This film was originally released in 1959 and was nominated for Golden Globes and Oscars in 1960.
The year: 1945. The final days of the war, and only the youth are left to fight. The teens are still in school, but they are about to be drafted and they are excited for the opportunity to fight for their country. This film is based on true events, as reported by a survivor of a similar situation.
There are many talking points here. Not the least of which is why the young boys are ready to fight, and what happens when they are actually put in a position that they need to.
With the amount of violence at the end of the movie, it stays around a PG-13 level. Gruesome scenes are limited to the effects of the time, and remain in black and white.