Cast a Giant Shadow Page #9

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They wanted to fight.|It's a little different now.

The Arab Legion won't move out.

They're just playing|for time till the truce.

Now you've got to regroup,|reorganize and attack.

I must think of my men.

You saw yourself, our boys are worn out.

We're all worn out, but we'll do it.

We made it across the|Red Sea, didn't we?

It's the first time|I ever heard you say "we".

Yeah.

You people...

Pipsqueak nation...

Tin-can army that fights|with seltzer bottles.

"We. "

All my life,|I've been looking for where I belong.

Turns out it's here.

The Catskill Mountains with Arabs.

I've been so angry at the world...

...ever since I was circumcised|without my permission.

All of a sudden,|I find out I'm not so special after all.

Everybody here is in the same boat|and nobody's bellyaching.

Okay.

"Stand up and be counted," the man said.

"Grow up," is more like it.

I'm not fighting anymore|because I'm ashamed of being a Jew.

I'm fighting because I'm stiff-necked|and proud of it.

Next week, Asher.|Next week in Jerusalem.

Aluf Stone.

Aluf Stone, an old|friend wants to see you.

Salaam aleikum.

-Shalom.|- I bring a gift.

What's this?

Camels.

We have been told of your road|on which your trucks cannot move.

Thank you for your generous gift.

We appreciate what you're doing for us|but let me try to show you the problem.

You see, the heavy artillery on that hill|commands this entire valley.

There is no way around|for trucks or camels.

Don't worry, I did not steal|the finest camels in the entire desert...

...to have them butchered by Abdullah...

Yes, but perhaps you're not|familiar with the land here and...

I am not familiar?

I was having women in these hills|when your father was sucking milk...

...and your mother was...|- Take a look at this.

What is this?

- This is what we call|a relief map of Latrun.

- Latrun?|- That's the fort. This is a road...

Latrun...

...Hulda.|- That's right.

Beit Jiz.

- Bab El Wad.|- Abu Ghosh.

- Jerusalem.|- Exactly.

- What child did this?|- What do you mean?

- This hill doesn't exist.|- No, let him.

This hill is over here.

And there is an old wadi through here...

...that cannot be seen from Latrun.

Asher, listen to this:

Since you have taken|the village of Beit Jiz...

...my camels can move through here.

There's another way through|these hills to Jerusalem.

The Palmach boys|have already found this wadi.

It's barely wide enough for a jeep...

...and it ends against|the bottom of a cliff.

And they'll come out here.

The other side of Bab El Wad.

Fifty camels couldn't move|enough supplies in a week...

...to feed Jerusalem for half a day.

Who is this idiot?

Are you sure the wadi's|big enough to build a road?

- To take those heavy trucks to Jerusalem?|- Yes.

Build the road in a week?

The cliffs in that area|are over 250 feet high.

Allah Azlml If one of my men|spoke to me in this way...

...I would draw my knife|and make him a eunuch.

Let's see this wadi of yours.

But perhaps in his case,|it has already been done.

We can at least take a look.

Stop!

You see?

The Jerusalem road is only 1,000 meters|the other side of this little bump.

All right, let's get closer.

Let's push.

Okay, all together.

Don't be daft. You're wasting your time.

Even if you could blast a road for|trucks, you'd never make it up this.

You'd have to build a mile of switchback|and take over that next hill there.

- It would take a year.|- Who the hell are you?

Capt. MacAfee.

He came to us by way of the Scots|Guards, but he's our best engineer.

Hopefully, one of your worst prophets.

Mr. MacAfee, during the 14th century...

...Spanish troops carved 200|steps up a cliff in a single night.

Aye, but we don't have any trucks|that can climb steps.

- Boys, move right back there.|- If one of my men...

Don't tempt me. Mr. MacAfee,|will you come this way, please?

There's going to be a road|up this little bump, see?

Now, I'll start the job.

You figure out a way to finish it...

...or one of these rocks will have|your name on it and tomorrow's date.

To use the colorful local vernacular,|what kind of a schnook do you think I am?

Who's going to build a road|up these cliffs in a week?

The schnooks, Capt. MacAfee.

The army of the schnooks.

If the Arab Legion finds out|what's going on here...

...they'll turn those guns around|and blast the hell out of them.

Do they know that?

They know.

Why do they come?

I'm still trying to figure out why you came.

Okay, keep working, boys.|Get your backs into it.

That's the stuff. Keep going, lads.

Mac, you've got to get going on that road.|You can't feed Jerusalem on piggyback.

It's a very big bump.

But they're starving to death|on the other side of it.

Put out that light, somebody! Kill it!

They're moving up hill 49...

...half a mile from our road.

It's the first time they've|sent out patrols at night.

The Legion is pulling back.

Let's hope they stay back. Four days.

Then the UN freezes the lines.

We'll have to risk working|days as well as nights.

From your wife?

I know the handwriting.

My heart freezes when I see it.

Emma's seen the newspaper|stories about the fighting.

She doesn't know where I am|or what I'm doing, but...

...she doesn't want me to|have any more problems, so...

...she'll give me a divorce.

If you've forgotten,|that means "I love you. "

Don't hate me for loving you so much.

Don't hate me for loving you so much.

Welcome.

Sorry I'm late, gentlemen.

- How do you like our Burma road?|- What road?

- How many trucks did you get up this cliff?|- I don't know the exact number...

Under their own power?

- What?|- You heard me.

You certainly get good information.

Yes, we've been hauling them,|but last night we finished the last stretch.

I could drive it myself now. It's a cinch.

Then would you explain that to us?

I don't like to be skeptic, Col. Stone.

The United Nations has a delicate|and difficult task here...

...if it is to retain|international respect.

If that road is passable to heavy traffic,|the siege of Jerusalem is broken.

That's right.

The question is, is it passable?

Of course it is. Excuse me. Mr. MacAfee!

They still can't climb steps.

None of the drivers are happy about|taking another crack at it, not after that.

They won't budge.

- How long to get that truck on the road?|- An hour, maybe two.

Get that bulldozer and|shove it off the cliff.

- But look...|- Shove it off!

Okay! Get that bulldozer up behind|the lorry and shove it right over!

Right over!

All right, let's get that jeep back.

Come on, let's get the show on the road.

Right, back you go.

That's fine.

Come on, move up in the back there!|Okay, move!

Right up here! Come on, go!

What's he playing at?

There's nothing to it.|It's just a Sunday drive.

Jerusalem.

All right, you understand.|We have no choice. Come on.

Don't hurt my highway.

You've got plenty of room.

See?

As long as we don't run into any traffic.

Do you think I learned|Hebrew since yesterday?

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