In 1956 the professional army of France lacks the manpower to keep the peace in Algeria the colony which the country is determined to hold on to at any price. For this reason reservists are called up and subject to an intense period of training before being sent to the front. Rémy March Alain Charpentier and Raymond Dax are three such young men who have no interest in the military escapade and are reluctant conscripts. What they witness in Algeria will appall and transform them. Rape torture executions... there is no end to the atrocities in which they become unwilling participants. No wonder the French military are so willing to proclaim that there is nothing to report...