The Longest Day

Lt-Col Benjamin Vandervoort: [addressing soldiers before embarkation] You can't give the enemy a break. Send him to hell. Father Louis Rolland: [addressing congregation] In the heart of the darkness, in the deepest of the night, we must never lose hope. Let us keep our faith intact, steadfast! For each of us, deliverance is coming. Gen. Günther Blumentritt: [to aide about a lack of response on the release of panzer reserves to counter the impending invasion] We are living an historical moment. We are going to lose the war because the glorious Fuhrer has taken a sleeping pill... [smirks and raises a finger]... and is not to be awakened. It's unbelievable. Think of it Kurt, don't ever forget it. We are witnessing something which historians will always say is completely improbable... and yet it is true. [fumes] The Fuhrer is not to be awakened!!! I sometimes wonder which side God is on. Flight Officer David Campbell: He's dead. I'm crippled. You're lost. Suppose it's always like that? I m

The Longest Day, CC BY-SA 4.0

We need mines and obstacles along the whole coast. On every beach, in every dune, on every cliff. How many have been installed so far?<br>Adjutant Lang: Approximately four million, Herr Feldmarschall.<br>Rommel: Until May it must be six! Six million!<br>Oberstleutnant Hans von Salmuth: Our men have been operating without a pause, Herr Feldmarschall. There can be no talk about training or rest. The troop is completely exhausted.<br>Rommel: My dear Herr von Salmuth, what would your men rather like to be: exhausted or dead? [marches in front of the coastline] Just have a look at this, gentlemen ... how calm, how peaceful this is. A small strip of water between England and the continent, between the Allies and us. - But behind that peaceful horizon ... a monster! A solid mass of men, ships and planes which is lying in wait to be released upon us. But gentlemen, not one man of the Allies shall set foot upon the beach. Not one soldier of the Allies will ever reach the shore. This invasion, g

The Longest Day, CC BY-SA 4.0

Adjutant: Have you finished the plan, Herr General? Gen. Erich Marcks: Yes, quite. Quite finished. [puts compass on map] War games! Theoretical invasions! To go all the way to Rennes, just to push little flags around a table with other generals. The invasion in a sandbox! Adjutant: Winning or losing, Herr General? Marcks: Have I ever lost? Adjutant: It's just that Herr General will be playing the role of Eisenhower this time. Marcks: I will win because I go against the rules, Schiller! [shines light at map] We expect them to attack at Pas-de-Calais, at the narrowest point of the Channel, don't we! And in good weather, too! But that's too simple, my dear. It's far too obvious. I choose the farthest distance, and when the weather is at its worst! I'll attack here!... In Normandy. And in bad weather! Like now... In bad weather!

The Longest Day, CC BY-SA 4.0

Adjutant: A brilliant plan, Herr General. Unorthodox, but brilliant. Gen. Erich Marcks: Well, fortunately it's just a game. I don't think we need to worry too much. Eisenhower would never risk such a gambit. Never!

The Longest Day, CC BY-SA 4.0

MG Raymond Barton: You're putting me on the spot. BG Teddy Roosevelt Jr: I didn't mean to, Tubby. Barton: The hell you didn't. You put that request in writing, made it official. You're the assistant division commander. Roosevelt: And that's why I'm supposed to go ashore in the first wave. That's where I'm supposed to be. You know that. Barton: You're important to this operation. We can't have you knocked off on the first day. Roosevelt: But that's not the real reason. Isn't it because my father was president of the United States? Barton: And a great president. And a great soldier. He led the charge of the Rough Riders up San Juan Hill. So now you've got to be the first man ashore on Utah Beach. Roosevelt: But that's where I'm supposed to be, Tubby. That's my job. Also, I've been there side by side with the men all through training. They're used to seeing where I belong. They have a right to expect me there. President's son or not. Is my request denied? Barton: No, you know it's not. Re

The Longest Day, CC BY-SA 4.0

[to the phone] Just a moment, Herr Oberst. [to his superior] I wonder why he hasn't been court-martialled yet.<br>General Wolfgang Häger: First of all, he has shot down 132 planes. [into the phone, jovially] Hello, Pips, my old boy!<br>Oberst Josef Priller: [sarcastically, irritably] Now don't try to get me this way: "Pips, my old boy!" My dear Hart, you were an abysmal pilot when we were in Russia together. Now you're directing from a desk - BUT YOU'RE STILL AN ABYSMAL PILOT!<br>Häger: [with strained amusement] Excuse me? What are you talking about?<br>Priller: I'm just talking about me sitting on this empty, God-forsaken airfield near Lille, with only two planes left ... two pathetic bangers! - [takes a drink; sarcastically] Yes, yes - your orders were followed to the letter, that means that my three squadrons are flitting around God-knows-where! Ground crews, supplies, everything is ferried around by truck. So can you tell me what I'm still supposed to do here?!<br>Häger: [irritably

The Longest Day, CC BY-SA 4.0