June 1945. Even as the people of France celebrate the end of World War II, they are overwhelmed by the recovery work which lies ahead. Every bridge, road, and rail line, every church, school, and hospital has been destroyed. Disparate factions, from Communists to Resistance fighters to those who supported appeasement of the Nazis, must somehow unite and rebuild their devastated country. Asher lost his family during the war, and in revenge, he served...