From the book: It is 1934, Adolf Hitler is now Chancellor of Germany, but is yet to become Fuhrer: that horror lies in the future. For now he is content to launch twisted schemes to destroy his enemies: the British, the Russians, the Americans, but above all, the French. The Treaty of Versailles forbids Hitler from openly building up his armed forces, and so he is doing it in secret. His current plan for the glorious Third Reich begins with a devastating first strike against the strongest opponent in Europe: France. In order to do this Hitler is investing in research into the most advanced and creative weapons known to man. To this end, he has authorized Major Werner von Stosser to get, by force if necessary, the most brilliant and unusual minds from around the world to work on those weapons.