Field Marshal Erwin Rommel Quotes in The Longest Day (1962)

[to his generals, observing the English Channel]

Field Marshal Erwin Rommel: Just look at it, gentlemen. How calm... how peaceful it is. A strip of water between England and the continent... between the Allies and us. But beyond that peaceful horizon... a monster waits. A coiled spring of men, ships, and planes... straining to be released against us. But, gentlemen, not a single Allied soldier shall reach the shore. Whenever and wherever this invasion may come, gentlemen... I shall destroy the enemy there, at the water's edge. Believe me, gentlemen, the first 24 hours of the invasion will be decisive. For the Allies as well as the Germans, it will be the longest day... The longest day.

Col. Gen. Alfred Jodl: In 15 minutes, we meet with the Fuhrer. He will want to know how you intend to deal with Patton's forces.

Field Marshal Erwin Rommel: I will attack and annihilate him...!

[long pause]

Field Marshal Erwin Rommel: ...before he does the same to me.

Field Marshal Erwin Rommel: What is this activity near Coulances?

General Alfred Jodl: Enemy armored forces driving through our defenses at Lessay.

[reading telegram]

General Alfred Jodl: "American tanks moving rapidly, slicing through to the rear areas."

Capt. Oskar Steiger: This sounds like Patton, Field Marshall.

General Alfred Jodl: Patton is in England.

Field Marshal Erwin Rommel: Do we know this?

General Alfred Jodl: The landing in Normandy is merely a diversionary maneuver. The real invasion will come at Calais and Patton will lead it. The Fuehrer says that the Fifteenth Army is not to be moved to Normandy.

Field Marshal Erwin Rommel: Those men are sitting on the beach at Calais throwing rocks at each other while our men are being slaughtered in Normandy.

General Alfred Jodl: [firmly] The Fifteenth Army is waiting for Patton at Calais and he will land there.

Field Marshal Erwin Rommel: You seem perfectly willing to accept this nonsense, Jodl. Why?

General Alfred Jodl: [chuckles] Because I am not prepared to dispute the Fuehrer.

Field Marshal Erwin Rommel: You can afford to be an optimist. I can't.

German officer: [on the Battle of Kasserine Pass] The Americans were under the command of British General Anderson.

[smiles broadly]

German officer: American soldiers and British generals - the worst of both worlds!

Field Marshal Erwin Rommel: [curtly] May I remind you that *Montgomery* is British?