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 front line where Major Wolenski (Charles Bronson) is stationed. They go out and capture some prisoners. They get them easily as they’re inexperienced. Kiley concludes the best men are being kept in reserve – for an offensive but again the general and the chief of staff dismiss him, the chief of staff starting the process to transfer him. They’re slightly puzzled by the Germans being equipped with rubber hoses.

The next day the Germans attack, taking everyone by surprise. The Americans are forced to retreat. Lt Schmacher’s unit cause chaos by misdirecting troops, and capture a bridge due to be destroyed. Amongst those retreating is Sergeant Guffy (Telly Savalas) a tank commander who finds his tank is inferior to the King Tigers*. He’s a black market dealer and he goes to his partner, a local named Louise, who he admits he loves. Meanwhile Wolenski’s men are sent the wrong way, captured and then massacred by the SS, though a couple escape.

The Americans make a stand at Amblève. Kohler orders Hessler to bypass the town to reach the objectives, but Hessler wants to break the Americans' will, so he gives him until morning. The Americans fight but are eventually overrun though not before the general and his staff including Kiley escape. Kiley takes a reconnaissance flight despite the dark and fog, and finds Hessler’s position; he’s shot down. Having radioed it out the General realises that the Germans are heading for a fuel depot; the rubber hoses the captured troops had are because they were ready to siphon every drop of petrol they came across. Meanwhile Hessler’s driver/valet asks if this will win the war. Hessler says no, it will let it go on, something that he looks forward to.

The General orders a counter-attack (counter-counter-attack?) in the open on the route to the fuel depot. This is very costly, but has the Germans down to their last dregs of petrol. He orders the fuel depot destroyed but Schumacher’s men have seized it. However Guffy, having picked up a survivor of the massacre and the wounded Kiley retreat to the depot and defeat them, destroying the fuel. The German tankers are forced to abandon their tanks and walk away, just in time for the weather to lift allowing for Allied air support.

In broad strokes, and allowing for dramatized scenes, this is essentially the outline of how the Battle of the Bulge aka The Ardennes Offensive occurred. However at the time (and to a certain extent to this day) exactly what happened and whose fault it was were disputed. Hence every character is fictional**. Meanwhile the incidents range from closely following history – especially the Malmedy massacre – to entirely made up. In particular the film, shot in Spain, has battle scenes that are in nice open fields, with good visibility. Perhaps a film that accurately showed the Ardennes – hilly, wooded, and at the time covered in heavy snow – would not be possible, yet worth noting.

Watch This: 1960s war film about grit, determination, and following your gut
Don’t Watch This: Lot of people riding around in tanks killing each other

* The King Tiger aka Royal Tiger aka Tiger II aka Tiger B aka Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B was an excellent tank, heavily armoured, heavily armed and surprisingly mobile for such a heavy machine. Early versions were unreliable, which was eventually solved but meant that they were not available in large numbers. This offensive was the greatest concentration of the war. They also drank fuel like it was going out of fashion.

** I think Eisenhower gets mentioned at one point, a pity they didn’t rename him too.