Sergeant Rivers, did you see?
I saw. Don't worry. I got some for 'em in response.
Going after that weak spot, remember? From Bastogne.
One hit right there,
then it's all she wrote for them Tiger tanks.
It's too hard of a shot, Rube.
One in a hundred million can get that shot.
Watch and learn.
Hey, Shel, one degree down.
I'm keeping this tank directly in front of that Tiger.
One degree down.
You're too far. It'll just bounce off.
Nah, not for this shot.
Impossible shot.
More German tanks coming in!
Prepare to fire on my command.
Yes, sir.
Loaded.
Not yet. Watch this.
No, no! Rivers!
Rivers, what are you doing? Come back!
Rivers, get out of there!
All tanks! Fire all guns!
Rivers!
Did Rivers make it out, Will?
Will, did he make it out?
I don't know, Ted.
There's German reinforcements everywhere.
Guess you're in charge now.
Will, we need to see about Rivers.
I know, I know.
764s, come in. This is Captain Hargrove.
764s, come in.
Captain Hargrove.
Sergeant McBurney, Black Panthers.
Reading you loud and clear, Sergeant McBurney.
New orders. Top priority.
You and what's left of the 761st Tank Division
are to report to the 87th in the town of Tillett
by 1100 tomorrow.
They've lost all their tanks
and you're the only division available.
The 87th is guarding Tillett.
Tillet?
Our last stronghold in the area.
They're under attack by Hitler's
top tank Commander General Adolf Heinrich.
If Heinrich takes Tillett, the war is lost.
Copy that, sir.
Tillet by 1100?
That's almost 100 miles away.
That gives us no time to refuel or to make repairs.
Top priority, Sergeant.
These orders come direct from Patton, do you understand?
Yes, sir.
Copy that, sir.
We're not going back for River's body, Will?
We can't, Ted.
Besides, we just got new orders.
I understand that, but Rivers...
I know who he was!
I feel it just like you do.
Will...
I'm pulling us out of here, Ted.
Retreat!
Yes, sir.
Sherman's out to range, sir.
Break off pursuit.
See about casualties and salvageable assets immediately.
Yes, Commandant.
Yeah, we should be out of range now.
Do you know what's going on in Tillett?
Something far worse than this, I gather.
Something worse than this.
You all right?
Tired ain't the word for how I'm feeling.
Neither of us have gotten any sleep, Will.
It's crazy.
And we still have to lead the other tanks.
It's nothing we can't handle, though.
Lord knows we've been through worse.
We have. Don't worry.
We'll get some rest in Tillet.
Stay focused as best you can.
I can't believe Rivers is gone, Will.
I thought that brother'd last forever.
Me, too, Ted.
He was something special, wasn't he?
One of the best natural warriors I've ever seen.
He was an amazing man, Ted.
Don't got no room for nobody else, huh?
My wife's gone, Ted.
Four years now.
Watched her die giving birth to my little Corinna.
You deployed right after that.
I remember.
Just want to make that little girl proud.
And come back in one piece to a nation that
hopefully still speaks English when I get there.
We're alive.
Can't forget to live.
Life is a gift not promised.
I hear you. I hear you.
You think they're going to treat us right when we get home?
You know, since we've been showing them what us Panthers
can really do out here.
Can't speak on what they're going to do, Ted.
But I'm damn sure going to make them know that they owe us.
Patton himself asked for us.
So all eyes, including hers,
they're watching us now.
No mistakes.
Come out fighting?
Come out fighting, brother.
What direction?
We still in range?
The other tanks are.
You and I are the last tank, so we're fighting.
We'll engage with the German Tiger Tanks,
and then retreat quickly while the other tanks
make it to 87 safely.
Yes, sir.
All tanks proceed on course. Full speed.
Do not follow me. Repeat. Do not follow me.
Are we pursuing them, sir?
No. It would appear that they are
interested in taking the fight to us.
Hold positions. Prepare to fire on my command.
Sarge, them Tigers mean business.
Can't flank them or get close to them.
They'll destroy us.
Remember that maneuver we did training in Kentucky?
That S-Formation maneuver?
You and Rivers invented that.
It could work.
You didn't get hit.
We're doing it right now.
It's the only way I see us making out alive.
Here. Take the wheel.
Okay. All right.
15 seconds out.
Evasive maneuvers!
Fire!
Just missed us.
Reload!
Fire again!
Loading.
Will!
The other tanks should be well out of range by now.
We need to retreat.
We're still in range. We're not going to make it.
Full speed ahead, Ted.
Watch this.
What are you doing?
Buying us time.
They're still in range, sir. Fire again?
Fire again. Destroy that tank!
Blow those--
Sir, they are moving towards that ravine.
We can't follow them there. We'll never get out.
He is a Black man.
They are out of range, sir.
Pursuit?
They were clever.
By the time we followed them around to the ravine,
they would have escaped.
Sir?
The 87th.
The reinforcements in Tillet are just around the corner.
No doubt they have anti-tank gun's ready.
These are those Black men of the 761st I've been hearing about.
Notorious for their victories in the battlefield.
Whether they be lucky or highly skilled,
we will see these men again.
Of this I am certain.
How many times do you think the "never seen a Black soldier
in a tank" trick is going to save us, Sarge?
It's up to them, sir.
It's psychological warfare.
They hate Black skin, use it against them.
Tillet's just up the road. We made it.
Regroup with our men.
Already on it.
We'll be in Tillet soon.
It makes me smile that General Patton
ordered us specifically here.
The 87th lost their tanks and he ordered us to replace them.
They're cheering now.
I wonder what they're going to say when we come out the tanks.
These guy seen some serious fighting.
Halt!
Let's check in with HQ.
Well, take a look at that.
Can I help you with that, beautiful?
I'm fine. Thank you.
You're more than fine. Come on.
Leave me alone.
Hey.
Here. Let me help you with that, ma'am.
Okay, that should do it.
If you hold it tight right there.
Thank you.
What's going on here?
Aren't you supposed to be up in that tank, boy?
He's helping me with my things.
What's the matter with that?
I asked you a question, boy.
That's Sergeant, sir.
Sergeant McBurney.
Is there a problem here, Sarge?
Sergeant Ernie Roberts, Sergeant McBurney
of the 761st Tank Division reporting for duty.
Is this the 87th?
May I speak with you privately, sir?
I have some papers regarding our orders from General Patton.
Come on.
I...
I say again, thank you for your help.
No problem.
Esther.
My name's Will.
-Excuse us. -Oh, sorry.
If you're finished trying to get us killed,
we're just in time for the general briefing.
Are you coming?
Let's go.
Men, I'm not going to mince words, we're in trouble.
Hitler needs Tillet or he'll lose the war.
He knows it and we know it.
As we speak, he's sending his best man,
General Adolf Heinrich, our way.
Heinrich's reinforcements said to outgun
and outnumber us by a country mile,
are already here and more are coming.
Patton's holding the West, but he's pulling every stop
to send us what he can and who he can.
Look at those guys.
This is what he's sent us?
Settle down, settle down, men,
They're here to help.
Now the arrival of the 761st we see here,
our clear indication of Patton's commitment
to victory at any cost.
But no offense, boys, it may not be enough.
Some are calling this the battle for Tillet
or the Big Thaw,
but we know it as the Devil's Icebox,
because nobody warned us about the cold.
But whenever they end up calling it, men,
this is a battle we cannot, I repeat, we cannot lose.
They're attacking us from the south!
Take cover!
Everyone outside! This way!
Panthers! Panthers, come on!
-Move out! -Coming out fighting, sir!
They're near Rogers!
-Hurry up! Go! -You all right?
Come on, get up!
Take him outside.
Where is...
You all right.
Yeah, what are we doing?
Get these men out of the strike zone. Come on, go!
-Yes, sir! -Get him up!
Sir, General Cullin.
Here.
Here, sir.
All right, boy. You don't have to get your hands all over him.
I'll take it from here.
We're all safe and accounted for outside, Sarge.
Shall we get the tanks?
They're gone.
Two Germans and a bazooka.
Good.
You all right?
A little pissed off and ready for a fight.
Other than that, fine. You?
Same.
I wish these boys were a little bit more welcoming, though.
Maybe after this...
I don't care what they think about us, Ted.
As long as they understand,
Hitler means to kill the uniform,
not the skin color.
The General didn't give a plan of action yet.
As far as you can see, Hitler means business.
I'd feel a damn sight better
if I was in my tank right now, Sarge.
The bazookas did some damage. We need to do repairs.
Let's go.
Hey, Will, these guys really with us?
Seems so.
What you think of Cullin's new spy orders?
Extra guards checking everybody's papers.
The spy stuff's getting serious.
They're everywhere right now.
They caught two of them this morning.
Trying to sabotage their communications.
Executing them boys this morning.
Off site.
-Nobody out here. -Serious game.
You know that means that Esther girl is off limits, right?
Hey, hey, sweetheart.
Please, leave me alone, sir.
Pretty Belgian woman who speaks English fluently.
That is useful in many ways.
Please. I don't want any trouble, sir.
Stop worrying about that.
-Hold on, I'll be back. -Trouble is all we have.
Some of us have learned to make the best of it, however.
Captain Walker.
Leave her alone.
You okay?
Yes.
Sergeant.
I don't remember giving you any orders
to come over here and disrupt my conversation.
You're dismissed.
As I was saying, pretty one.
Hey, look here, young lady. Don't mind this man.
Go on and get out of here.
Hey. Where are you going?
Captain Walker.
May I have a word, please, sir?
You just ruined my evening, Sergeant.
Now I'm going to ruin yours.
Do you know what happens to all of us
if you hit this man first, Will?
Stockade or worse. Yeah, I know.
Woo! The Black tanker men
are about to learn about war from outside
their little huts of iron.
Citywide champ in the Bronx back home.
Ooh.
You all just asked for the wrong kind of problems.
Oh, yeah?
Sergeant.
It's okay.
We don't want no problem, Walker.
Too late for that now, son. Problems want you.
Woo!
You can take a punch.
I can take all you got. Maybe even a little more.
That's good to know.
Will!
Nice work.
I knew it, he ain't so tough.
You can still walk away, Walker.
Minimal damage control.
Walk away?
I think I prefer to see you on all fours, my friend.
Oh, boy. I guess we're doing this.
Show him, Will.
Let's go.
Very impressive.
Sir, are you all right?
What are you waiting on?
-Yes, sir. -Let's go.
Stop! Ted and I got this.
Sarge. You sure?
Yeah, I'm sure.
Sarge, we can handle this.
-Back up. -Sarge, let me just...
-Back up. -Come on, man.
Bronx ain't got nothing on Harlem, private.
Bantamweight Champion, 1939.
Ted.
Don't let him get away with that.
Boy, you ain't the champion of nothing.
-Sarge! -Come on!
A fight, Captain Walker?
How could you allow this?
My office. Now!
At least they let us sleep in here for a couple of hours.
You were the only one sleeping, Ted.
We in trouble, Sarge?
When aren't we in trouble?
Black Panthers.
General Cullin, sir.
I don't think I have to tell you how much Walker
and damn near every man in the 87th
want to see you two court martialed
for what happened this afternoon.
No, sir.
Damn it. From what Walker told me, any other time but this,
immediate dismissal
with the maximum incarceration time allowed
would seem to be the most fitting punishment.
But these aren't those times.
At ease.
And frankly, judging by your relatively heroic behavior
in the church earlier today,
I'm inclined to dismiss some of Walker's renditions
as maybe a little bit hyperbolic.
You men have been briefed.
You know we've lost our tank division.
Yes, sir.
We thought we'd be fine against these Tigers
with our air strikes, but Patton won't order any.
Bombers can't fly when the cloud cover's this thick.
And the fog's been thick like this for weeks now,
with no end in sight.
So with no air support, we need the best tanks in the business.
You are who Patton said could do the job.
-Yes, sir. -Yes, sir.
Hitler's limping, but he's still got us by the short and curlies.
And we're sitting ducks next to his iron-side Tigers.
But Patton says you are just what the doctor ordered.
But we're not what we used to be, sir.
We're down on tanks with barely two men to operate.
From what I hear, three of your tanks
in fighting form are worth 10 of anybody else's.
I mean, that's just what I heard.
We're Panthers, sir. We come out fighting every time.
Negros fighting alongside whites.
Thought I'd seen everything.
Look, my men are not gonna like you boys.
But if you fight hard, they'll have no choice
but to fight right alongside you.
That much, I guarantee.
As long as they don't get in our way.
Tillet's rumored to be Hitler's last stand, ours too.
The fight outside Bastogne nearly crushed us.
20,000 men dead so far.
We're tired.
If Hitler's man Heinrich takes Tillet,
he'll push through the channel.
He'll have the water.
From there, Germans have won the war.
This Heinrich, he any good?
He specializes in tank warfare in this terrain.
He's the best at what he does and he's ruthless.
That might be who we met on the way here.
So you've already engaged with this enemy.
I need you to do what Patton believes you can do
with those tanks and lead us into battle to stop him.
That's what we're here for, sir.
Good.
I was hoping it wasn't just to meet up
with pretty Belgian women.
Be careful with fraternizing with the locals, Sergeant.
Been having an issue with spies
and folks dressed up as friends of the U.S. Army.
Yes, sir.
We're at war. Don't forget that.
Counterattack launches at 0400 tomorrow morning.
Surprise attack on their base from the high ground
east of Tillett.
Your tanks are leading the way.
Do we understand each other, sergeant?
Yes, sir.
Sir.
I guess we're officially invited to the party.
Oh Lord, out the pan back into the fire.
Go on ahead. I'll be all right.
-Will... -Just go.
William.
Esther.
Thank God you're okay.
I'm so sorry to have caused you all this trouble.
Are you thirsty? Do you need food?
I'm fine.
And you didn't cause anything, Esther.
Sometimes soldiers get crazy.
It happens.
What are you still doing here?
I was waiting to see if you were all right.
You waited out here this whole time I was inside?
Twice, you have been very kind to me. Twice.
I wanted to...
You didn't have to do that, Esther.
In fact, you shouldn't have.
If people see you giving a U.S. soldier attention
like this, it looks suspicious.
It is suspicious.
You think I'm one of those spies they talk about?
I have to go, Esther.
You think I'm a spy but you talk to me anyway?
I have to go.
You are a brave man, William.
William.
Your heart is in your eyes.
Stay out of the streets, Esther. It's dangerous.
Engine sounding real good, brother.
Coming out fighting, sir.
You sure we're undetected?
It's fresh snow.
No German tracks on these roads.
Keep an eye out.
General Cullin.
We need a platoon here.
-Reinforcing... -General Cullin.
We're approaching the hilltop shortly.
We'll have a clear view on German positions.
Excellent. Approach as planned.
We're expecting to see approximately
22 tanks in Infantry Park.
Tanks are likely unmanned.
You strike from high ground and can disable and damage
at least half of them.
Yes, sir.
-Will. -What?
You getting the same bad feelings I'm getting?
You mean like everything's about to go crazy?
Yeah.
I'm opening up the hatch.
Take the wheel.
Slow to five.
Yes, sir.
Halt! Halt!
General Cullin, sir.
The reinforcements aren't on their way. They're here.
What are you talking about, Sergeant?
The count of German tanks is about 50, sir.
With more soldiers than expected.
50 according to who?
My own eyes, sir.
You have the high ground. How many can you take out?
I'll tell you when we're finished.
Shit. Tiger tanks.
Captain Walker, we have Cullin give the okay
to ambush the tanks.
Most of the regular Panzers we can destroy easy,
but I spot some Tiger tanks.
Tiger tanks? How many?
By my count five so far, sir.
Leave the Tigers.
Their armor's too strong in battle
or even just sitting there.
Don't fire on them.
You'll only waste your shells.
They're just about indestructible.
-Sir. -Get them over.
There's a weakness just below the Tiger tank's hatch.
If hit directly, it can destroy the entire tank.
Plains are the only precision firepower we have
to hit a mark like that, Sergeant.
It's too hard for another tank to hit that.
But we've done it, sir.
It's a difficult shot, but...
We don't have time, Sergeant. Just do as I said.
Take out as many Panzers as you can, but leave the Tigers alone.
-Sir, if I can show you... -That's an order, Sergeant.
Wouldn't even listen.
What'd you expect?
Straighten your helmet, Private Heinz.
And your shirt!
Come on! Destroy as many tanks as possible!
Here we go.
It's like shooting fish in the barrel!
Come on, Private!
Don't want them sneaking up on us!
Sarge, we've got Tiger tanks right behind us!
Tiger tanks at 6:00!
Evasive maneuvers immediately!
Left, right, center, men, go, go!
Ambush! Return fire, men!
Take cover!
They're ambushing us from all sides!
Come on!
Those damn Tiger hulls won't give!
Rivers knew what to do with them.
Rivers is one of those people
who can hit a bull's-eye from a mile away.
Get ready! Going hot again!
They want to be nasty? We'll show them nasty!
Hard left!
Hopping on gun.
Fire!
Damn Tiger tanks!
That's right, Krauts!
Run! Run if you can!
You mess with one of us Panthers,
you mess with all of us, Kraut!
Firing again!
Deflected again!
Tilting 30 degrees.
What are you doing?
The impossible.
You doing Sergeant River's shot?
Doing the shot only planes can hit.
Firing!
What are these guys doing? They're useless!
I don't know, sir, but they're the only ones
who can return fire right now!
Tilting 5 degrees down?
Firing!
Will!
Almost there.
The shells are deflecting off the Tigers.
These guys don't know what they're doing!
We're getting destroyed!
Can't we do something, sir? What are your orders?
Orders? We need to retreat!
Tilting 18 degrees.
Firing!
It's called an impossible shot for a reason!
Reloading!
Almost there.
Firing!
Yes!
Sir, they did it! They actually did it!
Woo! Yeah, boys! Woo!
Can't believe you hit that.
Got more to go.
We need to retreat.
Yeah, that's a good copy.
Sir, General Cullins ordering a retreat!
That's it! General retreat, everyone!
General retreat!
General retreat, Sergeant! General retreat!
I can get more, sir!
General retreat, Sergeant! That's an order!
Retreat, Ted!
Use the prisoners for cover!
Hold your fire!
We're shooting at our own!
Black men in tanks must be destroyed!
The Germans have three times the expected tank count.
This is terrible.
If we had a real tank battalion...
Sergeant, at ease.
I say we radio Patton to send more, if not better,
tanks with real tank commanders this time.
We call for help, then sit tight until they get here.
You're suggesting we do nothing for weeks, Captain?
What other option is there, General?
All due respect, General, those Germans aren't going
to allow us to sit anywhere for any weeks.
They're ready to strike right now.
You can't say that with any certainty, soldier.
They attacked y'all yesterday.
Two men, they were just testing us.
General, let's just wait and see.
And just now on the hill, General?
I see a way to victory, sir.
Sir.
Sergeant.
Tiger tanks have a vulnerability on top of their turrets,
just above the 75-millimeter.
Common knowledge.
Only tank buster planes have access to that weakness.
It's a one-in-a-million-shot tank to tank.
Sir, we just got that shot.
My man, Roberts here can get that shot.
Walker saw it.
Walker?
I don't know, sir.
Might have been some luck involved.
Sir, with given time,
all Black Panthers can get that shot.
I know you men have trained a lot.
Wouldn't let the Black Man fight.
Hell, yeah, we're prepared.
What's your success ratio?
It's one out of four, sir.
As seen on the field just now.
It took four shots to get a successful hit.
All due respect, General, I can't leave the fate
of the Allied Army to some gang of
one out of five backwoods over-practiced amateurs.
Over-practiced?
Sir, the Germans think that Tiger tanks are invincible.
I say we make them think differently,
might weaken the resolve to attack.
That's a stupid idea, General.
The thought that battle-hardened Germans
would hesitate an attack because of these--
Will, I had enough of this dude!
Sergeant McBurney, are you gonna control your soldier,
or do I have to?
That's enough. It's good.
The Black Panthers can do it, sir.
I have to say no to the idea, Sergeant.
By Walker's account today,
you had such an opportunity and landed
what he calls a lucky shot.
One out of four just isn't get enough ratio, son.
Woo, yes!
Smoke?
And on top of everything else, temperatures dropping hard.
I did not know Belgium was this cold, man.
-Yeah. -Y'all didn't get blankets?
Not enough, Sarge.
-What? -Not enough.
They got plenty of blankets.
That's not what Walker and his quartermaster are saying.
What are you talking about?
Walker says they're fresh out.
Fresh out of blankets.
How?
Sarge, we've been watching stuff like this all night.
That's crazy.
Captain Walker.
May I have a word with you, please, Sir?
How can I help you, Sergeant?
Sir, my men are out here frostbitten,
while you're out here openly sharing snow blankets
-with the enemy? -Well, yeah.
I told a couple of your men earlier.
We ran out of supplies for you guys.
Big supply drops in a couple of days.
We'll get you all sorted out then.
Sir, with all due respect, are you out of your mind?
You have German soldiers, cozy with snow blankets,
while U.S. soldiers, my U.S. soldiers,
are out here freezing to death, and you say that's all right?
Detecting a bit of a tone there, Sergeant.
Detecting a tone? Look here, man.
Will.
You know what? You're right.
You're absolutely right, Sergeant.
Give your men my apologies.
I'll rectify the situation post haste.
You'll fix this.
Absolutely.
We thought we were out of supplies,
but turns out one of my men found some more.
I'll take care of it.
Hey. We're all on the same team, right?
All good?
Doesn't look like it, huh?
They ain't giving us a damn thing, Will.
Hey, thanks, boss. It's good, yeah.
I can't take any more of this, man.
William. William.
One sec.
Esther.
Shh...
Esther, what?
What, what?
I've been waiting for the opportunity
to speak to you again.
I am very angry.
What is it? What?
How do you fight alongside...
Esth, shh...
How can you fight alongside these men?
I see how they treat you.
They smile with Germans rather than treat you as equal.
How do you do these things?
Esther, be quiet now.
They'll be over here in a minute.
I see this, and I feel angry.
I know, I know, but you are Belgian, okay?
Things are very different in America.
Complicated.
No, no.
Evil and good are simple things everywhere.
And what these soldiers are doing?
Not all of them.
Look at you. You defend them.
You are a powerful man, William.
The first time I see you, I look into your eyes.
You are strong.
You are good.
These men should be behind you, helping you help them.
But... they hate you.
You see a lot, don't you?
Well, I see you, William.
Some men are not so hard to see.
Much pain, but much desire for the right things.
This war has taken so much from me,
from the beginning, my husband.
And since then, more than I can say.
I'm sorry, Esther. I'm truly sorry.
I lost my wife beginning of the war as well.
In childbirth.
My daughter's back at home.
I recognize this.
Pain such as this rips away at false things.
Makes you forget how to lie.
Wow.
You speak English a lot better than most people
speak their own entire life.
Why?
Why do you give so much of yourself to these men?
You serve them with such passion.
But why?
Because my daughter gives me something to believe in.
The dream of my country gives me something to believe in.
Just because some people can't see my worth
doesn't mean I won't keep standing up
for what I believe in.
William, will you tell me more about your daughter?
Yeah, tell us more about your daughter, William.
And while you're at it, why don't you share
some U.S. secrets with the spy girl here?
German's damn near won the war already.
Captain Walker, she's not a spy.
Save it, Sergeant.
We've both been ordered to report the Cullin immediately.
That is, unless you want me to tell him you're busy.
No. Let's go.
You okay?
Be right back.
Who hit the most homeruns last year?
Babe Ruth, right?
Come in, boys.
Sir.
At ease.
Boys, I'm from the south, north Florida.
You want to talk racial problems?
Hell, I can insert a whole bunch of my personal feelings
on the matter and we can have a grand old time.
But I don't think that's what Patton's expecting.
Walker.
I want all those U.S. cold blankets
removed from those prisoners of war
and every cigarette in their mouth taken out
as soon as this meeting is done.
Do I make myself clear?
Yes, sir.
We're at war with these folks. They ain't our friends.
Yes, sir.
Now listen, we just received intelligence
that Hitler's planning to attack Tillet
with everything he's got in 24 hours.
24 hours?
He's bringing all the reinforcements
you all reported seeing and the remaining tank division
from the north.
Unless we stop him by this time tomorrow,
he'll have taken Tillet and moved on to the English Channel.
The good news is the Russians
have taken his experienced tank commanders.
All save General Heinrich.
Yes, sir.
Tomorrow we will be up to our eyeballs and fresh meat.
Teenagers and whatever Hitler can find
from the elementary schools of Berlin.
All willing and committed, if not proficient,
at killing Allied soldiers.
Black and white.
Walker, this is our tank commander.
You will command your men to respect him
and follow him through hell if that's what it takes.
Do you understand me?
-But, sir, I can't... -Do you understand me?
Yes, sir.
And you sir, take no comfort in this.
When I return home, if I get to return to a home,
I'll be sitting on my porch with my friends,
trusted friends that I've known since childhood.
And we'll be discussing one of two things
re: your performance to come.
One, the medal I'll be asked to pin upon your chest
after your success.
Or two, the goddamn I told you so
I'll be expressing to Patton after your failure.
Do I make myself clear, Sergeant?
Yes, sir.
The Germans are attacking in 24 hours.
That means we're attacking in four.
A surprise attack?
With the few tanks we have left, we need the element of surprise
in a fast, if not minute,
pincer attack with the infantry down the middle.
I'm not sure we're ready for this, sir.
We're so outnumbered,
and I've heard German General Heinrich is vicious.
A soldier should always be ready to die, do or die.
There are no other options.
If the Germans attack Tillet tomorrow
without us trying to interfere, it's over.
Understood, sir.
You Panthers had better deliver.
Yes, sir.
Uh, sir, permission to be dismissed.
Some interrogations of captured Germans
require my immediate attention.
Permission granted.
Prepare your men for battle.
Yes, sir.
And Sergeant...
Until it is absolutely necessary keep the timing
of our planned attack with only your most trusted officers.
I don't need to remind you,
there are spies with allied uniforms all around us.
Yes, sir.
Halt. Papers?
An attack in less than four hours? Are you certain?
This is direct from the horse's mouth,
as Americans say.
We outnumber them by more than three to one. They are fools.
A surprise attack before we are fully prepared?
We cannot wait a moment longer. We attack immediately.
Immediately?
General...
Allow us two hours to make absolutely certain.
I said immediately.
If they prepare a surprise for us, we turn the favor in full.
Ready or not, by sheer numbers we will decimate them.
Yes, sir.
One thing.
These Panther men.
You have been with them up close, yes?
What are they like?
Their character.
The Blacks?
They are oafish, useless men.
More focused on the women of the village
than on the precision of battle.
I have met them on the battlefields.
They demonstrated more cleverness than what you say.
I have spoken to them several times,
face to face, Herr General.
They are simple men.
I assure you, these Black panther men,
as they call themselves,
are nothing to the might of the German army.
Good.
I will have the men prepare an immediate attack.
The 761st will drive out to distract them
while the 81st hits them from the flank.
McBurney, what you're proposing sounds
like a straight-up suicide mission.
It might be, sir. It might be.
The factual odds are not in our favor.
But I promise you, I don't do anything
unless I see victory on the other side.
Fair enough.
All right, then.
Men, let us proceed with the plan as orchestrated.
We are officially in God's hands now.
You heard the plan.
This is do or die, gentlemen.
I don't know about you, but I plan on kicking some ass
and going home after this.
Who's with me?
All right, then.
What's the battle call I hear you Black Panthers say?
Come out fighting, sir.
87, 761st.
You heard the man.
-Come out fighting! -Come out fighting!
Let's go!
Come out fighting! Come out fighting!
Soldier, radio high command.
Tell them I expect to be in Tillet by the end of the day.
Yes, sir.
Also, General, I've been advised to tell you
about a new weather report.
Weather report?
Look at the sky. The weather is beautiful.
Radio high command immediately. Tell them what I say.
Yes, sir.
Come on! Get ready!
Move it, soldier! Move it!
I'm telling you, Will, that Esther girl is bad news.
Glad to see playtime's over for you and her.
Because I was playing?
What are you talking about, Will?
She's probably, nah, most likely a spy
playing you for information.
She's just trying to stay alive.
Belgians are like the Vichy French, damn near German.
Besides, what are you going to do?
Take her home to your daughter in Harlem?
You weren't thinking about that, were you?
No, no. Why would I?
It's the Germans!
Come on! Get your positions now!
Everyone, to your positions!
-Go, go! -Esther!
-Go! -This is a surprise attack.
I thought we had more time.
This wasn't supposed to be happening for another 20 hours.
They're going for the sitting tanks.
We have to get them out of range.
Where's out of range?
What do we do, sir?
We have to head east, okay?
Head east on the road to the main fork
in the road coming into town, okay?
That will be our rendezvous point.
Just drivers, no teams, okay?
Get as many as possible and get out of range, okay?
-Yes, sir. -Go, tell the Black Panthers.
Go!
-What are you going to do? -I'll follow you.
My tank's behind that wall.
They're not going to hit me, okay?
-But first... -Not the woman.
Meet me at the rendezvous point, okay?
That's an order, Sergeant.
Hey, Ted, someone once told me life's the gift not promised.
I'll be there.
And the men still live?
Radio, order 10 tanks to the western woods
there to destroy those men.
But, sir, we almost have completed
a victory in the middle of town.
It's advised to shift our focus so close to our...
My apologies, General.
Schwartze.
Prepare my tank.
I wish to be there myself when these men die.
I don't know how we're going to make it through this.
Esther. Come on, say something, you idiot.
The last time you're going to see her.
Ernie?
-You okay? -Yeah.
-Good? -Yeah.
Okay, just a little tighter.
You're good at this.
We're short a couple of medics.
Medic!
Yes, sir.
Come on.
You okay?
Before I forget, here you are.
You don't think I'm a spy?
I have to go.
Only one man per tank.
That's what we're down to.
Okay, come out fighting.
Fire on those tanks down there. They are the Panthers.
They are out of range, sir.
Then send two Tigers down there to destroy them now.
-Bill. -Sarge.
Sarge, what's the plan?
We can't afford any mistakes.
It's only one of us per tank right now.
It doesn't matter if there's 50 of us per tank.
We need to get up that hill and knock out that leader.
It's the only way we win this thing.
That's a good idea.
But we might as well save the fuel.
He'll be coming down here in a minute.
How do you know that, Sarge?
Because he wants us. And I mean us.
The last tank division, all destroyed today.
We're the last defense for the 87th.
That's why Patton sent us here.
So what are we doing, Sarge?
We're outnumbered.
Please tell me we're going to cut our losses
and then head home so we can go back up north to Patton.
The way I hear it, there won't be no more
north, south, east or west if we leave here in defeat today.
These guys got us dead to rights, Will.
Took us completely by surprise and wiped out
nearly half of the machinery we had left.
But we're here with these tanks.
Our enemies are untested 17-year-old amateur tankers
following a desperate leader.
Our mission is defined.
Take the general. Win the day.
Amateurs or not, that's a lot of tanks.
Yeah, but we're panthers. They're not.
That's true.
Come out fighting, I guess.
Come out fighting, brother.
Get to your tanks! Go! Let's go!
Not all gonna make it.
Jack! Jack, what are you doing?
We're not gonna make it unless I do this, Sarge.
I'll hold 'em off.
I'll hold 'em off as long as I can.
Wilson, get clear! That's an order!
Make it count, sir.
Come out fighting!
Shit!
I'm sorry, Jack.
Everyone, what Wilson just did for us,
we can't let it go for nothing.
Everyone, get out of range now!
I got the left flank.
And I'll take the right, Sarge.
We're gonna take these two out!
Ah! I got him, Ted!
I got his attention! Here he comes, Ted!
I see the shot!
Yes!
Sergeant Windsor, are you okay?
I think so!
But my main gun's useless now!
Where did that come--
Jackson! No!
Ted! We're ridiculously outnumbered!
Even for us!
We can't keep losing our men!
Let's retreat and find a place to regroup!
You and I both know I'm surrounded, Will.
I think...
I think I've run out of places to regroup to!
What are you talking about?
You've got a path to your left!
Just ride through!
Not anymore, I don't...
I'm trapped, Sarge!
No! Get out of there, Ted!
We need you, brother!
What would Rivers do if he was in my situation, Will?
He'd make a stand!
I'm gonna show these guys what a free Black man's
willing to do for his country!
We can still get out of this, Ted!
You can! Live, Will!
Bring that white girl home to your mama!
Kiss her full on the lips in front of the Apollo!
See what everybody says!
Ted-- Ted?
Ted!
Ah!
Panthers! Where are you?
Sound off!
Panthers! Where are you?
Sound off!
Panthers! Where are you?
I'll make you proud, Ted.
I promise.
We gotta get back to base.
-Walker! -Shoot him!
Kill me and get it over with, General.
My German brothers have already claimed victory.
I'll take an honorable death in exchange
for a total German victory anytime.
You're not gonna die an honorable death
for what you did, Walker.
You're gonna need to feel this.
I'm listening.
Americans.
MPs!
Stand this man up for immediate trial.
Sir, yes, sir.
General...
I find you guilty.
General, you okay?
Yeah, yeah, thanks to you.
How many tanks did the 760 first lose?
It's just me, sir.
Sorry for your losses, commander.
Heinrich still has many.
We need a new plan, sir.
That we do, soldier. That we do.
McBurney...
I never should have trusted that man.
Appreciate the admission, sir.
Maybe you can trust me a bit, now.
What do you got in mind?
I want this operation complete in less than an hour.
Am I clear?
Yes, sir.
We have high ground, the element of surprise,
and we outnumber them.
They have no chance.
Okay.
Stay in line and keep that distance, McBurney.
They're going to pop out any time.
Stay in line.
Are you sure they will come this way, sir?
They will. I am sure of it.
If you say so, sir.
I think I see them, sir.
Quickly, after them!
This is our chance! Destroy them now.
Here we go.
I want this man destroyed in minutes.
Damn it. These guys are fast.
We're gaining on him, sir.
That's it.
Almost there.
Come on.
Faster, faster!
McBurney, get out of there.
We have no more heavy firepower.
No way to stop the Germans.
It's only a matter of time before the Germans destroy us
and take over Tillet.
The war is theirs. The Allies have lost.
What is he doing? Committing suicide?
General, I'm going to distract him and give you more time.
Firing!
Yes!
Firing!
Destroy that man!
All tanks, fire all guns now! Fire now!
Fire! Fire!
Come out fighting! Ah!
McBurney!
McBurney, do you copy?
McBurney!
God damn it! McBurney!
Still alive.
Still alive!
But sir... His tank is destroyed.
We've won.
We can return to Tillet.
I want that Black man dead in the snow.
Do you understand me?
I will personally see the lot of you shot if he escapes.
Sergeant Rohm, move now!
We have him, sir.
He's cornered.
You two, get out and capture him.
-Ja'wohl, herr commandant. -Hand me your firearm. Now.
It's been a pleasure serving with you, Sergeant McBurney.
'Til the better end, General.
'Til the bitter end.
Halt!
Corinna.
Wanted to get home to you, little girl.
Get home... and hug you.
Make sure you know that your daddy loves you.
Make sure you know that you weren't all alone in this world.
Still hoping I can for some reason.
That's all up to God right now.
Either way, daddy loves you.
General Cullin. General Cullin!
McBurney, go ahead.
Weather report was correct, sir.
This plan just might work.
The skies are clearing up, sir.
Don't know if the skies will clear in time.
Germans might just win this one.
Even with good weather.
We're in a really bad way here.
Copy that, sir.
Not good enough, McBurney. Not enough time.
Need to make time.
Shit!
Sir, the radio chatter says he is surrendering.
What do we do?
Bring us closer.
Also, sir, we are getting an urgent weather report.
Bring us closer!
Stop the tanks! Wait for my orders!
I want to destroy this man myself.
Now, Panther man.
I get the pleasure of looking into your empty eyes.
Are you ready to die?
It's a beautiful day to die.
The plan worked, sir.
I don't know how you did it, son,
but you just executed one of the bravest plans
I think I've ever seen.
It all hinged on how much hate that man had, sir.
It turns out he hated us more than he wanted to win the war.
Tillet?
Tank bombers taking out everything they got.
Cocky-sons of guns left themselves so exposed,
we'll have all their tanks either destroyed
or repurposed in 30 minutes.
Their game is over.
We've won, son.
We've won!
You've won.
Thank you, sir.
Hey, Grandma.
-Hi. -Hi.