The story in the film is about the love between a man and a woman from the same village, Hoan and Can, who have two children together. But this love affair encountered many difficulties and pressure from family and social customs, forcing Can to leave his hometown and go to the mountains. As for Hoan, she was also prevented by her husband's family because they were afraid of having to redistribute their land. The film shows viewers the relationships and behaviors of Northern farmers in the context of the 1960s.

Rapid rising water in the river can potentially break the dike and cause disastrous flood endangering the villagers. Miss Dung, Chairman of the Commune, must find a way to persuade people to destroy the minor dike and sacrifice some parts of their houses and land in order to protect the main dike.

Vietnamese guerrillas move into a village adjoining a French/US airstrip and recruit locals to help them bring it down.