▁of ▁army ▁leadership . ▁He ▁re build s ▁a ▁small ▁fighting ▁unit ▁with ▁volunte ers ▁and ▁d raf te es ▁and ▁he ▁ach ieves ▁some ▁battle field ▁success . ▁Event ually ▁his ▁men ▁abandon ▁him , ▁and ▁he ▁faces ▁a ▁German ▁attack ▁alone . ▁ ▁Historical ▁context ▁The ▁film ▁is ▁set ▁during ▁the ▁early ▁part ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁ 2 , ▁and ▁specifically ▁around ▁Operation ▁Wes er üb ung , ▁the ▁invasion ▁of ▁Norway ▁and ▁Den mark ▁by ▁Germany , ▁beginning ▁on ▁ 9 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁ ▁This ▁film ▁is ▁based , ▁somewhat ▁lo os ely , ▁on ▁the ▁actions ▁of ▁ 2 nd ▁L t . ▁Thor ▁O . ▁Han ne v ig , ▁Norwegian ▁Army ▁( Res erve ). ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁retired ▁sea ▁Captain ▁who ▁rejo ined ▁the ▁Norwegian ▁Army ▁and ▁fought ▁with ▁a ▁force ▁of ▁ 1 5 0 ▁mostly ▁reserve ▁soldiers ▁as ▁the ▁Te lem ark ▁Infantry ▁Regiment ▁after ▁his ▁original ▁regiment ▁surrender ed ▁on ▁ 9 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁The ▁ad ▁h oc ▁regiment ▁operated ▁from ▁ 2 1 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁around ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁Vin je ▁in ▁Te lem ark ▁County , ▁until ▁ 3 ▁May ▁when ▁the ▁regiment ▁became ▁aware ▁that ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Division ▁had ▁also ▁capit ulated , ▁dash ing ▁any ▁hope ▁of ▁relief ▁forces . ▁Most ▁of ▁his ▁men ▁were ▁dis charg ed ▁from ▁service ▁at ▁this ▁time ▁and ▁left ▁the ▁area ▁in ▁civil ian ▁cl othing