Australia in the 1960s. Phil Goddard is drafted and reluctantly leaves for Vietnam. He loses several men, including his buddy Ritchie, in a minefield. Phil develops a romantic bond with the Vietnamese Lien. His best friend Laurie gets into a relationship with Lien's sister Le. However, Lien does not survive the war. When Phil returns to Australia, he suffers so much from his traumatic experiences that he cannot resume normal life.