During World War 2 Denholm Elliott served in RAF. His plane was shot down over Germany in 1942 and he spent the rest of the war in Stalag 8B POW camp in Silesia.
Dream of air crash of Dakota plane with Air Marshall onboard was just an anecdote on the party in Shanghai, but when Air Marshall Hardie learns that he will be travelling on Dakota to Tokio things begin to resemble the ones in the dream.
During World War 2 American translator, who so far avoided any combat duty, is sent to New Hebrides Islands, where British are preparing a special operation that could save a lot of American soldiers. This time combat is inevitable.
