During World War II, a young Catholic priest is temporarily assigned to a small Italian village. After the German army occupies the village, they immediately arrest the Jewish-Italian families living there, picking up the parents but overlooking the children. It is now up to the priest to protect the children and prevent them from also falling into German hands. After hiding in a church bell tower, they all flee to an island sanctuary, where they find the Germans in the process of erecting a new radar station. The priest and the children, along with a small band of American soldiers, attempt to thwart the German plans.