In 1965, America sends young soldiers to war in a country they know nothing about. Two tunnel rats form a powerful bond, until one is gravely injured.

Communist guerrillas launch a surprise attack: the Tet Offensive. Americans in the city of Huế find themselves at the center of a bloody battle.

A Vietnamese child's life is torn apart by the war, and a pilot is shot down in enemy territory. Back in the U.S., social unrest takes hold.