Hanoi of 1978, milkwood pine flowers in autumn, and the anxiety of idealistic youths navigating postwar life. A young couple struggle to be together as individual happiness gets in the way.

The plot of the film revolves around revolutionary soldiers who come from different classes, but all share the same patriotism. They had to overcome many life-and-death challenges and enormous adversities in order to mobilise the masses to prepare for an uprising and seize power from the Japanese fascists, in a situation where the country fell into the tragedy of famine.