The peculiar brotherhood of military men, even those on opposite sides of a war, is the theme "5th Day of Peace", which is based on a true World War II incident. It is a gripping story of two out-of-uniform Germans who are court-martialed for desertion and sentenced to death in a prisoner-of-war camp commanded by a Canadian captain, but run by a German colonel who still exercises strict authority over the men. With fascinating and dramatic overtones, the film explores the initial antagonism between the two officers and the gradual esteem which is built up as they come to regard each other as pillars of a military establishment more important than nationality or justice.