ESSAY 2
Directions: You will compose a half-page response on each of the following excerpts from the movie, The Lost Battalion. With each of the quotes, relate it directly to Whittlesey’s leadership, infantrymen, or the cultural diversity of the AEF, American Expeditionary Force. I do NOT want a narrative. This means do not repeat any part of the quote. I, the reader, know what the quote is. Rather, you need to use the quote and the scene that surrounds it (if you can remember) to prove its importance to leadership, infantrymen, or cultural diversity. When you are completed, you MUST have two full pages or one page front-and-back completed. Anything less will result in a point reduction.
Quote 01:
Lt. Leak: Morning Sir.
Maj. Whittlesey: We don't salute up here Lieutenant.
Lt. Leak: I'm sorry Sir.
Maj. Whittlesey: My officers of men shave every day.
Lt. Leak: Oh, I'm sorry Sir.
Maj. Whittlesey: You're sorry about a lot of things.
Lt. Leak: Well, we got up here kinda late yesterday and...
Maj. Whittlesey: Is that and excuse or an explanation? I'm not interested in either on. I want you and your platoon squared away, make sure your men have full rations, plenty of ammo. And wear that uniform properly. Put on dry socks if you have them and straighten your helmet. Oh and Lt. Leak, welcome to the 308th.
Quote 02:
Cepheglia: This is a French Cho-Cho.
Rosen: Chauchat.
Cepheglia: It's a piece of garbage, don't worry about it.
Rosen: Leave it to Henchman and Hollingshead.
Cepheglia: Don't worry about mortars, tanks and artillery.
Rosen: We don't have any of that either.
Cepheglia: Basically we're mud crunchers,
Rosen: Gravel agitators.
Cepheglia: Infantry.
Quote 03:
Maj. Prinz: You Americans, you always have so much of everything. No matter. Eventually you have to surrender.
Lt. Leak: I don't think so.
Maj. Prinz: Are you officers so callous? You're surrounded. You have no chance of relief. Every night you send out patrols, and every night we kill them. We can hear the cries of your wounded Lieutenant. There is no dishonor in surrender.
Lt. Leak: Maybe for you, but my guys are different.
Maj. Prinz: What do you mean?
Lt. Leak: What you're up against Major, is a bunch of Mick, Pollack, Dago, and Jew boy gangsters from New York City. They'll never surrender. Never.
Quote 04:
Gen. Robert Alexander: Major Whittlesey, there's going to be promotions and commendations for everybody! No wonder our airplanes couldn't find this place.
Lipasti: Well... your artillery certainly found it, General.
Gen. Robert Alexander: [to Whittlesey] Where's the rest of your battalion?
Maj. Whittlesey: [Whittlesey hands the General the collection of dog-tags] Sgt. Gaedeke we couldn't find enough to bury. Lt. Schenck's platoon is somewhere out there. I sent him to link with the French you said were on our flank, General.
Gen. Robert Alexander: [pulls Whittlesey aside] These are acceptable losses...
Maj. Whittlesey: Not to me, sir.
Gen. Robert Alexander: I understand your feelings for your men.
Maj. Whittlesey: You said our flanks were supported and you ordered my men to attack. You said supply would catch up to us... which it did not! Is that acceptable to you?
Gen. Robert Alexander: Yes, that's acceptable to me. We were able to break through the German line because you held on here... because you held on here like a thorn in their belly. Major, you did an incredible job out here, but you had 600 men to worry about and I had 20,000 sent into action. I have to live with that...
Gen. Robert Alexander: I sent for trucks to bring your men back. They've been through hell.
Maj. Whittlesey: You'll never know what they've been through, or what they can and can't do. They're better then you, General. They're better than me, they always are.
Gen. Robert Alexander: Let me take you and your officers back in my staff car.
Maj. Whittlesey: That's not acceptable, Sir. I'll stay with my men.
Gen. Robert Alexander: I understand.
Maj. Whittlesey: [the General salutes and Whittlesey just turns away] Men, we're moving out!
Quote 01:
Lt. Leak: Morning Sir.
Maj. Whittlesey: We don't salute up here Lieutenant.
Lt. Leak: I'm sorry Sir.
Maj. Whittlesey: My officers of men shave every day.
Lt. Leak: Oh, I'm sorry Sir.
Maj. Whittlesey: You're sorry about a lot of things.
Lt. Leak: Well, we got up here kinda late yesterday and...
Maj. Whittlesey: Is that and excuse or an explanation? I'm not interested in either on. I want you and your platoon squared away, make sure your men have full rations, plenty of ammo. And wear that uniform properly. Put on dry socks if you have them and straighten your helmet. Oh and Lt. Leak, welcome to the 308th.
Quote 02:
Cepheglia: This is a French Cho-Cho.
Rosen: Chauchat.
Cepheglia: It's a piece of garbage, don't worry about it.
Rosen: Leave it to Henchman and Hollingshead.
Cepheglia: Don't worry about mortars, tanks and artillery.
Rosen: We don't have any of that either.
Cepheglia: Basically we're mud crunchers,
Rosen: Gravel agitators.
Cepheglia: Infantry.
Quote 03:
Maj. Prinz: You Americans, you always have so much of everything. No matter. Eventually you have to surrender.
Lt. Leak: I don't think so.
Maj. Prinz: Are you officers so callous? You're surrounded. You have no chance of relief. Every night you send out patrols, and every night we kill them. We can hear the cries of your wounded Lieutenant. There is no dishonor in surrender.
Lt. Leak: Maybe for you, but my guys are different.
Maj. Prinz: What do you mean?
Lt. Leak: What you're up against Major, is a bunch of Mick, Pollack, Dago, and Jew boy gangsters from New York City. They'll never surrender. Never.
Quote 04:
Gen. Robert Alexander: Major Whittlesey, there's going to be promotions and commendations for everybody! No wonder our airplanes couldn't find this place.
Lipasti: Well... your artillery certainly found it, General.
Gen. Robert Alexander: [to Whittlesey] Where's the rest of your battalion?
Maj. Whittlesey: [Whittlesey hands the General the collection of dog-tags] Sgt. Gaedeke we couldn't find enough to bury. Lt. Schenck's platoon is somewhere out there. I sent him to link with the French you said were on our flank, General.
Gen. Robert Alexander: [pulls Whittlesey aside] These are acceptable losses...
Maj. Whittlesey: Not to me, sir.
Gen. Robert Alexander: I understand your feelings for your men.
Maj. Whittlesey: You said our flanks were supported and you ordered my men to attack. You said supply would catch up to us... which it did not! Is that acceptable to you?
Gen. Robert Alexander: Yes, that's acceptable to me. We were able to break through the German line because you held on here... because you held on here like a thorn in their belly. Major, you did an incredible job out here, but you had 600 men to worry about and I had 20,000 sent into action. I have to live with that...
Gen. Robert Alexander: I sent for trucks to bring your men back. They've been through hell.
Maj. Whittlesey: You'll never know what they've been through, or what they can and can't do. They're better then you, General. They're better than me, they always are.
Gen. Robert Alexander: Let me take you and your officers back in my staff car.
Maj. Whittlesey: That's not acceptable, Sir. I'll stay with my men.
Gen. Robert Alexander: I understand.
Maj. Whittlesey: [the General salutes and Whittlesey just turns away] Men, we're moving out!