Why did the Germans want to blow up the towers? - Un tè con Mussolini (1999) Discussion

[–] TheEtiquette 15 years ago

To cause more damage to the Allies and to slow down their drive, I suppose. As far as I know, the Nazis really were going to blow up the towers, but the local citizens stopped them. Perhaps The Scorpioni was really involved in that, because during the war there were indeed some "enemy aliens" arrested in San Gimignano.

As the saying goes... the time to make up your mind about people is never

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[–] louiseculmer 9 years ago

if it was really the local citizens who stopped hem blowing up the towers, then i think it is a bit of a cheek that they make out it was old English ladies doing it. that has somewhat changes how i feel about the film.

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[–] hanazdad2-539-506199 15 years ago

Scorched earth. This policy was used on the Western and Eastern front. Don't leave the enemy with anything they can use. Allies would have to clear damage. Destroy moral. Officers should have shot English protesters or have had them under control. German officer failed at his duty.

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[–] Suzume-san 14 years ago

He was just about to do so, wasn't he, when he was told that the Allies were less than a mile away, and he and his men had to scoot. Deus ex machina, a little too dramatic to be entirely believable, but hey, this is drama, not documentary.

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[–] trendfactor4 14 years ago

Wrong.

The Germans deliberately destroyed many cultural artifacts and non-military historical structures when they were retreating from Italy. Blowing up the towers was in line with that strategy, and not an unbelievable deus ex machina.

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[–] Suzume-san 14 years ago

Sorry, Trend, that wasn't what I meant - the Allies in their trucks and tanks are the deus ex machina, almost literally - dei, I suppose one should say. I wasn't commenting on German military strategy, I was referring to the plotting of the fiction. The 'god from the machine' in classical drama descended from the heavens at the climax of the play to bring about the happy - or tragic - ending.

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[–] trendfactor4 14 years ago

Ah, sorry, my mistake.

However, I still don't see it as a deus ex machina. The Germans typically destroyed these structures only when the allies were closing in on them and they had to retreat. So the Germans trying to blow up the towers, the ladies stopping them, and then the allies showing up soon after makes perfect sense.

Indeed, this scenario played out all over Europe as the Germans began giving up ground to the allies. The German troops were often ordered to commit some final act of killing or destruction before leaving an occupied town or city. Sometimes the locals rose up and resisted, which delayed the Germans long enough where they ran out of time to carry out these orders, and instead just retreated to get away from the advancing allies. Naturally, the allies showed up soon after in order to secure the town. Much like in the way they did in this movie.

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[–] goleafsgo27 10 years ago

Indeed, Trend!! Folks should read the book or see the film, Is Paris Burning? to learn how Hitler ordered that amazing city be demolished in August 1944, and how, mercifully, that order was not carried out.

I have seen enough to know I have seen too much. -- ALOTO

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[–] ducdebrabant 12 years ago

The allied invaders were no deus ex machina. The story is based on history, and that's how the war in Italy really did end, with its liberation by allied armies. The Germans wouldn't have blown anything up till they had to retreat, and they wouldn't have retreated till the allies were nipping at their heels.

The Republican Plan: repeal all reform; collect payoffs; go yachting (but not in the Gulf).

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[–] j-j-mckenna 14 years ago

The Germans were going to blow the towers so the Allies could not use them as observation posts.

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[–] Zuider_Zee 12 years ago

It would have been good strategy.

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[–] angelofvic 12 years ago

Again, why?
.

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[–] Zuider_Zee 12 years ago

It would give them visual advantage.

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[–] angelofvic 12 years ago

In other words, you have no earthly idea.
.

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[–] gambitcolumbus 12 years ago

Because they could and just to be destructive.

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[–] PterryFan 10 years ago

Towers , particulary when on top of a hill, make excellent Artillery Observation Posts from which the Allies could direct fire onto enemy positions.

Apart from the O.P.s , it also gave a good view generally on dispositions in enemy territory .

And I DO know what I'm talking about .

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[–] dtechba 10 years ago

I remember they were wanting to prevent their use as observation posts.

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[–] 10 years ago

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