Bent on destroying Germany's fighter plane factories during World War II, U.S. Brig. Gen. Casey Dennis (Clark Gable) sends bomber squadrons on dangerous suicide missions, convinced that sacrifice is the only means to victory. Dennis hides the emotional strain he suffers from his men and second in command (Walter Pidgeon). Van Johnson, Brian Donlevy and Charles Bickford also star in this drama based on William Wister Haines's stage play.