▶ "One Step Beyond": The Vision.

what you're about to see is a matter of human record explain it we cannot disprove it we cannot we simply invite you to explore with us the amazing world of the unknown to take that one step beyond what you're about to see has haunted the minds of men for 40 years a miracle or a soldier's fable you decide at 22 30 hours on the night of november the 14th 1915 something happened in the war darkened skies over europe it was seen by a british mortar unit here in flanders it was reported by a russian sentry on the east prussian front it interrupted the maneuvers of an italian infantry company here it was observed by an allied reconnaissance plane over the english channel thousands of soldiers from all the nations of europe ultimately were involved but in the beginning there were only four four french soldiers an unimportant patrol on a trivial mission set out on this gloomy november night in 1915 to attack a minor motor position kill a few enemy soldiers and return to its lines indeed a modest beginning for what is now just seconds away i think of all the present things the man of my sensitivity could be doing tonight watching the ballet playing the piano enjoying vintage wines a night like this is good for only two things picking pockets or making love on your feet and your stomach and your feet and your stomach on your feet what an unpleasant war those flares do they mean they've seen us probably what will happen if they kill enough of us the next direction of schnapps if we kill enough of them perhaps they let us take a bath must feel strange to kill for the first time strange actually i enjoy it each time i kill i think there's one less bush between me and those lovely bottles of wine gathering dust in my cellar when's that blasted thing going to fall probably hanging from a parachute where do you see a parachute how can it just hang there it's so bright come on burn up fall [Music] so [Music] get down you fool get down you'll get your heads blown up come back here come back pick up your guns come back here what are you running for me there's only a dirty bus drinking it's just a flare [Applause] [Music] oh my god my god on your feet i'll defeat you patties as you were no need for formality i am captain tremaine of the adjutant general's office i've been appointed to defend you at your court martial tomorrow tomorrow what's the big hurry it's the cooks they should caught marshall they're poisoning the whole army i don't know why they chose me my practice was civil law what do i know about a mess like this it's reassuring to know that our defense is in such good hands but there's not much of a defense soldier obvious what happened the charges say it all cowardice in the face of the enemy cowardice it wasn't that at all quiet show respect but i wasn't afraid i mean i was at thrust but it wasn't that do you know the prosecutor is major lamarr of the high command that's all i've just been a captain for the last two and a half weeks i don't suppose the captain would be demoted if he should lose his case oh don't worry about that you'll lose all right it's bang bang bang for us well how can i win it's all here in black and white at a time when the boss are defeating us everywhere lamar will eat me up alive well i'll do the best i can but you'll have to be absolutely honest with me no need to hold back anything sergeant vii look at this record i just don't understand it the quad again what happened how could a brave man like you run from the enemy ask the others i'm asking you look they're going to make an example of you men that's why they're doing it so fast don't you understand that sir ask the others i really don't want to ask any of you i don't like to defend cowards why'd you call scowls what did you want us to do at first i was blinded by the light i couldn't see anything and then i wasn't in the shell hole anymore i wasn't i was home home yes i was home no it wasn't my imagination i was really there it was morning i was in the kitchen mama was pouring milk for breakfast and papa was putting on his working shoes and talking about the day's work my little sister was there and through the window i could see the sun the way it hit the fields flock of birds i was home and i was happy and then i felt the rifle in my hand and i thought what am i doing with this so i threw it away i was home in the middle of the battle a light blinds him and then he's at home as a doctor examined this boy lately look why don't you let us alone did we ask for you no and i didn't ask for you all right thank goodbye there's no way to speak to an officer get him out of here you want to know where i was listen to this captain fancy pants let me tell you where i was i was on the deck of the montes a rusty little freighter carrying pig iron from south america to marseille flopped on the forward deck just taking it easy i never felt like that in my whole life i was free i could breathe there was nobody in the world that i wanted to punch in the mouth i wanted to stay like that for a hundred years a part of everything everything tell me i wasn't on that boat and i'll make you eat all those pencils i'm sorry sir but what can you expect in today's army when i fled burst i really didn't see a thing well that's better then why did you run and somehow the air had changed it had become soft and warm like summer's night in november oh logic told me it was freezing cold and yet i felt a warm breeze on my face and my feet were no longer cold but the air was suddenly filled with with all sorts of remarkable scents tangerines night flowers dust the way it settles after it's been watered down and i think even incense the kind my my aunt used to burn under her favorite saints in church feast the voters after the stink of war i felt an exaltation a love of life and the gun in my hand suddenly but it suddenly felt obscene obscene sergeant sometimes on a patrol it's no secret uh the men take along a little brandy in their canteens to keep warm ha now we were all drunk well you're all talking like drunks nobody had a drop what did you see sergeant i am going to look like the world's biggest fool i was in the kitchen mama was pouring milk i was unafraid of carrying pig iron like incense my aunt used to burn under a favorite saint they'll laugh me right out of the courtroom all right let's begin again i continue from the testimony of young men sergeant let me see yes it wasn't what i saw or smelled but what i heard the light could have come from many things but not the singing i don't know what they were singing but it sounded holy and it was beautiful i started walking to where i could hear the voices better now all this would be hilarious as a musical sketch but within the sound of enemy guns i find the humor rather hollow and i am more than a little surprised that the defense council would insult the intelligence of this court by introducing such trash as evidence it's what the man told me and what does the southern say what did the thousands see here all smen i heard the bosch cannon and machine gun i smelled and there was a dead body in the shell hole i saw a flare that lasted a long time have you seen no other flares that lasted a long time not like this one maybe it was a new bosch invention it stayed there for i don't know how long it was cloudy and the flare cast shadows against the clouds well at last we're beginning to hear some sense you and your men were frightened by shadows and you ran is it correct yes i suppose so sir but we should thank the thousand for putting an end to all this nonsense once and for all you're excused thank you sir one moment the defense counsel has already questioned the witness just one more question sir you agree with major lamar that you and your men ran from the enemy well sir there was this shadow you saw the shadow and you and your men ran that's what you just said correct yes sir then i charge you with perjury what else could it have been but the shadow i am referring to this on the direct examination you said here we are we walked back to our lines that's right what's right walked or ran if i may say so the distinction is a small one sir these men are on trial for showing cowardice in the face of the enemy a coward does not walk walking made them heroes would you have the courage to walk across a battlefield i beg your pardon sir i know that i would not have such courage i admit i am as confused as anyone by the testimony of these prisoners when i first talked to them i thought they were trying to make a fool of me and what made the captain change his mind nothing but that there's an incredible sincerity about these men it has been my experience that men on trial for their lives are always incredibly sincere nevertheless i insist that the records show that they walked that the aforementioned soldiers are guilty of having shown cowardice in the face of the enemy and by a unanimous vote this court condemned them to the penalty of death by shooting as provided for by the code of military justice this court is adjourned right face all right cheer up captain you did a good job better than they deserved are you sure that's all it was sir or what was i mean what the sergeant said that the shadow was caused by a flare of course the rest is rubbish be sensible what else could it have been what else could it have been [Music] good morning is it it's difficult for us to tell down here i'm going to see the commanding general and try to get a stay of execution you don't sound hopeful i'll do my best i think you will and that's most curious why i'm a lawyer that's why when you first came down here you wanted to spit in our eye but in the courtroom and now don't tell me you actually believe our outrageous stories i don't know what i believe anyhow while i'm in town i could mail your letters if you wish when do they get rid of us it's scheduled for 1400 hours no letter sergeant after 18 years in the army i have nobody to write to sir sergeant is that all it was just a shadow if i told him i saw noah's ark passing by would that have saved us no i suppose not oh captain uh you could do me a favor when you go into town you you could get me a bottle of good cognac something really first rate i mean i i would like to have one last taste of first-rate cognac of course it wasn't the shadow and i don't imagine things i'm as hard-hitted as an ox what i saw i saw when i looked up the the flare was still burning bright and they're as big as the sky itself was the face of the first man i ever killed he was an algerian maybe even younger than me and if i didn't cut his throat he was going to cut mine then he was dead his eyes were staring up at me that's what i saw that algerian kid and you know how he looked and if he was saying it's all right my friend it wasn't your fault that didn't make me feel any better about it for there i was again with a gun in my hand and a belt of grenades around my neck and if it wasn't my fault that algerian kid was dead well then whose fault was it you think i would say something like that in court and let them laugh at me too they'll have you to get that cognac while i can still drink at you better hurry sir [Music] [Music] [Music] could the captain spell a cigarette take them all thank you sir oh thank you my grandfather will be so happy you see the all that's left of a family of seven i'd like to return the captain's kindness that's all right would the captain like a sacrifice flower eddie is no more pies or fresh patera or eggs might have a fine polish ham does the cap need any potatoes a gold watch in perfect condition solid gold bited i'm after two can't be that late ten after one my kind fazer thanks you for the cigarettes can you get me some cognac but of course it's got to be first class first class cognac is expensive it doesn't matter i'm not bringing them anything else i've got to have it right away have to be back at the prison before two o'clock our house is at the edge of town these parts are just a few kilometers behind those woods pretty soon you'll be able to sell them potatoes and ham and butter i am learning a few german belts it's a difficult language i'm sure the connections you do not need a gun i throw mine in the river i've been walking through the trees for i don't know how long ten times very tired for me the war is finished let someone else call ready aim and let someone else call fire and let someone else watch 10 young soldiers at their fatherland fall dead on the parade cross what vowing to coward says the field marshal an example let someone else do it what are you talking about what if they were telling the truth what cowards they didn't look like cows what are you talking about what if each one really did see something see something what you wouldn't believe me see something what where was what there will be no execution until further notice i'll give you my reasons later yes i sent you an official order when were you meant to be executed sometime late today operator operator i want to talk to someone in the international red cross someone with authority to contact the german commander of this sector hurry this is an emergency [Music] of everything that happened perhaps the final miracle was the chance meeting of two enemy soldiers because a sergeant wanted a taste of cognac within 24 hours similar reports were coming in from all over europe actually no one was ever sure of what happened in the sky that dark november night ours is one version of the story there are many others but the one fact to remember is that more than a thousand men did see or sense something in any event it is a matter of public record that for a while men could not kill each other and in the end if all else is false that is miracle enough [Music] next week one of the most stunning psychic events on record it began with a garish succession of surprises that shocked all england it ended with an important change in the very laws by which we live [Music] foreign

Channel: One-Step-Beyond

Views: 247,465

Rating: 4.889267 out of 5

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Id: qAHL_jPMsDU

Length: 25min 26sec (1526 seconds)

Published: Sat Jul 30 2016