“Could I ask a question, sir?” Scotti inquired.
“Of course, Lieutenant Scotti,” the general answered. “I want you all to ask as many questions about this as you please.”
“What about the flood waters when they reach our own troops?” Scotti asked.
“I’ll show you,” the general replied. “Our men coming up the valley will be here when the dam is blown up.” He pointed to a spot on the map about ten miles below the town. “As you see, the valley broadens here. The waters will be pretty low by this time, and they’ll channel chiefly into these two river beds, leaving a ridge of high ground up the center between them.”
“But how can we attack the town, then?” Jerry asked.
“We won’t attack it from the front, up the valley,” the general replied. “The flood will have silenced the big guns in the town itself, and for some distance behind it. We’ll have infantry pouring over the sides of the hills on both sides at that moment. You’ll recall I said we could filter plenty of men up the other sides of these hills, but no heavy guns. Well, with the German guns out of commission, they won’t be handicapped. They’ll be fighting German foot soldiers on an equal basis, only the Germans will be racing like fury to get into the hills away from the flood waters, and they won’t be organized.”
“I see, sir,” Lieutenant Scotti replied. “I knew there was an answer, of course, but wanted to be sure what it was.”
“Naturally,” the general replied. “You can see it’s something like the Wadizam Pass action. First comes our advance part way up the valley, drawing heavy German troop and supply movement into Maletta. Meanwhile other forces filter north along the other sides of the ridges, traveling chiefly at night to avoid detection. You men are in Maletta, reporting to us. You warn the Italians, blow up the dam and run for the hills, planning to meet our own men who’ll be coming over them at that time.”
Then the general asked for questions, and he answered them for half an hour until the six men felt that they knew every detail of the plan, every action that was expected of them.
“One last thing,” the general said. “In getting into the town you may find that uniforms are attention-getters. But if you’re back of the enemy lines without uniforms you’re really spies and can be treated as such by the enemy. In uniform, if captured, you will be prisoners of war. But that problem will have to be left up to you and Lieutenant Scotti, your commanding officer. You do whatever you think is necessary and advisable, but you must be fully aware of the consequences. I have no right to ask you to be spies, to take such a risk. This whole venture is completely volunteer, anyway. Not a man of you needs to undertake it.”