- For the actual World War II battle, see Battle of San Pietro InfineBattle of San Pietro InfineThe Battle of San Pietro Infine was a major engagement from 8–17 December 1943, in the Italian Campaign of World War II involving Allied Forces attacking from the south against heavily fortified positions of the German "Winter Line" in and around the town of San Pietro Infine, just south of Monte...
. - For the 1734 battle of the War of Polish Succession, see Battle of San PietroBattle of San PietroThe Battle of San Pietro, also known as the Battle of Crocetta or the Battle of Parma was a battle fought on June 29, 1734, between troops of France and Sardinia on one side, and Habsburg Austrian troops on the other, as part of the War of Polish Succession, between the village of La Crocetta and...
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The Battle of San Pietro is a 1945 documentary film
directed by John Huston
about the Battle of San Pietro Infine
during World War II
. It was shot by Jules Buck.
Huston and his crew were attached to the US Army’s 143rd regiment of the 36th division. Unlike many other military documentaries Huston’s cameramen filmed alongside the infantrymen as they fought their way up the hills to reach San Pietro.
The lives lost were precious lives- to their county, to their loved ones, and to the men themselves.
Children are able to forget quickly. Yesterday, they wept. Today there are smiles and even laughter. Tomorrow it will be as though the bad things have never happened.
Our prime military aim being to engage and defeat the enemy, the capture of the town itself and the liberation of its people is of an incidental nature. But the people, in their military innocence, look upon us solely as their deliverers. (Beat) It was to free them and their farmlands that we came.
The new-won earth at San Pietro was plowed and sown. It should yield a good harvest this year." (Pause) "And the people pray to their patron saint to intercede with God for those who came to deliver them, and moved on to the north with the passing battle.
All scenes in this picture were photographed within range of enemy small arms or artillery fire. For purposes of continuity, a few of these scenes were shot before and after the actual battle of San Pietro.