▁to ▁follow ▁his ▁father ' s ▁wishes , ▁as ▁his ▁best ▁friend ▁Adolf ▁K amil ▁is ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁German ▁Jews . ▁Wolfgang ▁dies ▁after ▁comp lications ▁regarding ▁a ▁search ▁for ▁the ▁a for ement ioned ▁document : ▁with ▁his ▁dying ▁breath , ▁he ▁forces ▁Adolf ▁Kauf mann ▁( here after ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁K auff man ) ▁to ▁go ▁to ▁Germany ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁Hitler ▁Youth . ▁While ▁at ▁the ▁Hitler ▁Youth ▁a cademy , ▁Kauf mann ▁sees ▁K amil ' s ▁father ▁brought ▁to ▁execution ▁after ▁he ▁comes ▁to ▁Europe ▁to ▁try ▁and ▁bring ▁Jews ▁to ▁Japan ▁through ▁Shang hai . ▁Kauf mann ▁is ▁forced ▁to ▁execute ▁K amil ' s ▁father ▁with ▁a ▁p istol ▁as ▁a ▁loyal ty ▁test . ▁As ▁Kauf mann ▁becomes ▁more ▁and ▁more ▁ind o ctr in ated , ▁in ▁contrast ▁his ▁mother ▁Y uk ie ▁becomes ▁more ▁distant ▁from ▁her ▁late ▁husband ' s ▁German ▁t ies . ▁A ▁test ▁to ▁Kauf mann ' s ▁loyal ty ▁to ▁the ▁Reich ▁comes ▁when ▁he ▁falls ▁in ▁love ▁with ▁a ▁German ▁Jewish - Ch inese ▁girl , ▁El iza . ▁He ▁successfully ▁sm ugg les ▁her ▁to ▁his ▁friend ▁K amil ▁in ▁Japan , ▁but ▁is ▁unable ▁to ▁get ▁her ▁family ▁to ▁go . ▁The ▁Imperial ▁Army ▁inv ades ▁China ▁and ▁begins ▁the ▁Second ▁S ino - J apan ese ▁War , ▁us her ing ▁in ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁fe ver ed ▁militar ism ▁and ▁par ano ia ▁in ▁Japan . ▁During ▁this ▁time