This documentary chronicles the events in the Chinese capital city of Nanjing following the Japanese invasion of 1937. Combining archival footage with interviews and cinematic recreations of historic events, the film follows German businessman John Rabe (Jürgen Prochnow), surgeon Bob Wilson (Woody Harrelson) and American missionary Minnie Vautrin (Mariel Hemingway) as they sacrifice their own safety to protect Chinese refugees from the marauding Japanese army.