I Watch Films: The Battle Of The Bulge
The Battle Of The Bulge In December 1944 Colonel Kiley (Henry Fonda) is taking a reconnaissance flight looking for the German Army in the Ardennes. He spots a German Staff car with Colonel Hessler (Robert Shaw) – the driver spooked by this drives off the road where he is reprimanded by Hessler for wasting petrol. Continuing Hessler meets his new boss General Kohler. Kohler explains that weather conditions are going to ground the Allied air force allowing the Germans to make a counter attack; Hessler is cynical but determined and is heartened by being given a brigade of brand new King Tiger tanks. However the crews are inexperienced – most of the men he led in previous battles have been killed. He’s also briefly confused by Lt Schumacher and his men who are disguised as American troops; they will operate behind American lines to capture objectives before they can be destroyed. Kiley tells his boss the Germans are preparing an attack but this is dismissed. He goes out to the ...
