The Laughing Wolf

D-Day: A Slightly Lighter Note

It is hard to imagine that anyone has not seen the movie The Longest Day. Today it will probably be shown on multiple channels. Take the time to watch it, and look for what I think/suspect was a wonderful piece if revenge. In the movie, a German officer – Pluskat – and his “hund” go forward to the defenses at Normandy to check things out. His reaction to the ships, and the shelling, provide some comic relief to the movie. Especially delightful is the contrast between Pluskat at the coffee/tea sipping officer comfortably ensconced well away from the front. Now, pay attention to the credits, and note who is a technical advisor. You’ve got it: Pluskat. He survived the war, and helped with the film. I rather strongly suspect that some of the portrayals of the people above him in the chain of command was a bit of his way of expressing how he felt and getting a bit of revenge. The man apparently had no problem with his portrayal, having a pretty good sense of humor about himself. Besides, it also made those same superiors look pretty foolish… What better way to get back at them, than to make them look foolish to millions of people across many generations.

LW