The film begins in Nanking during late 1937, where German businessman John Rabe, director of the local Siemens subsidiary, and his wife Dora have resided for almost thirty years. The thought of transferring management to his successor Fliess and returning to Berlin is a substantial professional setback for him. During the farewell ball in his honor, Nanking is bombarded by planes of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service. Rabe opens the company gate and saves the panicked civilians.