This study investigates the internal motivations and external diplomatic failures of the German resistance movement against the Nazi regime. Klemens von Klemperer, a distinguished historian, utilizes extensive archival research to document the clandestine efforts of individuals within Germany to establish communication with Allied powers. The work argues that the rigid diplomatic frameworks of the British and American governments, combined with the Allied policy of unconditional surrender, effectively neutralized the potential impact of these internal dissenters.

Historians and academic reviewers recognize this work as a foundational and meticulously documented study of the German resistance's foreign policy challenges. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a definitive resource for scholars of World War II diplomacy.