Veronika and Boris come together in Moscow shortly before World War II. Walking along the river, they watch cranes fly overhead, and promise to rendezvous before Boris leaves to fight. Boris misses the meeting and is off to the front lines, while Veronika waits patiently, sending letters faithfully. After her house is bombed, Veronika moves in with Boris' family, into the company of a cousin with his own intentions.

Timid old woman Pelageya Nilovna observes the revolutionary activities of her son Pavel Vlasov and gradually comes to realize that his cause is a great and noble one. She involves herself in the movement and finds joy and great courage in her new life as a revolutionary.

A young ordinary communist, Vasiliy Gubanov, was among many who took part in the construction of the most important facility for the young republic, the power plant. He did his job in a way that was beyond human ability. He could love, too, with a passion and a passion for self, but his life was cut short very early.

On falling in love with Sergey, Natasha gives up studies at a pedagogical institute and accompanies him to a construction site. In a course of time she realizes that her husband is interested only in his work. She leaves him, graduates from the institute and works as a teacher. But Sergey is fired for authoritative style of work and Natasha realizes that she must be near to him in his hour of need.

A quiet and shy girl Katya is assigned to the construction of a highway. The young workers accept the young trainee very warmly and help her in everything. In time Katya falls in love with one of them - the foremost excavator worker Vasya Plotnikov. He is a very cheerful, cheerful guy, the soul of the company and the favorite of all the girls. However, Vasya is preoccupied exclusively with his own person, revels in fame and success, paying no attention at all to the modest Katya.

The construction of the Vakhsh Canal, one of the largest new buildings of the first five-year plan, is underway. Two Americans are coming here under contract. A seasoned spy, Colonel Bailey, who introduced himself as the harmless traveler Mr. Murry, would later be caught red-handed and exposed. And Mr. Clark, who came to the "make money" channel, will gradually become convinced that work and politics are not such different concepts. Not accepting socialism, he quite sincerely sympathizes with the enthusiasm of the Soviet people. Love for the translator - Komsomol member Maria Polozova - helps Clark to comprehend what is happening.

The young blacksmith Ilya Gromov from the White Keys collective farm wins the title of world wrestling champion.

Alexander, Boris and Vasily are old friends, who now rarely see each other as they're busy with their professional life. They embark on long-planned voyage on a raft down the Volga river, which turns into a series of comical accidents but also strengthens their friendship.

Andrei Vysotina, who has just graduated from the Naval Academy, is appointed commander of the ship Derzhavny. The hero challenges the commander of another ship in the Black Sea Fleet, whose wife he was once in love with...

Based on the novel of the same name by Mikhail Sholokhov, about the fate of people broken by the First World War, the October Revolution of 1917 and the Civil War in Russia (1917-1922), about the collapse of the foundations and ideals of the Don Cossacks of Russia at the beginning of the XX century, about the personal tragedy of the protagonist — Grigoriy Melekhov.