The film includes themes considered to be taboo for Hollywood during the war years, such as tensions between allies and racism among Americans.
Lisa Lu, who played Madame Sue-Mei Hung , recruited some faculty members from the Army Language School, Chinese Mandarin Department, to appear in the film. These faculty members were: P.C.Lee, Leo Chen, C.N.Hu and Richard Wang.
This was the only real war movie which James Stewart starred in. He had vowed never to make one, since he complained they were hardly ever realistic. Harry Morgan said he believed that Stewart made an exception for this film because it was definitely anti-war.
The story is based on Theodore H. White's observations in China as a journalist. He interviewed Frank Gleason, who served as head of the demolition crew featured in the story and film, for \"Time" magazine while working in China. Gleason was later hired as an (uncredited) technical consultant for the film.
Although made with the cooperation of the Pentagon, the film is often labeled anti-war.