642
Firing a
machine gun at a tank,
357
00:24:37,642 --> 00:24:39,978
there's a level
of insanity to that.
358
00:24:40,395 --> 00:24:42,397
You are not going
to penetrate the tank.
359
00:24:42,814 --> 00:24:44,858
You're going to
give away your position.
360
00:24:47,486 --> 00:24:51,698
A German Tank Commander emerges
from the hatch to get a better look.
361
00:24:53,450 --> 00:24:55,827
Bertoldo grabs a rifle.
362
00:24:56,203 --> 00:24:59,122
At a range of 75 yards,
he takes a shot...
363
00:25:00,916 --> 00:25:03,251
And kills the German officer.
364
00:25:08,006 --> 00:25:10,550
Bertoldo continues his
defense of the minefield to
365
00:25:10,550 --> 00:25:13,094
hold the German armor at bay.
366
00:25:14,763 --> 00:25:16,473
How the battle
is going to turn out,
367
00:25:16,890 --> 00:25:19,976
that's really still up
in the air at this stage.
368
00:25:19,976 --> 00:25:24,064
A lot�s going to depend on
what happens next with Bertoldo,
369
00:25:24,481 --> 00:25:26,983
whether he's able to, to stop
any kind of German push deeper
370
00:25:26,983 --> 00:25:29,778
into Hatten and whether there's
going to be any reinforcements
371
00:25:29,778 --> 00:25:32,280
in a reasonable amount of time.
372
00:25:35,283 --> 00:25:38,161
Meanwhile at Pillbox nine,
373
00:25:38,161 --> 00:25:41,957
Captain William Corson waits for
dark to sneak back into Hatten.
374
00:25:43,875 --> 00:25:46,586
He moves to an aperture to
observe the German assault and
375
00:25:46,586 --> 00:25:49,506
gauge the status of
the nearby Pillboxes.
376
00:25:51,466 --> 00:25:54,803
He hopes when he gets back to the village,
with access to a radio,
377
00:25:54,803 --> 00:25:58,265
he can call in artillery positions,
send ammunition,
378
00:25:58,265 --> 00:26:00,850
and alleviate the
pressure on the Pillbox.
379
00:26:05,105 --> 00:26:09,693
Without warning, an artillery blast
hits the turret and sends Corson flying.
380
00:26:20,787 --> 00:26:21,997
As the sun sets,
381
00:26:21,997 --> 00:26:25,709
German Panzergrenadiers
close in on Pillbox nine.
382
00:26:26,376 --> 00:26:28,044
As an elite infantry unit,
383
00:26:28,044 --> 00:26:31,214
Oberstleutnant Karl Proll�s
troops fill the gaps between
384
00:26:31,214 --> 00:26:33,466
tanks and other armor
with their weapons
385
00:26:33,466 --> 00:26:36,303
and respond quickly
as the battle evolves.
386
00:26:40,473 --> 00:26:44,853
Armor is rarely effective
in fighting directly against bunkers.
387
00:26:44,853 --> 00:26:48,607
Much better, suited
are armored infantry,
388
00:26:48,607 --> 00:26:52,277
or Panzergrenadiers, because
when they fought dismounted,
389
00:26:52,277 --> 00:26:56,114
{\an8}they can recognize better the
weak spot in the defense system
390
00:26:56,114 --> 00:26:59,701
{\an8}and also protect
tanks in the flanks.
391
00:27:11,254 --> 00:27:12,839
With Captain Corson wounded,
392
00:27:12,839 --> 00:27:16,509
Sergeant Alvin Cahoon
faces difficult choices.
393
00:27:19,137 --> 00:27:21,931
The intensity of the
German fire increases.
394
00:27:26,603 --> 00:27:28,938
With the men outside
running out of ammunition
395
00:27:28,938 --> 00:27:30,940
and the wounded piling up,
396
00:27:30,940 --> 00:27:34,944
Cahoon orders them to return to
the relative safety of the bunker.
397
00:27:36,529 --> 00:27:37,822
We tend to think
of these bunkers
398
00:27:37,822 --> 00:27:39,407
and Pillboxes in World War II
399
00:27:39,407 --> 00:27:42,452
as these incredible,
impervious fortifications.
400
00:27:42,452 --> 00:27:44,579
But I think it's important to
kind of step back and remember,
401
00:27:44,579 --> 00:27:47,624
there's just scared
groups of men in there.
402
00:27:47,624 --> 00:27:53,296
And their view of the world is really
limited to the small apertures they got.
403
00:27:58,259 --> 00:28:01,304
In the darkness, Cahoon
and his men hear sounds around,
404
00:28:01,304 --> 00:28:03,807
and on the roof of their bunker.
405
00:28:16,236 --> 00:28:20,198
Trapped inside the Pillbox, they
listen as German engineers stuff
406
00:28:20,198 --> 00:28:22,867
explosives down
the ventilation tubes.
407
00:28:24,619 --> 00:28:25,912
Between the time
they were built in the 1930s
408
00:28:26,371 --> 00:28:30,583
{\an8}and the time they saw
combat in 1945, in many cases,
409
00:28:30,583 --> 00:28:33,837
{\an8}the German army had come in and stripped
out a lot of the steel work
410
00:28:34,254 --> 00:28:37,882
to be put into the Atlantic wall
along the Normandy coast.
411
00:28:37,882 --> 00:28:40,301
And so, they suddenly
became vulnerable to attacks
412
00:28:40,301 --> 00:28:42,345
from unusual directions.
413
00:28:42,345 --> 00:28:46,725
On some of these bunkers, the ventilation
shafts could be an Achilles heel.
414
00:28:48,017 --> 00:28:50,562
Cahoon has
no way to fight back.
415
00:28:50,562 --> 00:28:53,815
If the explosives detonate,
they won�t survive.
416
00:28:55,442 --> 00:28:57,944
He's run out of ammo,
he's not in communication with
417
00:28:57,944 --> 00:29:00,989
larger units that he knows
are going to come and help him.
418
00:29:00,989 --> 00:29:03,116
He can't get his
people out of there.
419
00:29:06,161 --> 00:29:08,747
He consults with
his Captain William Corson,
420
00:29:08,747 --> 00:29:10,749
who�s injured, but alive.
421
00:29:11,875 --> 00:29:13,168
The Germans
are basically everywhere,
422
00:29:13,168 --> 00:29:15,170
and he feels
there's no purpose in,
423
00:29:15,170 --> 00:29:18,673
{\an8}you know, just dying there and
destroying the lives of his men.
424
00:29:18,673 --> 00:29:20,884
{\an8}And so, he decides to surrender.
425
00:29:29,225 --> 00:29:31,227
Corson agrees.
426
00:29:38,735 --> 00:29:41,654
Cahoon shouts to the
Germans on the roof.
427
00:29:45,492 --> 00:29:48,870
The remains of A Company
file out of Pillbox nine with
428
00:29:48,870 --> 00:29:51,414
their wounded
comrades and commander.
429
00:29:56,920 --> 00:29:59,839
As the last of the Maginot Line
defenders in the sector,
430
00:29:59,839 --> 00:30:02,300
they�re captured
as prisoners of war.
431
00:30:07,222 --> 00:30:10,433
With the American resistance eliminated
outside of the village,
432
00:30:10,433 --> 00:30:13,520
the Germans can
sweep into Hatten unopposed.
433
00:30:19,609 --> 00:30:22,195
On the
night of January 9th, 1945,
434
00:30:22,195 --> 00:30:24,614
in northeastern France,
435
00:30:27,116 --> 00:30:29,452
the new main line of
resistance for U.S. forces
436
00:30:29,452 --> 00:30:32,747
in the region becomes
the village of Hatten itself.
437
00:30:37,418 --> 00:30:39,504
{\an8}After the fall of Pillbox nine,
438
00:30:39,504 --> 00:30:41,965
{\an8}command posts of
the first and second Battalions,
439
00:30:41,965 --> 00:30:44,509
{\an8}242nd Infantry Regiment,
440
00:30:44,509 --> 00:30:47,387
{\an8}still hold the line in
the eastern part of town.
441
00:30:49,097 --> 00:30:51,266
But they need reinforcements.
442
00:30:53,810 --> 00:30:55,812
When the Germans
launched one of these local attacks,
443
00:30:55,812 --> 00:30:57,981
the Americans then react
and then they come back
444
00:30:57,981 --> 00:31:00,817
with more stuff,
more firepower, more people.
445
00:31:00,817 --> 00:31:03,278
{\an8}So, it's a
very uncomplicated, unambiguous.
446
00:31:03,695 --> 00:31:06,948
{\an8}Go back in, take the town and just sort of
reverse the situation.
447
00:31:08,950 --> 00:31:11,578
In the meantime,
first Battalion relocates its
448
00:31:11,578 --> 00:31:15,415
command post away from the church to a
more secure position.
449
00:31:20,086 --> 00:31:22,547
Private First-Class
Vito Bertoldo volunteers to
450
00:31:22,547 --> 00:31:26,009
remain on guard duty through
the night to cover the move.
451
00:31:32,849 --> 00:31:34,851
Why does he do it?
452
00:31:34,851 --> 00:31:37,687
I would doubt that he does
it because he has a death wish.
453
00:31:38,938 --> 00:31:44,068
But I think that he�s ready to embrace
death if that�s what it takes.
454
00:31:44,068 --> 00:31:47,614
And that is a really
amazing thing to consider.
455
00:31:51,743 --> 00:31:54,412
Just after dawn,
the Germans are first off
456
00:31:54,412 --> 00:31:58,583
the mark and launch their own
attack before the Americans get started.
457
00:31:59,959 --> 00:32:02,962
The Germans are eager
to push the Americans out of Hatten
458
00:32:02,962 --> 00:32:06,090
and advance further
towards Strasbourg.
459
00:32:06,507 --> 00:32:10,136
{\an8}It has got a very
high symbolical value.
460
00:32:10,136 --> 00:32:13,973
The capital of Alsace
should remain German,
461
00:32:13,973 --> 00:32:17,185
this is the way the Nazis think.
462
00:32:24,192 --> 00:32:27,695
Arriving American reinforcements
block the German advance,
463
00:32:29,030 --> 00:32:31,074
but can�t push far
enough into Hatten to relieve
464
00:32:31,074 --> 00:32:33,368
Bertoldo and the command posts.
465
00:32:40,124 --> 00:32:45,129
As the day wears on, Bertoldo remains in
his position in front of the minefield.
466
00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:58,184
German troops try repeatedly
to clear the mines which block
467
00:32:58,184 --> 00:33:00,937
the road and
hold back the tanks.
468
00:33:04,607 --> 00:33:09,320
Bertoldo uses bursts from his
machine gun to drive them off.
469
00:33:17,328 --> 00:33:20,456
The German soldiers
scatter and the tank backs away.
470
00:33:23,084 --> 00:33:27,547
Bertoldo and his assistant gunner
reload and wait for the next assault.
471
00:33:28,923 --> 00:33:30,133
Bertoldo and his buddy are,
472
00:33:30,133 --> 00:33:32,385
you know, chalking on the
wall or writing on the wall,
473
00:33:32,385 --> 00:33:35,888
to keep track of the damage
they think they've inflicted.
474
00:33:35,888 --> 00:33:38,266
If that helped pass the time,
475
00:33:38,266 --> 00:33:39,392
if that helped
keep the, the mind,
476
00:33:39,392 --> 00:33:42,478
you know, all good, great.
477
00:33:43,938 --> 00:33:48,985
All of a sudden,
the lull is shattered,
478
00:33:48,985 --> 00:33:50,945
and the room ripped apart.
479
00:33:50,945 --> 00:33:53,948
A blast knocks Bertoldo down.
480
00:33:57,827 --> 00:34:01,414
After the explosion he crawls over to aid
his assistant gunner,
481
00:34:01,414 --> 00:34:03,624
despite being injured himself.
482
00:34:07,587 --> 00:34:10,465
His buddy is
pretty badly wounded, and so,
483
00:34:10,465 --> 00:34:13,760
he helps patch him
up and get him out of there,
484
00:34:14,177 --> 00:34:16,262
all of which had
to be very difficult.
485
00:34:22,018 --> 00:34:25,730
With his assistant out of harm�s
way and the dust clearing,
486
00:34:25,730 --> 00:34:31,611
Bertoldo looks out and sees the
barrel of an enemy tank
487
00:34:31,611 --> 00:34:33,654
which had crept up a side road.
488
00:34:34,947 --> 00:34:39,744
Before he can act, the
tank bursts into flames.
489
00:34:41,871 --> 00:34:43,873
An American bazooka
team on the second floor
490
00:34:43,873 --> 00:34:46,459
scores a direct hit.
491
00:34:48,086 --> 00:34:51,005
Blazing, the panzer
kicks into reverse.
492
00:34:54,050 --> 00:34:56,928
Bertoldo opens up
with his machine gun.
493
00:35:00,264 --> 00:35:03,017
There's
an anger side to what he does.
494
00:35:06,354 --> 00:35:07,855
It's time to inflict damage
on the Germans because of what
495
00:35:07,855 --> 00:35:10,024
they had done to his buddy.
496
00:35:11,984 --> 00:35:14,195
The battle's just become
personal for Bertoldo.
497
00:35:21,369 --> 00:35:22,954
Holding them
responsible for the wounds
498
00:35:22,954 --> 00:35:24,747
suffered by his
assistant gunner,
499
00:35:24,747 --> 00:35:27,291
Private First-Class
Vito Bertoldo targets
500
00:35:27,792 --> 00:35:30,628
the German soldiers
who flee the burning tank.
501
00:35:45,059 --> 00:35:48,187
By 2300 hours on January 10th,
502
00:35:50,398 --> 00:35:55,194
orders come down for the remains of the
242nd Infantry Regiment
503
00:35:55,194 --> 00:35:59,490
to retreat from Hatten to the
safety of another village to the west.
504
00:36:00,241 --> 00:36:02,451
The depleted battalions
have held out since the attack
505
00:36:02,451 --> 00:36:04,871
started early the day before.
506
00:36:06,289 --> 00:36:07,832
They come
back in small groups.
507
00:36:07,832 --> 00:36:10,710
They're, one person
covering another,
508
00:36:10,710 --> 00:36:13,754
filtering through the buildings,
going through the shadows.
509
00:36:13,754 --> 00:36:15,089
Take it out with a grenade.
510
00:36:15,089 --> 00:36:17,425
However you can escape,
you are going to do it.
511
00:36:17,425 --> 00:36:18,843
Move! Move! Move!
512
00:36:18,843 --> 00:36:20,386
To add
to the confusion,
513
00:36:20,386 --> 00:36:23,681
replacement units fight their
way forward at the same time.
514
00:36:34,859 --> 00:36:37,195
Bertoldo, now
without his assistant,
515
00:36:37,195 --> 00:36:42,116
once more volunteers to provide covering
fire for the retreating troops.
516
00:36:43,951 --> 00:36:47,246
{\an8}The looming question for anybody
who's covering withdrawal is,
517
00:36:47,246 --> 00:36:48,623
{\an8}you know, when the time comes,
518
00:36:48,623 --> 00:36:51,125
{\an8}am I myself going to
be able to get away?
519
00:36:53,836 --> 00:36:55,546
In the dark,
German soldiers reach
520
00:36:55,546 --> 00:36:59,800
the battalion command post and
advance beneath Bertoldo�s line of fire.
521
00:37:01,552 --> 00:37:05,514
From this position, he doesn�t have a
shot with his machine gun.
522
00:37:11,062 --> 00:37:14,398
Instead, he reaches for
some phosphorus grenades.
523
00:37:16,567 --> 00:37:19,320
Weapons containing the
element phosphorus are often
524
00:37:19,320 --> 00:37:22,365
used to create
smokescreens for concealment.
525
00:37:23,699 --> 00:37:27,161
When phosphorus comes into
contact with oxygen in the air,
526
00:37:27,161 --> 00:37:29,956
it ignites spontaneously
and burns at temperatures over
527
00:37:30,414 --> 00:37:34,335
1,400 degrees Fahrenheit
to create thick smoke.
528
00:37:36,128 --> 00:37:38,673
Phosphorus grenades and
artillery rounds can also be
529
00:37:38,673 --> 00:37:42,301
used as an incendiary
to set targets on fire.
530
00:37:42,468 --> 00:37:45,263
Humans are often
caught up in the flames.
531
00:37:45,263 --> 00:37:47,014
It's
a terrifying weapon too,
532
00:37:47,014 --> 00:37:49,475
because it doesn't take
much to cause some damage.
533
00:37:49,475 --> 00:37:53,229
The white phosphorous grenade
has a pretty decent radius of,
534
00:37:53,229 --> 00:37:56,732
you know, 20 or so yards in
which the shards could come
535
00:37:56,732 --> 00:37:59,777
and get on you and start to
burn through your skin.
536
00:38:00,403 --> 00:38:02,363
While water
puts the flames out,
537
00:38:02,363 --> 00:38:05,491
phosphorus will
reignite when it evaporates.
538
00:38:23,175 --> 00:38:26,429
Soldiers scatter
from Bertoldo�s salvo.
539
00:38:29,015 --> 00:38:31,809
The Germans must eliminate the
American opposition which still
540
00:38:31,809 --> 00:38:33,811
holds up their advance.
541
00:38:39,900 --> 00:38:43,404
And once more,
Bertoldo�s thrown from his feet.
542
00:38:45,364 --> 00:38:46,699
It's
possible that maybe there is,
543
00:38:46,699 --> 00:38:51,495
on the German side, somebody directing the
fire of the tank to where he is.
544
00:38:51,495 --> 00:38:53,873
Especially after the
white phosphorous grenades
545
00:38:53,873 --> 00:38:57,960
have come into play, and this creates
perhaps more urgency to get the guy.
546
00:38:59,211 --> 00:39:02,048
A German tank
has locked on to his window.
547
00:39:04,550 --> 00:39:07,136
Concussion again had to be terrific.
548
00:39:07,136 --> 00:39:10,056
I don't know what it
meant on an auditory level,
549
00:39:10,056 --> 00:39:13,851
but it couldn't have done anything
good for his ears and his hearing.
550
00:39:15,311 --> 00:39:19,148
But of course, more immediate, for him,
is it destroys his glasses.
551
00:39:20,232 --> 00:39:23,110
And renders
his machine gun inoperable.
552
00:39:23,110 --> 00:39:26,364
Bertoldo refuses to concede.
553
00:39:26,364 --> 00:39:31,035
He switches to a rifle and continues
to target German soldiers in the street.
554
00:39:39,335 --> 00:39:41,712
Bertoldo has
fought with everything he has.
555
00:39:41,712 --> 00:39:44,215
He's used some nice,
innovative thinking.
556
00:39:44,215 --> 00:39:47,468
He's brought plenty
of courage to the table.
557
00:40:09,532 --> 00:40:11,909
Finally, after
defending the minefield for
558
00:40:11,909 --> 00:40:16,455
two days, Bertoldo is
told to withdraw himself.
559
00:40:42,565 --> 00:40:46,277
Bertoldo and members of
the 242nd Infantry Regiment,
560
00:40:46,277 --> 00:40:49,238
prevent the Germans from
sweeping through Hatten.
561
00:40:53,576 --> 00:40:57,204
The grueling battle continues in
the village for ten more days.
562
00:40:59,206 --> 00:41:02,418
The delay thwarts the
march to recapture Strasbourg.
563
00:41:04,003 --> 00:41:09,133
Fighting throughout January
in 1945 is absolutely vicious.
564
00:41:09,133 --> 00:41:12,428
{\an8}There's bitter street to street,
house to house fighting.
565
00:41:12,428 --> 00:41:14,930
And of course not only is
this terribly destructive for
566
00:41:14,930 --> 00:41:18,726
the population, but also for the
infrastructure of these beautiful towns.
567
00:41:18,726 --> 00:41:20,811
Some of them are
completely destroyed.
568
00:41:21,437 --> 00:41:23,689
Himmler�s
plan ultimately fails,
569
00:41:23,689 --> 00:41:26,400
and he can�t deliver Strasbourg
to the Fuhrer to commemorate
570
00:41:26,400 --> 00:41:29,653
the 12th anniversary
of the third Reich.
571
00:41:31,989 --> 00:41:35,034
This doesn't hinder
Hitler from promoting Himmler
572
00:41:35,034 --> 00:41:40,080
again to take over command of army
group Weichsel on the eastern front.
573
00:41:40,080 --> 00:41:43,584
{\an8}So, Himmler pursues his
military career despite the fact
574
00:41:43,584 --> 00:41:46,837
{\an8}that he has utterly
failed in his first job.
575
00:41:48,631 --> 00:41:50,216
Captain William Corson,
576
00:41:50,216 --> 00:41:54,345
Sergeant Alvin Cahoon, Private First-Class
Glenn Schmidt
577
00:41:54,345 --> 00:41:57,890
and the other Americans captured at
Pillbox nine serve out the war
578
00:41:57,890 --> 00:42:00,226
in prisoner of war camps.
579
00:42:03,562 --> 00:42:07,149
First Battalion of the 242nd
earns a distinguished unit
580
00:42:07,149 --> 00:42:10,277
citation for their
staunch defense of Hatten,
581
00:42:10,861 --> 00:42:14,865
to acknowledge the casualties of
more than 500 men and officers,
582
00:42:14,865 --> 00:42:17,952
nearly 70% of the
rookie battalion�s strength.
583
00:42:22,289 --> 00:42:28,087
Oberstleutnant Karl Proll continues
the attack into Hatten until January 19th.
584
00:42:28,212 --> 00:42:32,925
His first Battalion is also devastated,
with only 100 survivors.
585
00:42:33,842 --> 00:42:37,388
He earns the Iron Cross with
oak leaves for the operation
586
00:42:37,388 --> 00:42:41,642
and the citation reports he
repelled 35 American attacks.
587
00:42:42,726 --> 00:42:45,604
They announce the honor
before the end of January.
588
00:42:46,272 --> 00:42:47,940
There can
be various reasons for that.
589
00:42:47,940 --> 00:42:51,735
First, one might be that his
performance was so outstanding
590
00:42:51,735 --> 00:42:56,115
that it was clear cut that he must be
awarded with this higher decoration.
591
00:42:56,115 --> 00:42:59,118
Or quite often,
it�s the contrary.
592
00:42:59,118 --> 00:43:01,287
The Germans just
want to conceal, um,
593
00:43:01,287 --> 00:43:04,832
an actual defeat, but award
someone with a higher medal
594
00:43:04,832 --> 00:43:07,918
so that it looks
like a heroic defeat.
595
00:43:10,004 --> 00:43:12,381
Private First-Class Vito Bertoldo earns
596
00:43:12,381 --> 00:43:16,677
the highest award; the
Congressional Medal of Honor
597
00:43:16,677 --> 00:43:19,430
for his tenacity and bravery.
598
00:43:21,682 --> 00:43:24,685
His commanding officer,
Captain William Corson learns of
599
00:43:24,685 --> 00:43:28,188
the award from the newspapers,
when he returns stateside.
600
00:43:28,731 --> 00:43:34,069
His ne�er-do-well cook had proved
himself a formidable soldier.
601
00:43:35,904 --> 00:43:37,781
It had to be a
bit of a head spinner.
602
00:43:37,781 --> 00:43:40,659
"How did I, get
this guy so wrong?�
603
00:43:41,702 --> 00:43:43,120
Hitler�s operations;
604
00:43:43,120 --> 00:43:48,626
{\an8}Wacht am Rhein and Nordwind
continue into January of 1945,
605
00:43:48,626 --> 00:43:52,755
{\an8}but they don�t deal the decisive blow
Hitler had hoped for.
606
00:43:52,755 --> 00:43:56,300
{\an8}Instead they�re forced back to
the German border to prepare
607
00:43:56,300 --> 00:44:00,679
{\an8}and make the Allies pay heavily for
every advance onto German soil.
608
00:44:03,724 --> 00:44:07,811
{\an8}The war in Europe will still rage f
or another three and a half months.
609
00:44:10,811 --> 00:44:14,811
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