The Last Blitzkrieg

In late 1944, American prisoners secretly plan a breakout from a German POW camp. Among them is a German officer posing as Sgt. Richardson who is secretly reporting the group’s moves to the camp commandant. The plan unfolds with deception and mounting tension as the escape nears.

Kroner covertly relays the escape plan to the camp commandant, maintaining his cover. He is told he is being removed from the camp and reassigned to a top secret project gathering fluent English-speaking Wehrmacht soldiers. The assignment hints at a hidden purpose behind the operation.

The prisoners' plan to escape fails, and many inmates die in the process. The collapse exposes the futility and danger of attempting a breakout under heavy guard. This setback propels Kroner into a new, covert mission.

Kroner is sent with other officers to a German castle to participate in Operation Greif (referred to in the film as 'Operation OK Butch'). They will disguise themselves in American uniforms to infiltrate Allied lines and sabotage operations. The mission is framed as a bold, top-secret effort linked to the Ardennes offensive.

Within the castle, Kroner is assigned a four-man team, including Wilitz, a Waffen-SS officer who relishes recounting brutal exploits. The group trains for deception, infiltration, and combat tasks. Tension rises as loyalties and nerves are tested.

The team’s early operations achieve initial success, aided by their disguise and misdirection. A short-lived advantage reinforces confidence but casts a shadow over what comes next. Weather and execution shape the initial gains in their assault.

A decimated American infantry company of the 23rd Infantry Regiment counterattacks and disrupts the infiltrators’ forged orders, forcing Kroner’s unit to serve as replacements. The shift dilutes the momentum of the German plan. The Americans’ resilience foils several of the Germans’ tactical moves.

In the new unit, Kroner reunites with Sgt. Ludwig and Cpl. Ennis, who reveal they were the only survivors of their escape attempt. The Germans knew about their break and had ambushed the escape party. The reunion deepens the personal stakes for Kroner in the mission.

Kroner secures plans for an American counterattack against a strategic crossroad and warns the Germans by radio. He is ordered to stay with the infiltrators to ensure the counterattack fails. The directive pits his loyalty to the mission against the opportunity to aid the Americans.

Kroner’s team sabotages a jeep with a bomb, killing the company commander. They also attempt to destroy another vehicle, which arouses Ludwig’s suspicion about their true allegiance. The act intensifies the mistrust within the group.

During an attack, Wilitz uses the moment to shoot their lieutenant in the back. Ludwig is then placed in command following the lieutenant's death. The internal fractures within the German team deepen as the situation grows more volatile.

Several German prisoners are captured and Kroner volunteers to escort them to Battalion HQ. He informs his comrades that the prisoners did not want to escape; they preferred to surrender to the Americans with Kroner guiding them. Wilitz erupts, arguing that they should have shot the prisoners instead.

News of German infiltrators behind American lines spreads, and Ludwig becomes more suspicious when Wilitz claims not to know what the American 'hot foot' refers to. The growing mistrust threatens to unravel the ruse and the unit’s cohesion. The tension between deception and reality reaches a breaking point.