I have joined a new workplace several months ago as a software engineer, for a very software-centric project. The quality of code there was extremely poor when I arrived, but I did not let it bother me and did my best to improve the company's product anywhere I could, hoping to leave a good impression and advance the company.
Not long after I started working there, the company got a large offer from another company, that it would buy it. However, the potential buyer had a lot of high requirements for the company's software that needed to be met within very short time intervals; they made it clear that if my company can not meet those requirements, they would go to competitors instead.
The expertise of other developers on the team was far too low than to meet those requirements within the given timeframe (or at all...), but with my experience and me working overtime and during holidays we were able to meet all the requirements and give a good impression to the buying company.
After that, I stopped hearing anything from the management of my company. They let me keep working on my regular routine at the company for a few months. Then, all of the sudden, they announce that the deal was sealed and that our company is getting bought by the bigger company.
Before I could be happy about getting a pay raise and working at a much nicer place, they made it clear that only the management are moving into the buying company, and all the employees are getting terminated.
Without my work, the company would not have been able to seal this deal. During this work, I was constantly pressured to work extra hours to make ends meet, while being promised all sorts of benefits if we were to manage to seal this deal.
It it clear that I was lied to all this time. I am not happy about this. Is there any action I can take, legal or moral, either to get some level of compensation back for my work within proportions to what the company got out of it, or to act against the management and make sure they will think twice before giving employees this type of treatment again in the future?
Also, when applying to a new job, should I list this company on my resume, or hide it? I do not want to leave months blank with no explanation, but I also have very little positive things to say about this company if I get asked questions.