Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg is a German hero, who sacrificed both his eye and his hand during a World War II battle in Africa. He's taken home to Nazi Germany, where he is weary of both the war and Adolf Hitler in general. Claus upon returning is recruited by the German Resistance, a group of German military officers bent on assassinating Adolf Hitler in hopes of restoring Germany to something resembling order. A major general, Henning, had put a bomb on Hitler's airplane earlier, but it didn't go off, leaving the Resistance to simply regather and try again. Claus discovers that they don't have any plans on what to do after Hitler is killed, which unless secured could simply lead to one of Hitler's disciples continuing to lead in his place. He comes up with Operation Valkyrie, which would activate the Reserve Army in Germany to maintain order following Hitler's assassination. Two problems with this plan: it requires General Fromm, the head of the Reserve Army, to make the call to initiate the operation, and it needs to be signed into law by Hitler himself. After Claus faces Hitler and gets him to sign it without really reading it (Hitler distracted, too busy praising Claus' sacrifice for his country in battle), they set about trying to make a plan to bomb Hitler and the head of his army, Himmler, taking out both at once. They find a way to get Claus into Hitler's command bunker, where Himmler will also be, and deliver a suitcase bomb. The first time Claus attends a meeting with a bomb, Himmler isn't present, so they don't go ahead with the plan, heightening tensions and raising suspicions among those watching them. Once Claus is able to make the bomb go off in the bunker, they initiate Operation Valkyrie, unsure if Hitler is actually dead, but hoping to move ahead with enough of the plan that they can take charge of the country. However, with Hitler still alive, the clock is ticking, with their lives and the state of Germany on the line.
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Best part of story, including ending:
It's an exciting story about real events in history, with a terrific cast and directed with a great deal of suspense and tension.
Best scene in story:
The first scene in which Claus tries to deliver the bomb but can't find Himmler is an absolute nail-biter-- Claus wants to kill Hitler, but would have to disobey instructions.
Opinion about the main character:
Claus is a Nazi, but he doesn't consider himself one-- he's a good German, a loyal soldier, and willing to do something brave to restore right, which makes him a great hero.
