Cast a Giant Shadow Page #3

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As I understand it, you're a|lawyer in the American army...

...judge advocate's office,|behind a desk, unless I'm mistaken.

Asher... Is that really|your first name? Asher?

Yes, that really is my first name.

Asher, take that chip off your shoulder.

If you know so much about me...

...you may know that I toured this entire|area with Gen. Marshall after the last war.

I know the Arab leaders hate each|other more than they hate you.

Their soldiers have nothing to die for|and don't trust each other.

If you people can pull together,|you have a fighting chance.

But it's going to take organization|and an operational plan of battle.

I happen to serve on the general staff|of the largest army in the Western world.

Whatever I learned behind that desk...

...might be useful to you.

Now, do you want me to go or stay?

I haven't unpacked my bags.

You must be hungry. It's nearly 3:00 a. m.

I'm sorry, vegetables and sour cream.

You see...

...most of our people are vegetarians.

They've seen too many|slaughterhouses of every kind.

- You haven't answered my question.|- Yes, I have.

We need all the help we can get.

All right, Asher.

Let's level.

You and your Haganah|can't win this fight sitting in a cellar.

I understand your commandos,|the Palmach, are already on the attack.

Before they're ready.

Their leaders are too impulsive and|their training is a walk after lunch.

Okay, let's take inventory.|You've got no guns.

You've got no uniforms.|You've got no rank...

...and had less maneuvers|than our Campfire Girls.

Your Palmach and your Haganah|hate each other's guts.

And in three months' time,|the roof caves in.

What've you been doing|here the last 50 years?

If you have an army, where is it?

Asher! Asher!

- They've spotted the Ashkelon.|- Already?

British troops are going to|the beach to stop the landing.

- What's the Ashkelon?|- It's Andre's ship, my husband.

She's full of immigrants|looking for a home.

They slipped by the British at night.|We thought they were safe.

Palmahim Beach will be the landing area.

Tell all the girls, get on the phones.

Mr. Stone, if you'll come with me,|we'll show you the invisible.

Magda!

Andre!

- Mr. Stone, my husband Andre.|- How do you do?

This is the fourth ship|he's brought through.

It wasn't just me.|There's an engine in the boat.

- Andre...|-No one Is to leave this beach.

We are not the Gestapo,|ladles and gentlemen...

...there are laws of entry to this country|which we are under orders to enforce.

Please do not make It necessary|for us to use our arms.

But those entering Illegally must|be sent back to await their permits.

Look over there, sir.

Looks like Wembley Stadium getting out.

If they mix with the others,|we'll never sort them out.

Halt

You there

Civilians moving down to the beach area,|stop and go back.

Halt

All those landing from the sea...

...are warned to remain|separate from the others.

Let's change clothes!

- Change clothes!|- Change clothes!

Now let them sort us out.

All passengers from the Ashkelon|will step forward Immediately...

...or I shall be forced to|order these men to open fire.

The first volley will be a|warning. If you do not move...

...the second volley will follow|In exactly 10 seconds.

Prepare to fire

Fire

One...

...two...

...three...

...four...

...five...

...six...

...seven...

...eight...

...nine...

...ten.

Now's the time to find out|if we're bloody Nazis or not.

Such a stubborn people.

All right, men, stand at ease.

Now I suppose they'll start dancing.

You see? This is my army.

- The camp of the Palmach...|- Your commandos.

...is in these mountains.|Mount Canaan, someplace.

- It has been secret even from me.|- That is a secret.

Remember, if we are stopped|by a British patrol...

...we are off for a|weekend in the country.

And you're my sister.

Do you have good sex with your wife?

What goes on in that pretty head of yours?

Andre's not very good in bed.

Just close your eyes|and tell the doctor everything.

We will rendezvous at Madj El-Kurum,|10 kilometers from here.

Andre has gone ahead...

...so we'll be warned|if there is any trouble.

You're a very important man.

- And you resent it.|- Of course.

Andre is my husband.|He risked his life for a stranger.

I hope you are enjoying|your little adventure.

I am.

Andre has done enough.

You know, in this country, it's|unfortunately not unusual...

...but he has a number tattooed|on his right arm.

He escaped, one of the few.

I met him when I was running from Vienna.

He had no hope.

A dog has more hope.

So I gave him what hope was in me.|It was the least I could do.

I understand.

You couldn't.

You Americans,|how can you understand horror?

To you, horror is having a|bathroom outside the house.

You're from a country so rich...

...even your wars are rich wars...

Big guns, big airplanes.

Clean, clean wars.

Clean, clean wars.

Why this ride?|Why do you want 500 trucks?

Because I know you won't give me|500 ambulances.

I don't know how you talked yourself|out of the Pentagon again...

...and into Germany,|but while you're here, just do your job.

Sir, no one can do my job.

Why the hell not?

You told me to take a battalion in...

...and help liberate the first|camps that we came across.

That's right. Just give them all|the food they need and let them out.

You can't give people food|if they've forgotten how to eat.

You can't let them out anywhere|when they can't walk.

I've heard all the stories, but I haven't|seen anything to convince me...

General, will you get out|of this car for five minutes?

Is that an order, Colonel?

No, sir. It's a prayer.

Attention!

Those that are alive|weigh an average of 85 pounds.

Over there's a building|filled with ovens, still warm.

No one ever baked any bread in them.

Here, there are 3,200 corpses,|near as we can tell...

...that they didn't have time to bury.

- McCreedy!|- Yes, sir?

Give this insubordinate son of a b*tch|every truck and blanket in the Third Army.

I don't care who you|have to steal them from.

Yes, sir.

Clean, clean wars.

So how could you know?|How could you believe?

You couldn't ever understand.

Could you, Mr. Stone?

You're right.

I couldn't understand.

I never really could.

There's Andre.

Andre!

How are you? I've been worried.

Magda! Shalom!

- Everything all right?|- No problem yet.

- Hello.|- Shalom.

Who are your friends?

Ram Oren, commanding Yiftach Brigade|of the Palmach.

- Hello, Ram.|- No, that's Yussuf, his driver.

This one is Ram.

This must be the world's only army...

...where you can't tell the|officers without a program.

It must have lost something|in the translation.

They dance pretty well, for soldiers.|When do they train?

We leave the training for the|Haganah. We do the fighting.

The Palmach has never|lost an engagement, Mr. Stone.

Congratulations.|The party hasn't started yet.

Look, Arabs!

Those are our boys, dressed like|Arabs to infiltrate their lines.

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