When the whistle blew, the attack was a disaster. The French soldiers were mown down by machine-gun fire before they could even clear their own wire. Seeing the retreat, Mireau flew into a rage and ordered his own artillery to fire on his troops to "force" them forward. The battery commander refused the illegal order.
Behind the front lines, in a chateau filled with fine wine and classical music, paced. He had been promised a promotion if he could take "The Ant Hill," a German stronghold that was essentially a suicide trap. Mireau didn't care about the cost in blood; he only cared about the glory that awaited him on the other side of the slaughter. The Impossible Order Orizzonti_di_gloria_1957_HD_-_Altadefinizione01
If you'd like to dive deeper into the history of the film, you can check out its IMDb page or watch the Italian trailer on YouTube . Orizzonti di gloria (1957) - MUBI When the whistle blew, the attack was a disaster
The three soldiers were chosen not by their actions, but by chance and personal grudges: The battery commander refused the illegal order
In the morning, under a gray sky, they were marched to the stakes. Dax watched in silent fury as his men were executed for a "cowardice" that actually belonged to the generals in the chateau. A Bitter Song