The Bridge at Remagen

The opening scene shows the United States Army failing to capture the still-intact Oberkassel railway bridge in the last weeks of World War II. Lieutenant Hartman is introduced as a battle-weary platoon leader who must pick up the fight after his company commander is killed. The setback sets the stage for the grueling push toward Remagen.

With his commander dead, Hartman is promoted to replace him and take command of the platoon. He shoulders the burden of leading the advance toward Remagen under pressure from his superiors. The promotion marks the transition from weary lieutenant to a frontline leader.

Allied commanders promise Hartman’s unit they can rest once they reach the Rhine. They expect the Remagen bridge to be destroyed to prevent a further Allied crossing. Hartman and his men steel themselves for a difficult, exhausting push across the final obstacle.

Major Krueger is assigned to command the German defense of the Remagen bridge. Von Brock, whose orders are to destroy the bridge, instead verbalizes an instruction to keep it open for retreating units of the 15th Army. The conflicting directives create a tense, high-stakes defense.

After capturing Meckenheim, Hartman is ordered to push the advance until resistance is met, reaching within 12 miles (20 km) of Remagen. The pressure mounts as the bridge's fate hangs in the balance. Krueger prepares his troops for a possible defense battle.

Krueger inspects his defenses and bolsters morale with promises of tank support from von Brock. He knows the bridge must hold against a possible armored relief force. The German defenders feel the weight of last-ditch measures.

Hartman's troops attack the outer defenses of the town, trying to loosen Krueger's positions. Krueger learns that the tanks promised by von Brock have been sent elsewhere, complicating their defense. The build-up to the bridge assault intensifies the sense of urgency.

General Shinner orders Major Barnes to rush the bridge to secure the capture. Barnes refuses to lead the attack, threatening Hartman with his carbine. Hartman, though weary, steps up and leads the assault.

As U.S. soldiers rush the bridge, Krueger and his explosives team attempt to destroy the structure. The blast detonates, but the weak explosives fail to collapse the bridge. Hartman and his men manage to establish a tenuous bridgehead on the eastern side.

Krueger returns to headquarters to appeal for reinforcements, only to find the HQ seized by SS troops and Von Brock under arrest. Krueger is blamed for failing to destroy the bridge and is himself arrested. The German command structure fractures at Remagen.

Hartman leads a raid against a machine-gun nest aboard a river barge, attempting to suppress resistance. Angelo goes missing in action during the action. The battle for the bridge continues while reinforcements are scarce.

Hartman makes a daring, almost solo push toward the last German defenders as the first M24 Chaffee light tanks cross the bridge. The German defenders quickly surrender, and Captain Schmidt agrees to surrender rather than fight. The Americans secure a solid, if still precarious, bridgehead.

In the aftermath, Hartman discovers Angelo is alive, providing a personal beacon of hope amid the chaos. Krueger is executed by an SS firing squad for his failures. The bridge's capture becomes a costly turning point in the battle for the Rhine.

End titles reveal the Remagen bridge collapsed into the Rhine ten days after its capture. The victory is tempered by tragedy and the fragility of wartime gains. The final note emphasizes the consequences of the rapid, risky crossing.