In the summer of 1942, the Soviet army is fighting the Germans on the Don River. Young lieutenant Ogarkov gets lost in the steppe and fails to deliver a redeployment order. For that, he is sentenced to death. Now, another soldier has to lead him across the steppes to his death.

Based on the Don stories by Mikhail Sholokhov. Soviet power was only established on the Don, and a conflict broke out in the first commune: the wife of the commune’s leader Arseniy Klyukvin, having believed the promises of the white officer, fell in love and went to live with him with the child. She doesn't want to hide her feelings, but unable to withstand the bestial attitude of a white officer, she returns back to the Bolshevik.

In December 1941. For five days from the front line in besieged Leningrad arrives for re-forming company. The soldiers are placed in barracks outside the city. A young soldier Alexei Kazantsev pays attention to the girl Olya. She comes to the barracks every day to see her father, Private Koshkin, who among the St. Petersburg volunteers is going to go to the front. Olya is sick, and from hunger she can hardly stand on her feet. Koshkin gives her his tiny ration, which is given to soldiers. Alexei meets Olga and does his best to save the girl. On the eve of Alexei's return to the front, Olga becomes his wife.