Shortly before the 1944 World War II "Battle of the Bulge," in the Ardennes Forest (the border region between Belgium and Germany), a German Major, knowing that the war is lost, decides to try to surrender his men to the Allies and save numerous lives. In this story, based on the novel by Alfred Andersch, Major Dincklage has the unenviable task of arranging the tricky surrender before the next wave of fighting begins. He must persuade key subordinates to undertake the surrender and also convince the U.S. Allied Forces that it is genuine. Conflicting priorities between his men, the local population and the allies lay the groundwork for a tragic finale.
~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide