[Theme music playing]
(Narrator) You're tra vel/ng through another dimension...
A dimension not onl y of sightand sound, but of mind,
a journey into a wondrous land
whose boundaries are tha t of ima Gina tion.
Your next stop, the twilight zone.
[Distant explosions]
[Distant explosions continue]
Short.
Yards: 5-0.
Short, yards: 5-0.
That's right, still.
They say that's their limit.
Hello. This is baker company f.O.
You've wrecked some rice paddies,
you've knocked down a grove of palm trees.
What we're trying to figure out is
if there's something in your religion
that says you're not supposed
to send a shell into a cave.
How's that?
Yeah, we can bypass it.
Well, look, all you've done so far
is ruin some real estate and kept some japs awake.
Anybody back there figure out how long
it takes the enemy to die of insomnia?
Yea h.
Yeah, all right.
Oka y. Well, keep in touch.
Hey, sarge, what goes?
They're going to fire for effect
until late this afternoon.
If they can't smoke them out,
maybe we'll bypass it.
Yeah.
Well, that's what I like to hear.
Amen.
Well, I feel better already.
I've got no big yen
to run into anything anymore,
not at this stage of the game.
[Explosions]
Let's go up.
You don't think they'd expect us
to go at that frontally, do you?
Well, when two air strikes
and an afternoon of lobbing shells
doesn't accomplish anything,
you'd better start counting your cartridges
'cause we are the bottom of the barrel.
When they can't move an enemy with the big stuff,
that's when they call out the queen of battle...
The everloving infantry.
Yeah, well, what do you think?
A month? More? Less?
I don't know. We got them ringed.
They're finished on okinawa.
The trouble with these little bandy-legged buzzards
is that they just don't know when to quit.
Look at them.
They're in there, holed up in that cave,
beaten, sick, starved,
and yet there's no one in there
to tell them that the war's over for them.
[Clicks tongue] Those poor guys.
(Narrator) It's a ugus 7', 1.945,
the last gr/my pages of a dirty, torn book of war.
The pla ce is
the philippine islands.
The men are what's left of a platoon of American infantry
whose dulled and tired eyes,
set deep in dulled and tired faces,
can now look toward a miracle...
That moment when the nightmare appears to be coming to an end.
But they've got one more battle to fight,
and in a moment, we'll observe that battle.
August, 1945, philippine islands.
But in reality it's high noon in the twilight zone.
[Distant explosions]
Which one of you is sergeant causarano?
That'd be me.
I'm lieutenant katell.
I'm taking over the platoon.
What's your situation here, sergeant?
Well, we're observing
for a mortar company, lieutenant.
[Explosions]
That cave down there...
A bunch of japs holed up in it.
We've been trying to get them out of there
for two days. Nothing doing.
Your binoculars, please, sergeant.
[Clunk]
[Explosions]
Tough little item.
We'll have to do a little mopping up by ourselves.
Sir?
We'll go at it frontally.
Move right in there and wipe them out.
Hey, lieutenant,
you sure you got the right platoon?
What about it, sergeant, can we go it alone?
Go it alone?
Pardon me, sir,
but you've just inherited a pretty good outfit,
but we're not that good.
This is infantry, not kamikaze.
(Soldier) I told you he had the wrong pla toon.
I think he's got the wrong army.
(Kate/I) Your name is what? t?
Watkins, Andrew j. Watkins.
Are you accustomed to talking to an officer lying on your back?
I'm not accustomed to talking to an officer any way.
We lost the last three we had,
and there's usually a little space of time...
You've been assigned another.
You've got to learn to live with him.
We'll start off with a little reminder.
When you talk to an officer,
you stand up on your two feet.
(Causarano) We've been In the line 33 da ys.
We haven't had much sleep.
You have my sympathy, sergeant.
My job is to lead this platoon,
and I intend to lead it my way.
When I tell you to jump, you'll jump.
If I tell you to stand up, you'll stand up.
If I tell you to head toward that cave,
that's exactly what you're gonna be doing.
Begging the lieutenant's pardon,
sergeant?
What are your orders, lieutenant?
[Explosions]
We'll have to move up, go right in there and wipe them out.
Wha t about it, sergeant?
You asking my opinion, lieutenant?
I'm willing to discuss it.
Well, chronologically, lieutenant,
first thing you should do
is take that gold bar off your helmet
and take the one off your collar
and put it in your pocket.
The japs may be half-beaten, half-starved,
but they're not dumb.
They're tough and they're shrewd and they got eyes.
We lost three platoon officers
because they made slight motions of commands with their hands,
and that's what the japs look for...
The guy in command.
I intended to remove the insignia.
Now what about attacking the cave?
Well, maybe we'll have to do it eventually,
but the war isn't gonna end before dinnertime.
I say we sit on it the rest of the day
and see what some 105's can do.
Maybe you're right.
But it strikes me we could move in there
and wipe 'em out inside of an hour.
Get in close enough to lob grenades and pulverize them.
Lieutenant...
Howlong ha ve you been out here?
What's that got to do with it?
Well, not a heck of a lot, I suppose,
but you talk like it's a football game
and this is no football game.
It's one long, hard gut ache
with a lot of torn-up, mangled guys.
It's gonna take a long time for us to forget it.
You ha ve to remember, lieutenant,
you ha ven't been shotat yet.
And you haven't shot anybody either.
You got out here ahead of me, I'll concede you that,
but when it comes to killing Japanese,
I think you'll find me a pretty efficient officer.
That's a filthy piece, soldier.
I want clean weapons in this platoon
because we're gonna kill japs. That's my job.
This outfit better shape up.
This one is bloodthirsty.
You don't think he'll want us to scalp 'em?
No sleep or no guts, which is it?
You're tired of killing japs, is that it?
Or you just got no stomach for it?
Lieutenant...
We're about 24 months up on you.
Now we've seen enough dead men
to last us for the rest of our lives.
The rest of our lives, lieutenant, and then some.
Now, you got a big yen to do some killing?
Okay, we'll do some killing for you,
but don't ask us to stand up and cheer.
[Explosions]
[Crickets]
(Katell) Causarano.
Those flamethrowers arrive yet?
Yes, sir.
Figure we can move in behind the next barrage
and get within 50 yards of the opening.
Those flamethrowers can do a lot of damage, can't they?
They can, indeed, sir.
What about the phosphorous grenades?
I'd hate to be hit by one.
Check with company about the time of the next mortar barrage,
and we'll move in there.
[Whispers]
[Whispering]
You're gonna have to double-time this one, sergeant.
That is, if you're gonna keep up with me.
Yeah.
Well?
Nothing, lieutenant.
I'm not your cup of tea, am I, sergeant?
You got a little bit too much vinegar for me, lieutenant.
Look, we could bypass them.
There aren't 20 japs in there,
and they're sick and half-starved.
But they're japs.
They're men, lieutenant.
You've got a funny group here, sergeant,
and you're the oddball of the bunch.
If I had to size you up,
I'd say you've either got battle fatigue or you're chicken.
Well, maybe neither
and maybe a little bit of both.
I don't know, but the way I size you...
Go ahead, sergeant, how do you size me up?
All right. You're a pea green shavetail
just fresh from some campus.
You're afraid you won't bag your limit
or worse, all shook up because somebody might spot you
as a Johnny-come-lately instead of a killer of men.
I think that ought to do it.
You asked me, you're gonna get it.
You wanna prove your manhood,
but it's a little late in the day,
and there aren't many choices left as to how to do it.
It all boils down to that lousy cave
full of sick, pitiful, half-dead losers
and a pla toon of dirty, tired men
tha t ha ve their or a w full of this war.
You're a lousy soldier,
and that goes for the rest of these poor, sad, sensitive sick boys
you want me to bottle-feed.
When you fight a war, you fight a war.
And you kill until you're ordered to stop.
I got your message, lieutenant.
The miserable fact being there's always someone like you
that sneaks in before they close the door
to grind an ax before he gives that final order.
What's your pleasure, lieutenant?
How many men have to die before you're satisfied?
Offhand, I'd say all of them.
No matter who they are or where they are,
if they're the enemy, they get it!
First day of the war or last day of the war, they get it!
[Explosions]
Lieutenant yamuri,
you dropped your glasses, sir.
[Automatic gunfire]
Lieutenant yamuri, sir,
that was exceedingly brave, sir,
trying to get at the Americans that way
and single-handedly.
[Japanese accent] The Americans?
Those are Americans in the cave?
Yes, sir.
We figure there are 20 or 30 of them.
Most of them wounded.
Are you... are you all right, sir?
Where are we?
Who are you?
Who... am I, sir?
Sergeant Yamasaki.
Are you all right, lieutenant?
Are you... feeling well?
Where are we?
I asked you a question.
Where are we?!
Why... why... corregidor, sir.
When?
"When," sir?
You mean, what is the day's date.
May 4th... sir.
May... 4th, sir.
It can't be may.
It's August.
August 6.
I... humbly ask the lieutenant to forgive me,
but I must correct him.
The day is may 4th.
May 4th, when? What year?
The year 1942.
Is the lieutenant all right?
Perhaps... perhaps a touch of malaria.
What did you call me?
You called me bya name.
Lieutenant yamuri, sir.
I called you lieutenant yamuri.
I called you by your name, sir.
No!
No!!
What happened to me?
What's going on? What happened?
[Se verel y] Ya m uri,
are you sick?
I require an answer, lieutenant.
Iasked you if you were sick.
We shall be moving out shortly,
and if you are too ill to move, we shall leave you here.
Leave me here?
We ha ve no transport for the wounded.
We shall shortly move up, and you shall remain here.
My name is not yamuri, I swear to you.
Something's happened.
My name is not yamuri. My name is...
I'm all right.
Forgive me, sir. I'm all right now.
You what?
I was feverish for a moment.
I'm all right now.
You sure?
Yes, sir. Very sure.
Sergeant...
We move out in five minutes.
Yes, sir.
Be ready to move out in five minutes.
Unfortunately, the artillery was unable to do its job.
We will attack the cave in force.
(Yamasaki) Pr/soners, sir?
Wha t?
Are we to take any prisoners if any surrender?
If any do, I suppose we can.
Yamuri. You take the first section.
Move forward as quickl y as you can.
Drop down 50 yards in front of the opening.
Wa tch for my signal.
We will cover you with automatic fire for two minutes
before you make the attack.
Then section two and three will follow you in.
Unders tood?
Yes.
I didn't hear you.
I understand, sir.
Your section, sir.
You said there were wounded in there.
I think so, lieutenant.
When they ran inside, they were carrying each other.
There are no more than 20 or 30 men inside.
It shouldn't be too difficul t.
Americans.
20 or 30 Americans.
I didn't hear what you said, yamuri.
What did you just say?
There are wounded in there, sir.
Perhaps...
Perhaps what?
Perhaps we can let them surrender or perhaps...
Or? Or what?
Or perhaps we can leave them there... bypass them.
"Bypass them," lieutenant?
Is that tactical?
Or is that some sudden nugget of compassion
that you have unearthed in your fever?
But they-they are wounded.
They can't do us much harm.
Neither can they sink a battleship,
but nevertheless, we have to destroy them.
A reminder, lieutenant...
The identity of the men in the cave,
they are Americans, they are enemy...
Healthy, wounded, walking or lying,
they are the enemy.
The Japanese army does not bypass.
The Japanese army attacks.
They Japanese army wipes out its opponents.
But... they are wounded, sir.
They are wounded and beaten.
Lieutenant yamuri,
odd that you should require this reminder,
but the comparative health and well-being of the enemy,
his comfort or his discomfort,
the degree of his anguish or his incapacities...
Have no more bearing on a military action,
a tactical move or a decision of command
than the fortunes of an anthill
that you step on when we move out to attack.
They are the enemy.
They are American.
If, when we enter the cave
and they are lying on the ground,
I can assure you
iwill have no more compunction
about making them a head shorter
than I would stepping on that anthill.
But they are men.
They are enemy, and this is war,
and in war, you kill.
You kill, lieutenant.
You kill until you are ordered to stop killing.
You kill until you are ordered
to stop killing.
No!
Sections, assemble.
Sergeant Yamasaki, you will handle the first section.
Sergeant Hiro, you will take the second section.
Lieutenant ishimo to, yours is the third section.
All right? We move out.
I will take care of you when we return.
Captain!
What you do to those men in the cave,
will it shorten the war by a week,
by a day, by an hour?
May I ask the captain
what is his pleasure?
How many must die before he's satisfied.
Offhand, lieutenant yamuri,
I would say all of them.
I don't care where they are or who they are.
If they are the enemy, they are to be destroyed.
First da y of the war, last da y of the war,
we destroy them!
[Thud]
[Crickets]
(Causarano) Any time you sa y, lieutenant.
Any time you say, lieutenant.
Form lines for the duck shoot.
Causarano...
Something happened.
Something...
(Soldier) Lieutenant katell.
Orders, lieutenant. They want us off the hill.
Who says?
Colonel hard/n a t headquarters.
The air force dropped a bomb on Japan this morning.
They call it anatomic bomb.
(Causarano) Hell o. Wha t's all this about?
They figure the bomb will end the war in a couple of days.
They want the units to pull back and see what happens.
Let's get ready to move out of here.
[Soldiers cheering]
You with us, lieutenant?
[Soldiers cheering]
Yeah, I'm with you.
Is it something, lieutenant?
Yeah, it's something.
Well, I wouldn't fret.
There will be other ca ves and other wars,
other human beings you can knock off.
I hope not.
God help us, I hope not.
(Narrator) "The quality of mercy is not stra/ned.
"It droppeth as the gentle rain from hea ven
"upon the place benea th.
It blesseth him tha t gives and him that takes."
Shakespeare, the merchant of venice,
but applicable to any moment in time
to any group of soldiery, to any na tion
on the face of the earth,
or, as in this case, to the twilight zone.
(Male presenter) Rod serl/ng, crea Tor of the twilight zone,
will tell you about next week's story
after this message.
And now, Mr. Serling.
Next week, an excursion into the shadowland of the hereafter.
Miss Gladys Cooper and Mr. Robert redford
combine sizable talents
to bring you a script by George Clayton Johnson
entitled, nothing in the dark.
The dark, in this case,
being the little nooks, crannies and closets
of those regions presided over by Mr. Death.
I hope you'll be with us next week for nothing in the dark.
(Male presenter) Our popula tion's expanding faster than our colleges.
For more classrooms and finest professors,
help the college of your choice.