The beginning of the Great Patriotic War until the middle of the winter of 1941/42 is portrayed in this film. Ivan Sintsov is a correspondent with an army newspaper. The war starts while he is on vacation with his wife. He tries to return to his unit which is located in western Byelorussia; however, it is impossible, since the unit has been overrun by the advancing Germans. Near the town of Borisov, he meets another officer, also trying to reach his unit. They stop a car going in the direction they need. As the officer stops the car, a German air raid begins. A direct hit blows up the officer and the car he stops. Sintsov continues his journey alone. He is eventually assigned to a military newspaper, located in Mogilev and, later, another near Yelnia. The movie describes his work as a war correspondent during these trying times.