In April of 1945, Germany stands at the brink of defeat with the Russian Army closing in from the east and the Allied Expeditionary Force attacking from the west. In Berlin, capital of the Third Reich, Adolf Hitler proclaims that Germany will still achieve victory and orders his generals and advisers to fight to the last man. When the end finally does come, and Hitler lies dead by his own hand, what is left of his military must find a way to end the killing that is the Battle of Berlin, and lay down their arms in surrender.

一想到德国人民，我常常不免黯然神伤，他们作为个人来说，个个可贵，作为整体来说，却又那么可怜……在第三帝国短促的生命的前半期，作者曾在那里生活过，亲眼看到希特勒是怎样巩固他作为这一伟大而茫然不知所从的民族的独裁者的权力，后来又怎样引导这一民族走向战争和进行征服的。