A WW2 Nazi Germany army take over a small mining town with the help of a local shopkeeper Mr. Corell: a traitor, he distracts the soldiers of the village, allowing the siege to occur with no resistance. The German Commanding Officer, Colonel Lanser, is discussed with trepidation by Doctor Winter, the Mayor, and his wife.
The German Unit arrives, and the high-authority officers proceed to occupy the Mayor's house, asking for his cooperation which he refuses in the name of the villagers. The reason for the siege is explained to be the extraction and exportation of coal, which also requires the building of a rail road.
Captain Loft, a strict believer in the rules and military professionalism goes to relieve Captain Bentick of his duties that, in his opinion, are not being done to an appropriate standard. In doing so, they come across Alex Moredn, who, furious at the forced labour, attacks Loft with an axe. Bentick saves his life, but is killed in the process.
Mayor Orden refuses to sentence Alex, stating it is not within his rights to execute someone, but the miner is executed regardless. During the execution, an object is thrown into the window, hitting the Germans.
Anger grows within the town at the invasion, but Captain Tonder yearns to grow close to the villagers. In his loneliness, he reaches out to Molly Morden (the wife of Alex Morden) to quench his solemnity. She realizes, however, that he ordered the execution of her husband, giving an excuse for him to leave, but telling him to return.
A meeting occurs in the house, in which two local miners outline their plans to flee to England, telling the English of the invasion to send bombs back via plane. Tonder returns to the house after this, unaware of the scissors Molly is concealing, which she then stabs him to death with.
The planes come, dropping packages full of dynamite and instructions on how to blow up the railroad. Major Hunter, a German officer, realizes only too late of their existence, as the villagers have collected many of them.
Mr. Corell accuses the Mayor of actively helping the villagers, who is arrested alongside Doctor Winter. The Mayor is advised to help the Germans by winning local cooperation, but Orden once again refuses, insisting on the agency of the villagers. Both him and Winter maintain their faith in the strength of the townspeople, and as they discuss this, bombs are heard in the distance.
The narrative ends with Orden walking out of the room to his death.
