:20:12
Those dreadful Prussians,
at the very gates of Paris.
:20:16
There, there, Maman. Don't take on so.
:20:18
We'll all be murdered in our beds.
It's disgraceful.
:20:23
There's not a morsel of food
to be bought anywhere in the whole town.
:20:28
Even the horseflesh has been sold out.
:20:31
And the streets...
It's frightening, terrifying.
:20:36
Never did I think I'd live to see France...
:20:38
...groveling in the dust
under the Prussian heel.
:20:43
- How will it end, Émile?
- How does it always end?
:20:46
In misery, suffering,
in the blood of the people.
:20:49
Those generals plunged us recklessly
into a war for which we were unprepared.
:20:54
Is it any wonder that we were
disastrously defeated?
:20:57
- Those are the fortunes of war.
- Those are indeed the fortunes of war.
:21:01
The whole structure had to collapse
before we could learn the truth.
:21:05
But France shall know why.
I shall name her betrayers.
:21:09
She shall see who led her men
to the slaughter...
:21:12
...who's responsible for her downfall.
:21:16
"During the entire war of 1870...
:21:19
...the execution of the campaign
was lame, impotent...
:21:23
...and nullified by petty jealousies
among the generals...
:21:26
...each of whom thought only of securing
a field marshal's baton for himself.
:21:33
The army was governed by
dry rot and slow paralysis.
:21:36
The general staff was mediocre,
of an ignorance past belief...
:21:41
...rushing into the adventure
of war with the confusion...
:21:44
...of a flock of sheep
being led to the shambles."
:21:48
- Good morning.
- Good morning, sir.
:21:55
What is it? You seem disturbed.
:21:57
Have you read the attack on the general
staff in this book, The Downfall?