During the closing days of the Second World War, a National Guard infantry company is ordered to move into a town that could be occupied by Nazi forces. Earlier in the day their cowardly, politically connected commander Captain Cooney (Eddie Albert) failed to back up an assault, costing men their lives. When Cooney sends his most vociferous critic, Lt. Joe Costa (Jack Palance) in the vanguard of the assault, Costa swears that he will return to kill Cooney if Cooney's timidity cost his men their lives.![]()
