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It's the afternoon of March 21st, 1943 in Nazi Germany, almost four years into World War II.

A group of uniformed officers stand outside the exhibit hall of a military museum in central Berlin.

Among them is Colonel Rudolf Kristoff von Gerstorf, a heavy-set balding man in his late 30s.

Gerstorf's eyes wander to his wristwatch and he uneasily shifts his weight from one foot to the other.

As he wonders when today's special guest will finally arrive, an entourage of high-ranking officials strides across the corridor leading to the exhibit hall.

Walking briskly at the front is the feared German dictator Adolf Hitler.

The officers hastily fall into line, raising their arms in the familiar Nazi salute and staring stoneally ahead as their leader approaches.

The fewer nods currently at them, the ends of his mouth twisted into a frown.

The Nazi leader is visiting this museum as part of a ceremony honoring German soldiers killed in battle.

Colonel Gerstorf is responsible for giving Hitler and his entourage a guided tour of the exhibit.

But the Colonel has another top secret reason for being present today.

He is going to kill Adolf Hitler.

Colonel Gerstorf slips a hand inside the left pocket of his overcoat, his fingers grasping for the explosive inside.

It has a fuse tied for ten minutes.

And as Hitler and his cronies prepare to head into the exhibit hall, Colonel Gerstorf draws a sharp breath and activates the explosion.

With the clock now ticking, the Colonel hurries ahead to usher the furor into the exhibit.

He is determined to stay as close to Hitler as possible for the next ten minutes so he can throw himself at the dictator just before the bomb explodes.

But as Colonel Gerstorf gestures toward the first display, Hitler begins to walk more quickly.

The Colonel struggles to keep up with him and his feeble attempts at slowing down the dictator fail.

In less than two minutes, Hitler swiftly exits the building, his entourage trailing behind him.

And in their wake, Colonel Gerstorf is forced to hurry to the nearest bathroom, where he diffuses the bomb, dismayed by the day's turn of events.

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