Published in 1942, the book tells the story of the military occupation of a small town in Northern Europe by the army of an unnamed nation at war with England and Russia. Although the book never names the occupying force as German, references to "The Leader" and "memories of defeats in Belgium and France 20 years ago" clearly suggest it. Written with a purpose to motivate and enthuse the resistance movements in occupied countries, the book has appeared in at least 92 editions across the world. Numerous editions of the book were secretly and illegally published across all of occupied Europe. It was also adapted for stage and film.