See Film and Video departmental files for additional documentation and a summary of the film.
The pseudo-documentary depicts the military actions of a parachute battalion participating in the occupation of the Netherlands beginning on May 10, 1940 - the action that opened the western front of WWII. It starts with an address to the parachutists by their officer, who evokes the historical importance of this 'hour of decision' which determines the fate of the German people 'for the next thousand years.' The soldiers are also told that after the defeat of Poland the new enemy of Great Britain would threaten the western borders of Germany from its 'bridgehead' of the Netherlands. Later on the parachutists are shown attacking and capturing the important bridge of Moordijk thus enabling the army to advance towards the Dutch mainland. The narrator characterizes these efforts as"finally decisive for the military campaign" as cheering soldiers waving Nazi flags are shown. The film ends with the capitulation of the Netherlands on May 14, 1940. The events depicted in the film are allegedly based on combat reports of a German parachutist battalion.
Nazi propaganda: Military