In May 1918, an extraordinary incident unfolds on a French battlefield. After enduring four grueling years of trench warfare, French and German troops unexpectedly cease fighting. This unprecedented pause in hostilities leaves military leaders scrambling for answers.

The Unfolding Mutiny

On a fateful Monday, the regiment under General Gragnon defies orders to attack. Surprisingly, the Germans, poised to exploit this mutiny, also remain still. By midday, the entire front quiets, setting off a ripple that halts fighting along the line. Gragnon, in a drastic move, requests the execution of all three thousand mutineers and demands his own arrest for failing to control his troops.

Chaos in Chaulnesmont

By Wednesday, the rebellious regiment arrives at Chaulnesmont headquarters. The once tranquil town erupts into chaos, its residents enraged by the disgrace brought upon them. It emerges that a corporal and his squad of twelve, operating discreetly, have been spreading pacifist ideals among the soldiers. Among these men, only the Corporal speaks French, though four are not native Frenchmen, intensifying the crowd’s anger towards him.

Generals in Disarray

The mutiny unsettles the Allied generals, as a war concluded by insubordination defies conventional military logic. To restore order, a conference is convened, involving even a German general, leading to a resolution to continue the war. For young Flight Officer David Levine, the unexpected cessation of battle spells disaster. Driven by a desire for wartime glory, he takes his own life, feeling the opportunity slipping away.

Hope Amidst the Turmoil

Contrasting Levine’s despair, another soldier, known as the Runner, views the ceasefire as a hopeful omen. Once an officer, he had rejected the oppressive authority of his superiors, leading to his demotion. Inspired by the Corporal’s philosophy, which he learned from Reverend Tobe Sutterfield—an American preacher mysteriously present in France—the Runner seeks to demonstrate the power of these pacifist ideas. He persuades a sentry, who profited from selling life insurance, to abandon the trenches and embark on a peaceful march toward the Germans. When they approach unarmed, the Germans reciprocate, but a sudden artillery strike kills the sentry and severely injures the Runner.

The Marshal’s Dilemma

The ultimate decision regarding the fate of the mutineers falls to the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied armies, an elderly French Marshal. Orphaned early in life but of notable lineage, he was an exemplary student at St. Cyr military academy. His altruism and academic excellence earned him admiration, particularly from the man now serving as his Quartermaster General. The Marshal’s career took him from the Sahara, where he faced moral challenges, to a Tibetan monastery, and finally to a tumultuous personal affair that left him with a son born under tragic circumstances.

Revelations and Trials

The mutinous regiment is confined in a repurposed factory as they await trial. The Marshal, seemingly unsurprised by the proceedings, anticipates every development. Marthe and Marya, the Corporal’s half-sisters, arrive with his wife in Chaulnesmont. In a private meeting, they disclose a family secret—the Corporal is the Marshal’s son. Marthe had raised him on her farm after marrying a French farmer, Dumont. The Corporal, a decorated soldier, had married a former prostitute from Marseilles, yet the Marshal absorbs this news without shock.

Confrontation and Choice

On Thursday, during a meal, betrayal surfaces as it becomes clear that soldier Polchek has informed against the Corporal. Pierre Bouc, another soldier, denies the Corporal thrice. Called to meet the Marshal on a hill overlooking the town, the Corporal listens as his father tries to dissuade him from his path of martyrdom. Offering a secret escape route, the Marshal is rebuffed by his son. In a final effort, the...