The Mountain Road

Looters? Yes, sir.

We're abandoning the base anyway, sir.

We might as well let them have the stuff. We'd only burn it.

All right, let's go.

All set? Okay. No trouble.

The loaded drums of gas are all stacked.

You want to try for the big cigar, Major?

Okay, Prince

Collins, get the jeep over there, will you?

There's a twist to it, Major.

You hit the top drum with the first shot, see.

It's got ordinary low-octane in it.

And if it don't burn the first shot, you give it a minute

maybe two, to leak, see. I see. I see.

Those fumes, they fill up the shed.

Then, you cut loose with your second shot

and those fumes, they're in there and whammy!

the whole thing goes. Okay.

Once at Hengyang, wasn't it, Niergaard?

We blew off the whole roof with the second shot.

Yeah the whole roof. Wham!

That was before you came into the outfit, Major. Uh-huh

You, uh, got it, Major?

The fumes, then the second shot. Yeah, yeah.

I got it, Prince.

That's a cigar, Major.

You wanna try for the whole box?

Or a Kewpie doll for the little lady?

Give the man the Kewpie doll.

I'd rather see gasoline go than anything.

Last year, in Kunming I okayed plans for these installations.

Now, I'm blowing them up.

All right, back to the alert shack.

We're gonna blow the field.

Then a little sleep, then out, huh?

Out where, Major? Back to Kunming? That's right.

We fly or truck back?

I'm gonna check with General Loomis now.

Oh, I'd sure like to fly, Major.

Well, you just be back at the alert shack at 1600 hours.

And be careful. The base's crawling with looters.

Come on, come on, come on, let's go.

What do you think, Prince? You think this Baldwin knows what the score is?

You think he'll make as good as demolition officer as McNeil was?

It'll be tough for us if he don't.

How close are the Japs? I mean, from here?

About 40 miles.

Demolition's always the last guys to leave, all the time.

How are you, sir? Hi.

Bombs all in? Yes, sir. 60 of them.

That ought to give us good big craters scattered all the way across the field.

How long before the Japs make the field operations again?

I estimate a week, sir.

Message for you. From Kunming.

It's the last to come in. Read it to him.

"Direct you attempt withdrawal westward via road stop."

"At your discretion, repeat, at your discretion"

"achieve maximum delaying effect on main motor supply route."

"Maximum use available explosives"

"with due concern safety your men at your best judgment."

"Signed, Hutcheson for Chief of Staff."

You don't have to do it.

Sir? I can countermand those orders.

I'm going out off the taxi strip in the morning.

You have until then to make up your mind.

Is blowing this field your first demolition job, Major?

Yes, sir. You were with an engineering firm

before the war, weren't you, Baldwin?

Laury and Moody.

A bit different handling men than handling papers.

Oh, I'm aware of that, sir. I asked for this assignment.

Asked? Why?

Well, to have a command, sir.

Even for a few days. Even during a retreat.

You know what command is, Major?

Well, sir, the book says...

Command is power.

Pure, simple, unlimited.

You have until morning to make up your mind.

Yes, sir.

When are you set to blow the last strip?

Oh, we're all set to blow the main strip right now.

We were gonna plan to blow the taxiway as soon as you take off.

All right.

You pushing off now, sir?

Yep. How about you?

Well, sir, I've decided to go out by truck.

Now, we'll blow this remaining strip

as soon as you get off the ground.

Are you sure?

Yes, sir, I'm sure.

You know, if the Japanese come up this road

isolate our main base at Kunming, you know...

Well, I... I'd, uh... I'd just like to get a crack

at cutting the road, sir.

Good luck on the road. Thank you, sir.

All I know is the Major said load up and wait.

So, you're waiting.

So, I'm waiting.

That's initiative for you. Look, Prince.

Don't needle me.

I've been out on the road with this circus

since last summer so don't needle me.

Mike, you got any atabrine? I feel lousy.

You look lousy. No, honest, Mike.

Well, what am I, a drug store?

Look in the medical kit.

All right, at ease.

We had a message last night

from our main headquarters in Kunming.

Last night? That's right.

Now, what they want us to do

is to stay out on the road for a few days

and see what we can destroy on our way to Kweiyang.

We gonna do it, Major?

Headquarters said after this job

we barrel right back into Kweiyang with no stops.

Ain't that right, Prince? That's what they said.

I'm in command now.

Yeah.

Uh, he says that the Chinese Command Post

is up this road, sir, up there in that temple.

He doesn't know if the CO's up there or not.

Okay. Let's go.

Hey, uh, give me... Give me the...

Pull over there.

Go on, go on.

I'm gonna get an okay from Chinese Headquarters.

You wait here.

Okay, come on.

Please, sit. Thank you.

America is China's best friend.

Today is sad. Today we eat bitterness.

But the final victory will be ours

because China and America are friends.

Yes.

Has Major Baldwin been long in China?

One year, Colonel.

And I want to thank the Colonel for the tea.

I'm sorry we don't have more time to enjoy his hospitality.

But I have something very important to speak to the Colonel about.

What is this important thing, Major?

Well, Colonel, we are the American Engineers Demolition Team

of the East China Task Force.

Now, we've been ordered to delay the advance of the Japanese from Liuchow.

Now, down here in the valley there is a small bridge.

We wish to destroy that bridge.

What does the Major wish me to do?

Well, the Colonel is in command here.

I can't blow up the bridge until the Colonel agrees.

The Japanese will go as far as Tushan.

I am Colonel Kwan.

Tushan.

Tushan? That's where the railroad ends, isn't it?

About 120 miles from here. Yes, sir.

No, it is not the railroad.

At Tushan there are ammunition dumps.

The Japanese know this. They will go to Tushan and they will stop.

Tushan, the dumps, to blow them up.

That is all right.

Yes. Tushan, that's all right. No, no, no, no.

No, Colonel. I'm not making myself clear here.

Now, Tushan, that's way at the end of the line.

We'll think of that when we get to it.

Now, how about this bridge? This is what

I'm concerned about. Excuse me, sir,

may I speak with you just a moment?

Excuse me.

What's the matter?

I think Colonel Li is afraid of us, sir.

Well, afraid of what?

Afraid we're gonna blow everything up.

Well, what does he think I am? Attila the Hun?

Come on, come on.

I'm sorry. Uh, you sit over there, will you?

Now, Colonel...

Colonel, the war is sad.

The war is a bitter thing.

Uh, America and China are friends.

But the Colonel must understand,

we have orders to delay the Japanese.

My men are anxious to get to Kweiyang.

We wish only to destroy this one little bridge.

Here, in Ishan.

Only this one little bridge we wish to destroy.

Nothing more. Nothing.

Only the bridge? Right.

The bridge is all right to destroy.

Fine. All right. Now, if the Colonel will... Oh, yes, yes.

I will put my seal on your pass.

Thanks, Colonel. Thank you, sir.

Are you drive all the way to Kweiyang now?

Yes, that's right.

Colonel Kwan will go down to the bridge with you. Fine.

He will talk to my soldiers.

He will show my order to them. Fine.

And then, he will go to Kweiyang with you.

What? Kweiyang now?

In ten minutes.

Perhaps, Major, you like to see the courtyard while you wait?